Don't Go To Church.

We've asked Sonia from His Hands, His Feet, to write a guest blog post on our ONEfamily blog today.  You may know Sonia already, but if not, here's the summary:  she's an amazing mom of six boys, hilariously funny, and passionate about the orphan. 


Sonia and her husband John shared their journey of adoption on video for one of our services this past month.  They are a family who are actively caring for the orphan; by bringing two sweet boys in their home from China this past January, and by advocating for those not yet in a forever family.  


God has been stirring some pretty big things in their lives in the past couple of months.  We asked Sonia to share that with you today..... 


Don't Go to Church. 

Don't go to church unless you are prepared to hear. 
To be moved. 
To 
be
called. 

We were happy.
We had just gotten settled. 
We had just figured out how to keep up with 6 boys.
{or at the very least pretend that we knew how to keep up with them} 

And then
And then God spoke
and we.....
we heard. 

By a God-incidence Patrick has been preaching on orphan care recently. 
I no longer wear mascara to church. 
I'm just sayin.
And then specifically he mentioned and read this post.

Children. 
Children dying everyday and 
here
we
sit. 

Content. 
Happy. 
Settled.

And God began to move....

A few weeks prior to that worship service John and I had come across a little boy. 
7 years old
sweet as he can be
and dying of a massive un-repaired heart defect.  
And it became clear to us very quickly that there was no way that we were going to be able to turn our backs on him and 
let him die 
alone
in an orphanage
with
no 
one. 

But us? 
Us God? 
Really? 
Have you seen my laundry pile? 
Do you remember that we are moving in 3 weeks to a state where we know no one? 
Do you see that there are 6 other boys running around this house continually emptying the pantry? 
Have you seen our bank account after our last, very recent, adoptions?
You sure? 
Like sure-sure?
I mean, I know you are God and all, but I just wanted to bring these things to your attention in case you may have overlooked them.
~ahem~
Yeah. 

HE knows. 
He knows all of it
He doesn't need me to tell him
and none of our reasons would ever be good enough to let this little boy die. 

So here we go again. 
Our 3rd adoption in 4 months. 
Racing against the clock to be able to reach him in time.
Will we get there soon enough? 
No idea. 
But regardless we will know his name. 
We will have called him our son.
We will celebrate his life.
We will have been obedient to what He has asked of us. 
Our hearts will be broken, that is for sure.
 But how much more devastating to not have reached out at all?

Each and everyday he is at great risk of a stroke due to his ever rising hemoglobin levels that are causing his blood to become "thick and sludge-like" in addition to the imminent threat of heart failure.
His lips, gums, and fingers are blue. 
He struggles for air, 
he struggles for life.
And to have the honor and privilege of being chosen to introduce this little boy to the name of Jesus,
the ultimate Giver of lifeis a blessing like none other. 
We are humbled and grateful beyond measure. 

When we bring him home we will find out if he is a candidate for surgery and on that day one of two things is going to happen: 

We are either going to be bringing home a very sick little boy that can be saved with the help of modern medicine
or
we are going to be bringing home a little boy that can be saved through faith in Jesus and we will love and laugh and have life with him for however long we are blessed to have him. 

Days?
Months?
Years. 
We don't know. 
But HE does. 
And that's enough for us. 

Total and complete surrender and 
overwhelming peace. 

So we press on toward the goal that God has called us to and we do so no matter the trials knowing He is right there with us.
He has gone ahead of us in this.
We are doing what He has asked of us. 
He knows precisely how all of this will play out.
And that,
THAT is what I cling to. 
{and chocolate. I cling to chocolate. But not near as much as I cling to Jesus}
just FYI.

As Patrick said that day,
we can't save the thousands that die each day
but we can save one. 

There's one less orphan in the world tonight. 
One.
Less.

Soli de Gloria

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27


You can read more of the story at His Hands, His Feet.  The cost to bring this sweet boy into a forever home is relatively inexpensive, (in terms of international adoption). The homestudy and processing costs have been taken care of, so Sonia and John only need to raise $12,000-13,000 to cover the cost of the orphanage fees and the agency fee. 


We ask that you would be praying for this family in the coming months-
*For wisdom in the days ahead as they need to make quick and potentially difficult decisions. 
*Pray for paperwork to move quickly so that they can bring this boy into the US for the medical care he desperately needs. 


If you would like further information on how you can help bring this boy home, please contact us at onefamily@frazerumc.org or Sonia directly, at mommyof4jays@msn.com.