What is a Cleft Palate?

8.07.06: Today my girls actually let me take pictures of the roof of their mouths. Both girls are the same age so you are looking at a healthy and cleft palate of the same age children. Autumn will have the back (soft) part of her palate closed on Monday, August 14th, so this was great to be able to get some shots of her mouth before her 1st surgery.  

Click Here: Cleft Photos compared to a Healthy Palate

Why Adopt?

Romans 8:15 -

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

 

James 1:27 -

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress...

After over a year of debating and heartfelt struggles, we finally heard the Lord speak. While praying one day about how to form our family, God was very clear! The tears still come when we remember it. "First, you shall adopt." Really? Did He really say this? And are we crazy? Does God really speak? No! "YES!" He moved our hearts so powerfully that we could literally 'feel' not hear His words. And, did he say "first"? What does that mean? Well, we didn't yet know. But, we did know that we were to follow God's direction. Pregnant or not, we wanted to adopt an orphan.

In August 2003, just two weeks after the Lord spoke to us about adoption, we attended a FamilyLife marriage conference and listened to one of our favorite Christian artist speak about him and his wife adopting twice from China, even after having 3 biological children. We knew instantly that God was calling us to China also. There was not enough Kleenex in the world to dry our eyes. We both knew instantly our daughter was in China. It took bringing us to our knees for us to see God's wondrous plan. The miracle of adoption! We had received the Spirit of Adoption!

(That is how our story started....we are about to apply for our 3rd adoption.)

Why China?

(Warning: Don't read if you don't want to know the TRUTH. We are blatantly honest - professing Christians.)

Some ask "Why not adopt in the US?" Well, everyone has a their own reasons why they adopt where they do. There is not one universal answer. Another persons answer will not be our answer, so we ask that you not assume. We want you to understand we love ALL children, ALL races, ALL nationalities. Our hearts break for ALL orphans. We are not afraid of US adoptions. We simply received a calling and we answered that calling. We can say no more than that and offer no further description. But what we have found out since has given us some insight that you may wish to know about China and about sending your love abroad. 

The most important fact of all is this: God's commandment: 

(Acts 1:8) "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Check it out! Read up! God gave this command, it was not followed and great oppression hit forcing the command to be fulfilled. So we can stay home in our comfort zones, we can say we are supporters of the "good o'e US of A". But what about the world? Didn't God create the entire universe? So, when he says "whom shall I send?"...what will be your response?  When He gives you a specific command, a specific calling, will you jump on board and follow or will you sit back and wait for oppression to hit before he forces you out of your comfort zone? Some are called to adopt in the US, some are called to be foster parents, some are called to give biological birth, some are called to international adoption. We answered our calling. 

Some data about China...

China is a country whose culture dates back to the earliest records known to man. At first glance, some of China's beliefs may seem quite different than those we hold in the western world. One example of this is the cultural preference for a male child. There are several reasons why Chinese families might prefer a boy over a girl. In rural provinces, a family's livelihood depends directly on the output of its family members. Because of this, a family with sons would be at a considerable advantage than one with daughters. Historically, it is also the son's honored responsibility to take care of his parents in their old age. A daughter, however, would be expected to care for her husband's parents rather than her own. In this regard, the Chinese believe that having a son is crucial to their livelihood, as well as a form of social security for the parents when they grow older. Although in recent years, China has done much to change these belief systems, many families, especially in rural areas, still strongly favor the birth of a male child. This situation is further complicated by China's One- Child Policy, which prohibits families from having more than one child. As a result of this policy, there are thousands of abandoned children throughout China, with the vast majority of them being healthy girls.

Courtesy of America World

Reprinted by permission of Brian Lewis, AWAA President