Thursday, July 22, 2010

"We're Not Worthy"

Yes, the title of today's blog entry has been swiped from "Wayne's World", one of the silliest movies the late 80's has to offer! On the serious side, it's a feeling most of us can truthfully admit to having often. Today, as I read from 2 Thessalonians, I came to the verse in chapter one that says ". . .we always pray for you that our God may make you worthy of His calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by His power. . ." (v.11) and I was confused. I know myself on the inside, not just the image portrayed at church or social gatherings. I know the inner, awful, selfish, sinful, lazy, twisted thoughts and impulses that spring up daily. I know what it is to feel unworthy. I don't struggle with feelings of unworthiness because of a bad childhood (I had a pretty great childhood and have wonderful, Christian parents). I wasn't bullied much. I haven't been dumped by boyfriends. I rarely felt like an "outsider" among my peers. I just know that I'm unworthy because when I read God's word, I see that I am not like Him. I don't love the "unlovely" like He does. I don't turn the other cheek like Jesus. I don't forgive seventy times seven. It's one of the great mysteries of my faith that God has given me the beautiful calling of caring for orphans! I am unworthy but, praise Him, He knows what He is doing! I am drawn to the part of the verse that says "BY HIS POWER". What a blessed relief to know that fulfilling the calling God has placed on my life has nothing to do with ME and everything to do with HIM! If you struggle with feeling of unworthiness, too, rest assured, you ARE unworthy! Yes, that's meant to be encouraging! God tells us that "when we are weak, He is strong" and that "greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world" (1Jn.4:4). It's really NOT about me!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Precious in His Sight

Rammy is a 3-year old little miracle (his 3rd birthday is TODAY - July 19th)! He was abandoned in the hospital at birth and left, barely attended to, in a basket for the first six months of his life.
He has mild cerebral palsy and cognitive delays but oh, he is a BEAUTIFUL little boy!
He can walk unassisted, feed himself, play happily around the nursery and give and receive affection appropriately. Rammy is going to make someone an absolutely wonderful little son! Are you a family willing to open your home to a child created by God to be the recipient of someone's unconditional love? Are you willing to receive the blessings that come along with special needs adoption? Please consider Rammy. Special needs adoption from The Philippines can happen in as little as 8 months (from application to travel) and is an amazing adventure!
Although the Philippines has specific requirements for adoptive families, those requirements can be waived on a "case by case basis" for a special needs adoption.
If you would like to learn about how you can bring Rammy into your family, log on to the Christian Adoption Services web site at www.christianadopt.org, click on "looking to adopt", "international adoption" and "Philippines". Please call the agency and speak to Jim Woodward about the flexibility of the requirements for special needs adoption.
Our family has been to Rammy's orphanage. We have video of him dancing with our own son, Ezekiel. He is in a clean, loving, low staff to child environment where the children are thriving.
Please pray about this! If you don't feel led to adopt right now, please pray for Rammy's family to show themselves soon. With early intervention, a loving home and prayers from God's people, Rammy's potential is amazing!

Saturday, July 17, 2010

All Things Are Possible

I can scarcely believe I get to type the words I am preparing to type but, here they are: my husband has prayerfully decided we should go forward with attempting to adopt the 14 (almost 15)year old young man from The Philippines who I wrote about in an earlier post!!!!!!! I would absolutely LOVE to share his name, a photo (I have many), his current orphanage, etc.etc. but right now, I can't. If this adoption were to not happen for any reason, I can't take a chance at disappointing this child in such a huge way. I also have to obtain permission from the central authority in The Philippines to pursue another adoption before finalization of Ezekiel's adoption.
There are other hurdles to climb and little time to climb them but my God is more
than able. He has shown this to me in too many ways to list.
The young man we are hoping to adopt has waited for a family for many years. He has had a crushing disappointment in the form of a promise unkept by a family that hosted him on an exchange program. He has watched countless babies and toddlers meet their "forever families" only to return to his cottage as an orphan. He is smart, with no noted special needs other than his age (and certainly the needs that come along with institutional living for almost 15 years). We must act fast as our US immigration system will not allow us to apply for a visa for a child over 16 years of age. We have one year to complete all the needed paperwork. The biggest obstacle is, of course, the financial one. We just completed Ezekiel's adoption and do not have the money to start the process. We are trusting God to move mountains and provide the $20,000 we need to bring this young man home. We know He can do it.
If any of you reading know of agencies giving grants to families pursuing older children, please private mail me. If you are willing to pray for our family on this one, please pray specifically for the following:
1. Permission from the Inter Country Adoption Board to pursue this young man
2. The finances needed to bring him home
3. That all of our current children would be on board
4. That God would be preparing him for life in a family and would give him peace
and excitement about becoming an Esquivel
Thank you in advance for your faithful prayers. I know that with man, this is completely impossible but with God, all things are possible!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

A Week To Remember

"Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose
dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families." -Psalms 68:5-6


This past week was a much-needed time of learning and growth for me. I was honored to have two missionaries from The Philippines in my home for seven full days!!! Some of you reading this might cringe at the thought of a week of house guests but this was no ordinary "visit". The two women who came to my home are Americans who have lived and served in The Philippines for over 20 years. They began as directors of a birthing home which expanded to include an orphanage. They still deliver babies for the poor in their community, hold classes on infant care, reproductive health and so much more. They mobilize their community in times of crisis and help them put a plan into action to solve their own problems. In 1998, a sick and dying woman surrendered her three sons to the director of the baby home. This birth mother died of tuberculosis one month after selflessly placing her beloved sons in the care of strangers, the youngest child being just a month old at surrender. That one-month old baby has grown into my now 12 year old adopted son. Having the eyewitness to his first eight years in our home was beyond wonderful. Thank you, Jeri and Sara Gunderson for a chance to ask limitless questions about life as servants of Christ in The Philippines. I hope anyone who has taken the time to read this post will take a moment to pray for The Little Childrens' Home and Shiphrah Birthing home in Taytay, Rizal Philippines. WONDERFUL things are going on there!

Vision Forum, Quiverfull and Pretending

 If you were a homeschool mom in the late 90s and  into the 2000s like me, you may have been confronted with your feelings of complete inade...