Why I didn't write a special Orphan Sunday post yesterday

It's complicated.  That is why.  Yesterday was National Orphan Sunday.  This day was dedicated to education and focus on the global orphan crisis and the need for good foster parents.  I love foster care and adoption. In fact, I've been an annoying and irritating, spokesperson for Christians to get their butts in gear and care for orphans and foster children for many years( I'm thankful that our little church loves adoption. We have the Shoes for Orphan Souls drive every March. We host the Heart Gallery(display of foster children who need adoptive homes) for 3 weeks every October. Our pastor supports and encourages adoption and foster care. Many of our church partners are foster parents and/or adoptive parents).

So, why was I quiet this year?  Because I'm frustrated and people setting aside  one Sunday a year to recognize this huge issue really isn't going to change anything.  I'm frustrated at the lack of Jesus followers who truly care about this issue.  Sure, many do care and are involved; many more than 10 years ago.  For that I'm grateful. However, most Christians spend more money on their vehicles and cell phones than they do on advocating for the fatherless(Mike and I do too)!  There is room at most tables for another child, but not room in most hearts. I'm also frustrated at the state of adoption procedures around the world and in our own country.  163 million orphaned children in the world and, yet, the countries with adoption programs make it so difficult to give these children homes.  Certainly, there must be laws and protocols in place to protect the children from human-trafficking and screen families. However, the wait times are way too long.  The paperwork required is cumbersome, the fees are burdensome, the age of children coming home are older and, therefore, placing the children at risk for attachment problems. In our own country, the foster system is doing its best with overwhelming numbers(500,000 kids in foster care in the US).  Still, foster parents jump through ridiculous hurdles.  Foster-to-adopt parents get their hearts broken when a judge or caseworker rules in favor of the birth family to have repeated chances at getting their lives back together, even though the foster family is ready, equipped, and wants to give the child a permanent, adoptive family!  I've watched my sister and her husband go through this several times and they grieved over children they thought might be their next son or daughter.
What is the answer?  I don't know.  I've been to children's homes in Korea, Nicaragua, and Haiti.  Some do a great job, some do a horrible job.  Funding is inequitable. How do we help with orphan care in a sustainable manner?  How do we make a difference in people's family situations and healthcare so that birthmothers don't die from disease and children don't have to be abandonded or removed due to mistreatment?
This problem is overwhelming and heartbreaking.  But, we can't give up.  The Bible commands us to care for the fatherless...from the very beginning of God's laws to the Jews, all the way through the New Testament. Jesus' own words in Matthew tell us that however we treat the "least of these" is how we are treating Jesus. It is hard and sometimes I want to shove it to the back of my mind and pretend the problem doesn't exist.  But, it is worth it and so wonderful.  Adoption is a beautiful miracle, not a burden.  My Korean-born children weren't a rescue project, they rescued us!  We are the ones blessed by them joining our family.