Tag Archives: abandoned

As lesson in eschatology from an Ethiopian orphanage

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As we drove through Addis Ababa the excitement about receiving our two newest sons was numbed by the blatant display of poverty along the streets.  The mass of humanity before us was sprinkled with ‘outcasts’ whose residence was at best a worn blanket or a piece of plastic.  Beggars drug their deformed legs on the pavement.  The aroma of roasted corn cooked and sold on the sidewalk waffled through the air.  Every now and then, the undeniable odor of refuse was added to the smog. If poverty has a smell, this is it!

I stared speechless out the car window as our driver recounted details of Isaac and Jonah’s life. He recounted the death of a mother and biological siblings.  He explained how it was impossible for their father to provide for them.

When they first arrived at the orphanage they both were severely malnourished.  Jonah had no mobility. His ankles were like jello. Questions about the beggars with deformed limbs no longer needed to be asked.  I now seemed to know firsthand why they drug themselves along the ground.

We finally turned down a gravel road that led us up to a metal gate.  I had seen this security gate in pictures and videos.  I had imagined this moment for months but it was not happening like I had imagined.

Certain parts of Addis have to share electricity in 24hr shifts.  This was a day when the electricity at the home happened to be out. There was also a thunderstorm rumbling in the background. I remember thinking, “This is no hallmark moment!”  And yet, the darkness and gloom was about to be overcome by the moment we had been waiting months to experience.

As the metal door was pulled open, I heard some of the nannies yell for Kenesa and Melkamu.  I walked down a dark hallway worried that the gloomy conditions would make the transition even more difficult.  As I turned to go up some stairs, two little boys met me.  I could not make out their faces, but I knew them and they knew me. They reached for us!

Isaac was the closest so I grabbed him. He tightly squeezed my neck with his thin arms. I don’t know if he was scared or excited.  I do know he had been waiting for me and was ready for something. With tears in her eyes, Danae went for Jonah.  In this moment pictures, videos, thoughts, and prayers became reality.  We were holding our new sons.

Jonah brought to us the pictures of our family we sent them months earlier.  Isaac showed me with pride their metal bunk beds. Before leaving, they made sure to hug and kiss all their friends.  After seeing many others come and go, it was now their turn to leave.  Isaac kept saying something that began with words I could not understand, but included, “airplane” and ended with, “to America!” He had obviously been prepared to leave and was ready to go.

I know this is not normal.  Many children when leaving an orphanage kick and scream to stay. This is one reason why the details of this day are so imprinted on my heart and mind. To this day I relive these moments every time one of them runs to my open arms.

We talk about this Day alot around our house. I pray we never shake the details that still seem so vivid. This day has often caused me to consider another Day.  The Day that is coming when the Eastern sky will be ripped open as the Son sweeps into this present orphanage.  The Day when He comes to rescue all who have been preparing to go with Him. The Day He comes to take over the world. On this Day all darkness and gloom will be shot with the light of His glory.

I pray constantly that all our kids begin to look for and hope in this Day the same way  Isaac and Jonah looked for the day when we arrived to bring them home.

Unlike Isaac and Jonah, my problem is that I am constantly lulled into forgetting how much bigger and better this Day will be than anything else I have ever experienced.  This is why I so desperately need the transitioning work of Spirit in my life. While He has already called me away from sin, He continues to convince me with the authoritative Words of Christ of the glorious details of this coming Day.

We know in part what this will be like if our hearts have been born from above. But on that Day we will see Him, know Him, and be like Him in an instant. For this reason we pray, “Abba Father!” and “Come Lord Jesus! Come quickly!”

Satan Hates Kids. What about you? Mark 10:13-16

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This is a sermon I preached on July 19, 2010 at AABC prior to our Vacation Bible School.  The sermon seeks to show the spiritual warfare that exists in our thoughts and ministry toward children.  Satan hates kids. Jesus loves kids. Whose side our we on?

May 6, 2009 – Haskins Day

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I tossed and turned all night constantly rolling over to check my phone. We were waiting for one of the most important calls of our life.

At some point on the morning of May 6, 2009 a judge in Ethiopia was suppose to be looking over a set of documents that included just about anything you would want to know about our family.  We were praying it was enough information to make two boys then named Kenesa and Melkamu official Haskins.

After determining we were not going to hear from our agency for some time, I decided I would do some early morning yard work. I had just about finished weed eating when I heard my wife yelling with the phone to her ear, “It went through! They’re ours!”

