Why A Handicapped Child?

Moscow

For several years, our family had prayed that God would show us what sort of ministry we should be a part of. Most of the ministries we had previously persued seemed to pull our family in different directions. Because family unity has always been important to us, we were convicted that whatever ministry God was calling us to, should be one we could all participate in together.

Moscow

In 1991, my husband was priviledged to be able to go to Romania on a mission trip. While he was there, his heart was touched by a couple of homeless orphans who roamed the streets in search for handouts. James 1:27 tells us that pure religion is to visit and take care of the fatherless. Since his Romanian trip we had been distracted from that mission, by raising eight children of our own. Even though this desire lay dormant in his heart, it was never forgotten.

Moscow

A year ago, our daughter Stephanie left college and told her dad that she wanted to be a part of helping him fulfill his vision in some sort of family ministry. Caught off guard, Philip couldn't really think of what that would be and recommended that she just help with the homeschooling and chores for now. Steph and I began privately praying that God would show our family His plans. Shortly after our first prayer together, Philp came home from work and as we sat around the dinner table, he began telling us of an organization he heard about on the way home. This organization brings disabled orphans from Russia for surgeries that will drastically change their lives. Suddenly, Stephanie's eyes met mine. We smiled at each other as we both came to the realization that Philip has always had a passion for orphans. As she and I quietly observed the whole family taking sincere interest in this new ministry idea, we snuck off to a quiet corner and shared our thoughts. Was this the ministry God had for us? Did we as a family, have the ablity to help a handicapped child?

Kremlin in Moscow

Every time I was pregnant with one of my children, the sweetest words I could hear from my care-giver was that the baby was healthy and without defect. Yet, just giving birth to a normal child doesn't guarantee that they will never suffer events that might cause them to become handicapped. I've come to realize that in just one moment our lives can change forever. A sudden car accident or disease could remove any chances of us continuing the life we presently take for granted.

Orphanage

My husband and I have always known that, should something happened to one of our children, and they became disabled, God would give the courage and grace to face those difficulties. Yet the question might be asked, "Why would someone willingly seek out to become the parents of a disabled child?"

Children in Orphanage

UNICEF says the worldwide number of orphans is now 132 million and growing. This number is absolutely mind-boggling. One might ask, with there being such a large number of orphans needing to be adopted, and so few people willing to adopt them, why seek to make our lives more complicated by taking on a "broken" child. Why not choose an easier road and adopt a young, healthy child who would be easier to raise? I truthfully must admit that taking the easier way would be my natural desire. Yet, as our family has pondered all these thoughts, we came to the conclusion that the easier road might not be the one God has chosen for us. Having a large family and older children to help with all the extra chores a handicapped child will require gives us an advantage that many considering adoption do not have.

It has been our observation that most couples desire to adopt a normal younger child. We began feeling that our ministry needed to be to a child that might otherwise be forgotten. When we heard about International Guardian Angels Outreach, and the disabled orphans, we began feeling that a six month commitment would give us an opportunity to know if handling a handicapped child was something we could actually do.

Misha leaving the orphanage

After many months of prayer and pleas to the Lord for His protection over our family, we began seeing the doors open for Misha to come to us. We have realized that just as our lives can change for the worse with just one car accident, Misha's life could change for the better with the opportunity to hear the gospel and have so many blessings and priviledges opened for him. Only God knows the plans that He has for Misha. Our prayers have simply been that God would direct and protect us as we willingly committed our family to His glory and purpose. Faith is trusting that God will answer those prayers.