Four hundred sixty thousand. That is an estimated number of orphans in China alone in 2017. As a family, we hope to change this number to four hundred fifty nine thousand.
When we adopted my sister Faye in 2007, it was estimated there were about 65,000 orphans in China. Just 10 years later, that number had hit a high of over 460,000 four hundred sixty thousand, 98% of whom had a disability or special need of sorts ranging from cleft palates, developmental delays or epilepsy to down-syndrome, congenital heart defects, and multiple sclerosis.
Faye had vision issues due to lack of connection from her brain to left eye; however this was corrected through corrective lenses and patching. I was a sickly child when I was adopted, weighing 17 pounds at 16 months old. Mom and dad navigated the waters of febrile seizures, asthma, and underdeveloped lungs leading to breathing problems. However, these health issues were also corrected through TLC, medications, nebulizers/inhalers, and a steroid called Budesonide (Pulmicort).
Issues such as these, that are easily treatable in the U.S, are often left undiagnosed and untreated in China and these children and typically abandoned by their very own parents confined to a life within a welfare home or orphanage. Studies on children growing up in child welfare homes indicate that they lack a sense of safety and intimacy, are less confident in social participation (Gao and Yang 2007; Cheng 2003). They tend to be lonely, self-centered and lack a sense of security (Zhu and Cai, 2007).
“Traumas including abuse and neglect affect a child’s daily decisions, anxiety, and the way they function with other people because there brains are literally wired differently. The temporal lobes, which regulate emotion and receive input, are drastically altered. A child’s brain isn’t resilient, trauma in early years is real and impacts the rest of your life.” (see previous blog post “Orphan Sunday” by Jessica Eddy)
We have officially begun our application to adopt another precious daughter of the King from China through Agape Adoption Agency. I stumbled across this agency a few months back. “Agape” is a Greek word that refers to God’s perfect love. Pastor Aaron Walters once explained,
“Loving action bring unity and put the object of our love before ourselves. Agape love is the highest, sacrificial form of love. It focuses on the preciousness of the object being loved. This love delights in giving even when the loved one is unworthy, and desires the good only of the one loved. This love serves and sacrifices, not bc they expect to receive things in return, but all on account of the person they love.”
This is the love that our Heavenly Father lavishes upon us. It is the love both my parents have exhibited towards Faye and me, and it is our desire and prayer that our family can step forward as the hands and feet of Christ and bring this love to our “oversea peanut.” (“Pea-pod has always been dad’s nickname for me, and “Peanut” is a play on it.:)
We are inviting all of our friends and family to partner with us as we embark on this journey whether that be donating financially but most importantly, we covet your prayers as we step forward in faith.
Specifically we are asking for prayers for:
•Qualification from the CCCWA (China center for children’s welfare adoption) for a PA (pre-approval). According to China’s laws, the youngest adoptive parent must be no older than 50 years older than the adoptee. The little girl we are hoping to bring home is 8yr old, and Mark just turned 59. Pray that the Lord would move this first mountain if this adoption be His will.
•Patience as we continue the paperwork process, finalizing application forms, our LOI (letter of intent) and begin the process of our third home-study.
•If this be God’s will, that he will provide finances for our initial IAAME (Intercountry Adoption Accreditation & Maintenance Entity), Home Study, Adoption Services Agreement, and upcoming expenses.
•For wisdom, guidance, discernment, and that we would enter into this with unity as a family, and surrender to HIS will, whether that be bringing home our little girl or entering this process from a posture of faith, dependence and trust.
•Removal of dad’s fears and anxieties, especially in the financial realm. This would drastically change our family dynamic, but we know that if this is the Lord’s will he will equip, sustain, and empower us.
We are so excited to be sharing this journey with all of you!
Jessica Eddy
Unconditional Love 