Nonsense in the name of God
For very good reasons, I am not a religious person and whenever I see people use His name as an explanation for their deeds, my stomach turns.
"Lisa believes God can do everything and believes it is his will for this adoption, using her as an instrument".
I hate it when people claim the will of God, as Thomas Atwood also did in his horrible piece God Loves Adoption, to account for their actions. Where is personal responsibility in all of this. In the name of God all sorts of nonsense can be said, lending it authority using His name. Though even beyond His name the people described in this article seem to have no idea what they are talking about.
"The United States overall has a decent foster care system in place," Hays says. "For children in other countries, they have nothing
First of all the United States doesn't have a decent foster care system. Granted, contrary to Liberia, the United States has a foster care system, but to call it decent is giving it far too much credit. The fact Liberia doesn't have a foster care system, to me, means there should be efforts made to create one, so people in Liberia have a chance of helping the children in their own country. Adopting children doesn't help the situation. In fact it only helps to sustain the situation. Most countries that have had high numbers of adoption for years, still don't have a decent foster care system, because that would deteriorate the market for adoption and "overwhelming fees" are no longer necessary.
These people are really not beyond the state of puberty as can be drawn from the following:
"When my husband saw her picture he said, 'It's incredible. It's like I've known her all my life.
I've heard more often heard of adopters falling in love with a picture, something I recall myself doing with actresses and singers at the age of fifteen. Though a picture may tell a thousand stories, it usually doesn't prepare well for what is coming. Pictures of Liberian children of course look cute, as most any child's picture does, but it doesn't tell the story behind the child, what it has gone through and it certainly won't tell what a child will go through growing up in a Latter Day Saint community in the Palmer Township of Pennsylvania.
I am curious who Acres of Hope umbrella'ed with, cause as far as I know they are not licensed in the state of Pennsylvania.
from: pennlive.com
A calling to adopt
Palmer Twp. couple feel God chose them to help girl from Liberia.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
By DEBRA K HESS
The Express-Times
"Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 'Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.''' -- Mark 9:36-37
This passage from the Gospel of Mark could be interpreted by theologians and scholars in many ways. But Palmer Township residents Lisa and Eric Hays live out the text every day of their almost 15-year marriage.
They are parents to seven children: Emily Rose, 12, Mishaela Jane, 10, Abigail Susan, 8, Elizabeth Nancy, 6, Katherine Doris, 3, Cassie Virginia, 2, and Eric Bromley, 4 months.
As though raising seven children is not challenging enough, the Hays have adopted 6-year-old Crystal from the African country of Liberia.
The call came the last week in February that the courts approved the adoption and Crystal was officially theirs. They already filed for her passport. An ecstatic chorus from Kool and the Gang's song "Celebration" was the Hays children's response to the phone call.
"At least it was less painful this time," says Lisa Hays, referring to the labor pains she experienced with the seven births.
The Hays family spent the summer raising funds through garage sales, candle and Current fundraisers and even lemonade stands from the girls of the family, for a total of $12,000 of the $18,000 they needed to complete the adoption. The family has had the support of family, friends and church members in trying to raise the remainder of the money.
All they need to do now is raise the last $6,000 to bring Crystal home by the end of March.
Leap of faith
The Hays are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and have been members of the Upper Nazareth Township congregation for nearly six years. Lisa was a day care director for seven years in New Jersey. She is a certified teacher who has home-schooled all their children.
"This is a beautiful faith-filled story -- it's true in our midst," says Bishop Glenn Geisinger of the Nazareth Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "It is a God-given plan for them."
How did they come to choose Crystal?
The Hays place a lot of value in prayer.
"There was a waiting list for older children in Liberia, which included the child's name and birth date," Hays says. "I prayed about it time and again and each time I was drawn to her (Crystal's) name every time."
"When my husband saw her picture he said, 'It's incredible. It's like I've known her all my life.' He took a leap of faith with me."
Why adopt?
People have asked them why they would consider adoption, especially when they were able to have so many of their own.
"We have so much and I realized that even when we think things are not good financially, there are children out there starving and we really do have so much to be grateful for and we should share that," Hays explains.
Why adopt after being biological parents of seven children? And why not domestic adoption?
"The United States overall has a decent foster care system in place," Hays says. "For children in other countries, they have nothing. We take food and clothing for granted. These kids could use a break: a loving home, a chance at a better life."
The seed for adoption was planted after Lisa met someone who had recently adopted from China. This led to some homework on Lisa's part and she was referred to Acres of Hope, an adoption agency based in Wisconsin that handles children's adoptions from Liberia.
The fees were overwhelming so they decided to raise the funds.
"It was amazing to see the outpouring of people. It is incredible," Hays says.
Acres of Hope focuses on humanitarian work and adoptions with children younger than the age of 5 because of their vulnerability in countries such as Liberia.
"In countries that have experienced the trauma of civil wars like Liberia, it always most affects the youngest (children). Liberia is on the top five list of infant mortality rates in the world," says Acres of Hope Adoption Consultant Rachel Wilson.
Wilson says on the average, from start to finish, the adoption process takes one year to 18 months. Wilson says the Hays family falls into that time period.
"They are in the last phase of the adoption process to bring their little girl home," she says. "It was a cool thing to work with the Hays, knowing the prayerful way they selected her from the waiting list of older children."
Next step
If they can raise the money by the end of March, then Eric will travel to Liberia to pick up Crystal, a trip that may take from one to two weeks, if everything goes well, says Lisa. Otherwise an escort will be needed and that may take longer. If they are unable to raise the rest of the money to bring Crystal home by the end of March, Lisa is not sure what they will do.
From a call full of hope and prayer, Lisa says they will do what they need to do to bring Crystal home.
"Lisa believes God can do everything and believes it is his will for this adoption, using her as an instrument," Geisinger says. "It has been a faith-building experience for everyone involved."
Geisinger, who has been with the family from the beginning of this journey, affirms and supports this adoption as a call from God for Lisa and Eric.
"Her (Lisa) call has been full of spiritual conviction from the beginning," he says. "It has been a wonderful experience being their spiritual leader."
Deb Hess is a staff writer and edits the Our Town pages. She can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at dhess@express-times.com.