One?.......Or Two Less Orphans?

or

During our adoption paperwork stage, Chris and I talked several times about whether or not we should adopt siblings. We knew the orphan crisis was so great, and I always wondered if we could help just a little bit more by taking another child into our home as well. We prayed about it, but always felt like we were only supposed to adopt one child. We didn't feel that God had shown us otherwise. However, on April 16, 2010, that all changed in an instant. Chris had already gotten up and was getting ready for work. I was still sleeping, soundly, when I heard a voice say, clearly, “Adoption is no longer one, but two.” I immediately woke up, startled, and repeated back to myself what I had just heard. Slightly panicked, I went to tell Chris, and when I came back into the bedroom, I picked up the Bible and opened to Romans 8, where it talks all about adoption. “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father…….And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption…….But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it…….And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose….What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

All morning, I thought about what I had heard. I was a bit confused. I felt that God was trying to tell me something, but what exactly did it mean? Did it mean we were supposed to adopt two children this time? Or adopt one now, and go back sometime in the future to get another? I talked to my sister about it, who encouraged me to contact our social worker who was preparing our home study and ask her if she could extend our parameters to include siblings. That way, God was still in control of what happened: if we were supposed to get only one child, we would get a referral for one. If God wanted us to adopt siblings, our referral would be for two. Maybe our social worker already had our home study complete; we had already been waiting awhile. Maybe she was finished and it was too late to make changes. But as we were talking, I was filled with a sense of peace.

I called Gina, our social worker, and left her a message. When I hung up, I prayed that if this was really something we should consider, then God would show me. I then opened the Bible randomly to the book of Daniel and read, “Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision……He (God) revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee…….But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known…what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; As for thee.....thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.”

I had been in bed. I had been sleeping. Had I been dreaming when I heard the voice? Was it a vision? Later that evening, I received an e-mail back from Gina. Our home study was next on her list of things to be completed, and she would certainly approve us for siblings.

At this point, we don’t know for sure whether we’ll be bringing home one child or two. (Although we have a feeling it will be two!) Will we get a boy? A girl? Two boys? Two girls? One of each? Twins? Only God knows what is in store for us, but I have learned that it is best to trust Him no matter what. He knows exactly who we need and who needs us. And He’s right every time.