I don't know what brought this to mind tonight, but I was thinking about the approximately 163 million children in the world who have no family. Maybe it was the recent homecomings of little Ava and Jubilee, or maybe the exciting addition to our extended family that we just found out about yesterday...woohoo!!!
Thankfully, these precious children have families. But what about the 163 million children that don't? Have you ever really thought about that number? I can't actually comprehend the vastness of it. So I thought I'd "play" with the number. So go with me for a moment, and I hope my math skills don't fail me...
I found on the website, www.jstor.org, that the perimeter of the United States is 8,878 miles. OK...now let's line up 163 million children along that perimeter, giving them each a 2 foot span to stretch out their little arms to hold hands. That 8,878 miles is equal to 46,875,840 feet, and giving 2 feet per child, that would be 23,437,920 children that would span one time around the perimeter of the United States. So, if we have 163 million children, that would mean they would span almost 7 times around the perimeter of the United States.
Does that make sense? Did I do that correctly? Can you even imagine seeing almost 7 rings of children holding hands around the perimeter of the United States? And not just children that will go back home to mom and dad, but children who have no where to go...That number blows my mind. What's going to happen to these children without families when they grow up? What will their lives be like? Who will celebrate their accomplishments? Or their birthdays? Who will be there when they need advice? Or just a reassuring hug?
I recently read where the United States has seen a 27% drop in international adoptions in the past year. That's huge. Apparently it's not because of a lack of families trying to adopt, but because of the adoption slow downs and halts in other countries. But I still can't help but wonder...what if more families stepped out in faith to bring a child home? What if our nation could go back to the numbers in 2004 when we brought home nearly 23,000 children? The number of orphans isn't dropping, my friends. Let's not let our awareness drop, or ignore the command from God to care for these orphans. And although I'm probably "preaching to the choir," I pray that some will read this that may step out in faith for the first time.
4 comments:
Oh my goodness, my friend. You know how I feel about all this. Where in the world are the CHRISTIANS?????
It absolutely breaks my heart.
This just gets me. Thanks for sharing my friend :)
Faith has been that not so gentle nudge lately about another adoption. She looks on rainbow kids as much as I do. We'll see ~ we have to remain open to the possibility that He just may use us again in that miracle that formed our family.
And, yes we found footed pjs! She was thrilled even though they are far too large, we may get another couple of winters out of 'em.
That is just heartbreaking!!! Thank you so much for your comment on my post about the precious one who is still waiting. I pray for her as well as ALL the precious ones who wait and may forever wait. So incredibly sad!!!
Well said my friend! I have already found myself "peeking" at waiting children the last few weeks! Am I nuts or what!?! But what a blessing this adoption has been...our son is home and still some days I am overcome with emotion over it. May God bring these children into loving families!
Hugs to you and thanks so much for sharing your sweet heart with us!
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