Are you a goer or a sender?

The orphan problem is everybody's problem. Whether you choose to believe it's your problem is simply a decision you make. And that decision doesn't change the fact that it is indeed your problem. It is everyone's problem.

If a starving orphan knocked on the door of your comfortable, warm house, what would you do? Would you turn your back and close the door?

Well, I'm here to tell you that there are millions of children in need RIGHT NOW. They are starving. They don't have safe water. They need medical care.        They need parents. They need someone to stand up for them. Someone to defend them.

If you are thinking there is just no way you can adopt, well then, I have many other options for you. :) YOU can make a difference and save a child without adopting. Sponsor a child. Feed a child. Pay for a child to have life saving surgery. Help a community build a well so they can have safe drinking water. Support someone else's adoption.  YES!!! SUPPORT SOMEONE ELSE'S ADOPTION.  And I mean, REALLY support someone else's adoption. Organize a fundraiser for them. Help them with a fundraiser they are having by working it like it was your own. Search your heart on how hard it would be to come up with nearly $30,000 ( and yes, Ellie's adoption was very close to that despite my very best efforts to keep all the costs down ) and FEEL that family's struggle to bring their child home.

Ellie's adoption took saving at a crazy level for our family, gifts from friends, multiple fundraisers, grants, and a loan to get that baby home. And you know what? She is so worth every bit of it! And you know what else? Every other child that is waiting for a family is worth it too.

There are families willing to bring these children home, but financial obstacles stand in the way. I remember my Sunday school teacher from when I was a teenager saying God has "goers and senders". If you can't be a goer, maybe God is calling you to be a sender. If you can't adopt, can't go to Africa and build a well, can't hand out food to orphans, then maybe God's role for you is to send someone who can. There are lots of people and programs in place to help children out of hopelessness. But they need support. I tell ya, I am so, so grateful for all the senders that helped us bring Ellie home.

What are you?? A goer? A sender? Or both?? I dare you to search your heart and ask God to reveal it to you. And you know what? YOU will be blessed for it!!!!

I am going to work on putting together a list of wonderful people and programs that would benefit from some "senders". So, stay tuned. :) But for right now, here are just a  couple to get you going!!

http://milesoftheheart.blogspot.com/

http://feedingtheorphans.blogspot.com

 http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

 http://www.bringingsophiahome.blogspot.com/ 

 http://www.heleadsus.blogspot.com/

 http://www.beebebits.blogspot.com/