Adopting from Africa...

Adopting from Africa has changed me. I think about it every single day...not just our adoption but Africa...the people...the culture...everything about it. Actually I probably don't think about it every single day, but every single minute. It's a part of me now. It has changed me...my way of thinking. I have never been the type of person who wants a lot of money, a big house or fancy cars, but I have wanted more. But now I am so content with what I have. Do I want to make more money? Yes...but not to buy "stuff". I want extra money so that I can help orphans in Africa, donate to organizations to build water wells so people can have clean water, send food in times of need. I want to help others who are wanting to adopt. When I read on someone's blog that they are struggling with adoption expenses, I want to be in a place where I can help. We didn't receive any grants for our adoption even though my husband and I do not make a lot of money. We did some fundraisers and made about $2500 and although were were very grateful for that, it didn't go too far with our expenses. We now have a fairly large adoption loan at our bank that we are paying off as we can. That loan also includes losing $6000 when we switched from the China program to Ethiopia. I in no way am complaining. It is what it is and it wouldn't matter if it was a million dollars...God called us to adopt and we would have found a way. Anyway, my point is that my whole outlook has changed...my goals in life. I want to be out of debt now so I can help others...not to buy something bigger or better for myself. I am content with what we have now and I don't want "more". When I think about Africa and what little they have and how happy they are, it's just ridiculous for me to be wanting a new couch or a new pair of expensive shoes when that money can be used for good. I don't want this post to come across as me patting myself on the back. I hope it's not being taken that way because that was NOT my intent. I just wanted to express how I have been changed forever since we adopted from Africa. I have this scripture posted at the top of my blog...it's Proverbs 24:12. "Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act." It is so true. That's how I want to live the rest of my life. I know my husband feels exactly the same way. I have been hoping that by taking our boys with us to Africa it has changed them too. I never wanted to get back in the groove of things here and let them forget what they learned from Africa. Every now and then I hear them say something or see a glimpse of something that lets me know they were changed forever too. Andrew, my 9 year old, brought home a paper from school a few weeks ago and it melted my heart. It wasn't something spectacular or moving that he wrote but it did let me know that he still thinks about it. The class had to write a paragraph about being "reminiscent". This is what he wrote...
"The thing that makes me feel reminiscent is when I went to Africa. Because I saw things that you would never want to see. And it was really fun too. And that's where I got my little sister. And that's what makes me feel reminiscent."
I love that.
So anyway...I guess my way of thinking, doing things, my love for things has changed for the better. I love the new me!
Okay...the next post will be fun and not so "deep". :) This has just been on my mind a lot lately and thought I would share!