Why Africa?

I know some people wonder why Congo?  I thought I would try to explain why Congo.

Estimates of the orphan crisis range from 147 million to 153 million orphans in the world.  That is at least 1/3 more than the amount of people who turned out for the election of the President of the United States two week ago. 

There are approximately 4.6 million orphans in the DRC alone.  Here is a picture to give you some perspective:

Every single person in the "Greater Boston" area would be an orphan.  EVERYONE!  Not just all the children in that area, but everyone.  Can you begin to see how many children that is?  Children.  They have no one to protect them, no one to provide for them, no home, no mother, no father, not enough food, and no LOVE.  Can you imagine never experiencing love?  That is the life of these children.  Here are some photos of a friend of mine who was in Congo picking up her children in October:

Yes, that is the Congo River.

Can you see the person in the tent?

That's a village. 

 

 

Friends, this is not Sally Strouthers from those 80's commercials.  The is not, "eat all your food because there are starving children in Africa!" I think we, as Americans, have been desensitized to the conditions of orphans in Africa and around the world.

 

I have a friend there, right now.  She is using the same facilitator that we are.  The facilitator brought her son to her on Friday.  That night, the little boy had an absolute meltdown at dinner time.  My friend just thought that they would share with him off of their plates.  The little screamed and screamed.  He ended up getting so mad that he crawled under the bed and ate his chicken leg to the bone.  When  I say to the bone, I mean fat and grisle and ALL!  They are now giving him his own plate but he still has a melt down at meal times, then he eats until he throws up.  He drinks water until he throws up.  This 4 year old little boy doesn't know that he is now is the arms of his forever family and won't have to worry about his next meal because it will be provided for.

 

The orphan crisis is serious.  I honestly feel like I am on a rescue mission to get my daughter.  Rob and I feel like one of our children is across the world and we have to get to her before it is too late.  If you believe in Christ, you should be on a rescue mission as well because the Bible states over and over what is written so eloquently in James 1:27:

 

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

 

It is not every one's calling to adopt, we fully understand that.  Please think about what it is that you CAN do.  Sponsor a child?  Make a one time donation?  Help another family adopt?  There is something you can do, I know it - pray about it, and you will know too!

 

Rob and I were awarded a matching grant through Hand in Hand Christian Adoption.  If you would like to support us, now is the time!  We have until November 30th for Hand in Hand to receive any donations on our behalf.  They will then MATCH it dollar for dollar.  Please help if you can!  We appreciate it!

 

If you want to make a donation, please make your check payable to Hand in Hand Christian Adoption and mail to:

 

Hand in Hand Christian Adoption

Rob and Christy Whitver

18318 Mimosa Court

Gardner, KS  66030

 

Thank you for your support!

Christy

 

 



Update!

I have tried a couple of times to post as there has been A LOT of things going on that I wanted to share, but I just can’t seem to get everything out in a reasonable amount of words.  Seriously, I have tried like 7 times…..and it is extremely long! 

So, for now, I will just sum it up and say that GOD IS GREAT and that He has brought a new realization to me of his faithfulness and his love for me!

Our silent auction was FABULOUS!  I cannot believe that it came together in less than 3 weeks.  We received donations galore and so many people shared on their Facebook pages and I have been overwhelmed by its success.  It is by far our most successful fundraiser so far!  We made over $1,500 in 4 days!  Can you believe that?  Amazing!

Adoption Update – We were submitted to court on October 25^th.  This is an exciting and very important step!  We have also received our birth certificate judgment.  This is a judgment that will order the social welfare to give the birth certificate.  It will make it easier to get our names on the birth certificate once the judge rules in favor of the adoption.  This will also take some time off of the “wait” after the adoption judgment, so that is very cool!  We are hoping to have judgment this month, but it may not happen until December.  We are preparing to file in country, which would put us in Africa for 3 weeks +/-; I’m just not sure that I can wait for 2 to 3 months here in the US while things are settled.  We are praying very diligently over this, so any prayer that you would be willing to offer, we would be most grateful.

We are still a little short in the money department and we are trying to decide what to do – T-shirts or something similar.  I have seen so many creative t-shirts so I’m not sure we will be able to compete with them, but I’m willing to try it at some point!

Until later, I appreciate you taking the time read our blog and for your caring in our adoption process!

Christy