I immediately ran into the kitchen having no concern for the mess I was making with the grass that now covered my feet.  Danae removed the phone from her ear long enough to confirm what I thought she had said. By the time she ended the conversation with our agency’s director, the other four kids had arrived in the kitchen to see what was happening.  We then announced to everyone that we had two new family members in Ethiopia.

I’ll never forget the shouting, crying, and eventually running and dancing in the rain that was now pouring outside.

May 6, 2009 was a day full of rejoicing and thanksgiving. By the end of the day, my phone was packed with texts, voice messages, and emails of congratulations.

For months our family and friends had struggled with us in prayer for this moment.  We had asked God to give us two new sons.  Our prayers that He would defend the fatherless on this day had been answered.  We were experiencing the blessing of knowing it was His will that two little boys once living in poverty and abandonment now had a family. May 6, 2009 was the day Isaac and Jonah became my sons.

I often wonder what they were doing on that day. I know for certain they had no clue of the celebration that was taking place in Lexington.  They were also oblivious to the transaction that took place in that Ethiopian court room, a decision that so radically changed their lives.

On May 6, 2009, Isaac probably kicked a soccer ball around the court yard of the transition home with no concept of baseball.  One year later he proudly stands in centerfield with Haskins #44 across the back his Braves Jersey.  On May 6, 2009, I am sure Jonah was making someone laugh. I bet he never imagined the hundreds of people on this side of the ocean who have fallen in love this little comedian.  I am sure they were both content with life as it was on that day.

Too often I find myself content with life as it is in this orphanage with little concern for the inheritance I will soon enjoy.  And still, my Father is happy to continue working for my good.  Even when I am unaware of it’s glory, He is literally rejoicing in my status as His son.

I doubt Isaac and Jonah had one thought of their new family on May 6, 2009.  Even so, we were consumed with them and couldn’t wait for them to experience and enjoy the blessings of being Haskins.

Happy Haskins Day Isaac and Jonah!  You have taught me more about my Father’s love for me than you will ever know.

Are we really considering the cost?

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Last night an older gentlemen at church cornered me and asked, “How much does it cost to adopt from Ethiopia?”  When I answered the question, the man looked as if he would literally pass out.  He then acted amazed that anyone could actually do it.

I began thinking about the reality that no one acts so shocked when they find out how much we pay for our cars and houses. And yet, the cost of an adoption is a cost for which we have no context to consider.

It’s true that one of the very first questions folks have to ask when considering adoption is, “How much does it cost?”  The issue of finances is probably the biggest obstacle families face when adopting. Most families will spend the majority of the process raising funds, while trying to figure out how to pay pressing fees.  Obviously, families who want to adopt will have to consider the financial cost.  But, is there a far greater cost we are all failing to consider?

The sad reality is that there are many couples choosing not to adopt because they feel the money just isn’t available.  There are others who are refusing to help support them because it feels irrelevant, even when it comes to the enterprise of kingdom investments.  Meanwhile, we all seem to be thinking hard about how to squeeze enough money out of our monthly budgets for fast food and new cell phone apps.

When it comes to caring for orphaned children around the world, the cost is far greater than anything we could ever imagine.  Whether you are the face of love for a child without a family or you help give so some else can be, the issue is not the money.  The issue is obeying Jesus. The cost is one of ignoring Him and His brothers and sisters who presently languish in abandonment.

Jesus gives us a breakdown of the price paid for this in Matthew 25:41-46

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

May we be more shocked by what it will cost us to ignore Jesus than what it cost to adopt one of the least of these!

Christian Alliance For Orphans Summit VI

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On April 29-30 2010, Christians will gather in Minneapolis, Minnesota to consider the plight of orphans all over the world.  In recent days, God has been moving the hearts of Christians every where toward a renewed focus on the ancient command to visit the fatherless.  Summit VI will offer plenty of resources from a variety of speakers concerning the role you might play from within your local church to serve the least of these among us.

“American Christians are stirring to the needs of orphans both at home and abroad as never before.  What’s thrilling is that even small ministries in local churches can make such significant impact.  There are millions of parentless children worldwide, but a single statistic matters more than any other:  it only takes one caring adult to make a lifelong difference in the life of an orphan.”

-         Jedd Medefind, President, Christian Alliance for Orphans

Manliness and adoption

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If the current adoption orphan care movement will be what Jesus wants it to be, it must be more than a movement. It must be a mission embraced by and latched to the local church.  Crucial to such a mission are men.

Visiting orphans in their time of need is not a task that must be left to women who are nurturing by nature.  Men who are protectors and defenders by nature must lead the charge.

