In South Africa I was working at a children’s home. While I was there I was put face to face with some of my heroes: adoptive parents.
Ever since I was little I loved the idea of adoption and looked forward to when I was a grown up so I could adopt, and even watching the Disney movie Meet the Robinsons encouraged my desire to adopt older children one day, or perhaps become involved in the foster care program. I was also blessed with witnessing adoption within my extended family. So while I was working at the children’s home I got to witness adoption from a new perspective.
I witnessed parents come in to meet their child and fall in love instantly. Even when it was a challenge, because such a transition is scary and challenging, but all I saw was love being poured out from parent to child. I was brought to tears just witnessing the unconditional love poured out by these adoptive parents. I got to see children that I had been caring for meet and bond with their parents who will give them the individualized care and attention that they need. I saw them learn that they could trust the love that was being poured out on them. Words cannot describe the impact of what I witnessed.
This isn’t an entirely new experience though. We are adopted as sons into God’s family. We are chosen and grated into God’s family. God pours out unconditional love onto us, and he waits patiently for us to learn to trust His love. The transition, the challenges, the fear, and the lessons are all a part of adoption. Seeing it from an outside perspective, watching parents love unconditionally and showing their child that they will always be there for them brought me to the stark realization that God is doing the same thing, with the very distinct difference that He is even more trustworthy than any other person.
So to all the adoptive parents out there, thank you. Thank you for being heroes to children who need loving homes. Thank you for being an example of unconditional love. Thank you for your patience and understanding during times of transition. Thank you for being like Jesus.
To the people running children’s homes, thank you as well. Thank you for caring for these children as best you possibly can. Thank you for loving them and helping them transition into life with new parents. Thank you for all of your work because you bring hope.