My pastor and mentor David Prince recently preached a sermon titled, The Manliness of Adoption: Testosterone and Pure Religion.  You can now read this sermon at Reformation 21. If you would like to listen to the sermon you can find it our church’s site here along with other adoption and orphan care resources.

ABBA Forum

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At AABC we believe that adoption is a community project.  Our adoption ministry is not a segmented group of people who have the ‘adoption process’ in common.  All who are trusting in Christ alone have been adopted by God.  Therefore, we all have adoption in common. As a church body we must work together to rescue spiritual orphans, who have never heard and believed in Jesus, with the gospel. We must also work together to rescue the 145 million abandoned and vunerable children around the world through adoption.  This is why at AABC adoption and orphan care are both woven into our commitment to the Great Commission.

One of the ways we will be fleshing out this church centered vision for adoption in 2010 is through our ABBA Forum.   On January 15, 2010 we will have our first ABBA Forum beginning at 6:30p.m. ABBA Forum is for anyone who has questions about adoption. It is for families considering adoption but also for church members who simply want to encourage and support those families who have and will adopt.

ABBA Forum will be hosted on the 1st Friday of each month at David and Jessica Evan’s home.  The Evan’s recently brought their daughter Lilly home from China.  They cannot wait to share their story and help encourage our church family in the mission of adoption.  For more information you can call or email the church office (8594558244).

One year later – knowing them and knowing Him!

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One year ago I clicked on an email attachment and saw these two faces.  My wife and I had just committed to adopting them.  As this picture came up on my computer screen, I knew very little about them.  The feelings of contentment I now have when I hear their infectious laughter reverberate in our home I had never felt.  I had no idea how prideful I would be when noticing looks on the faces of strangers in public when they hear them call me daddy.

While I was clicking on a picture, thinking I was beginning a journey to know as father two boys thousands of miles away, God was taking me on a journey to know Him as Father in ways I never thought possible.

I know better the love my Father set upon me before the foundation of the world.  I am more amazed of my Father’s devotion to rescue me before I wanted to be rescued.  I am more confident in the truth of my own adoption and acceptance as a son in the Son.

One year ago, all I thought was that there were two little boys who had been left at an orphanage in Ethiopia and they needed us.  I never knew how much I needed them. I never knew how they would be used to teach me of a my Father’s love. But my Father knew!

The orphan will rule too

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The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.

The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.

They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 11:6-9

The brunt of the curse in the world is vividly seen and felt in the ways sin and death affect children.  The war between the seed born of woman and the serpent rages each day as 16,000 children die of starvation.  Approximately 1.8 million children die annually as a result of disease caused by unclean water and poor sanitation.  An estimated 1.2 million children both boys and girls are trafficked each year.  There are 145 million orphans and vunerable children in the world today.  On top of this, thousands of unborn children are violently destroyed daily through the abominable act of abortion.  And yet, there is a day coming when such destruction along with the destroyer will be turned on it’s head.

Isaiah 11 describes a day when the Prince of Peace will come and judge the world in righteousness. Justice will dominate and the wisdom of Christ will cover the world as the waters cover the sea. As flowers of peace choke out thorns and thistles, the least of these – the abandoned, abused, and aborted – will rise up and assert authority on the earth.

In this passage, God mocks the serpent by describing the way in which the child, the snake once sought to kill, will scoff as he fearlessly waves his hand over the impotent snake’s hole.

We must make peace with and for the child now by serving the orphan and seeking justice for the defenseless.  As we see them suffer, we must not shirk from joining them in their battle against the wicked one understanding they will win.  Victory will be declared when they stand with the One not ashamed to call them brothers, as well as, co-rulers.

Here is a sermon I preached this Sunday from Isaiah 11, “So this is Christmas“

Pray for the Corbins – august 13th court date

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corbinsTrey and Jenny Corbin are seeking to adopt a little girl named Helina from Ethiopia.  She was found abandoned on the streets with another little boy who eventually died.  On Thursday August 13th of this week a judge in Ethiopia will make a decision regarding this little girls future as a Corbin.  Please pray that early Thursday morning the Corbins would receive a phone call telling them they have a new daughter.    

Along with praying for the Corbins and Helina, Lifesong for Orphans has given the Corbins a matching grant of $3,000.00.  Giving to the matching grant would be a wonderful way to help rescue this little girl in Ethiopia.  If you would like to help the Corbins in this way, send me your email address and I will get you the appropriate information. 

Trey and Jenny at this time have 3 children, Taylor, Elijah, and Sophia.  The Corbins are also faithful members of Ashland Avenue Baptist Church where I have the privilege of serving as one of their pastors.