mandythompson.com

I can’t tell you when I started reading Debra Parker’s blog. I can’t tell you how often I get over there. But every time I scroll through her posts, read her thoughts, and look at her pictures, there’s something that wells up inside me and wants to say YES to life. Debra challenges me. I pray she will challenge you as well:

It all started with a picture and a post.

Together we prayed for this boy.  We asked that he would know the love of family. Our hearts were moved towards adoption it just seemed to be over our head financially.
Every time God would bring adoption to our lips our reality would smack us straight over the head.

My trip to Haiti was scheduled.

Our team would make a visit to the Rescue Center.

I would meet him.

On the morning when we arrived at the RC I was pretty nervous.  My eyes scanned the small faces that were surrounding us.
I was talking with people, laughing with people, meeting friends, but all the while I was looking for him.

It seemed like an eternity before I actually laid my eyes on this little boy. I stood there stilled.  I thought about what I could say to him.  Nothing grand enough came to mind.
In all honesty it took every bit of strength to walk over to him. It was as if I knew my life would be forever changed. His eyes were overwhelming.  His smile even more.

I arrived home with more questions.

Could he love us?  Is he too old to transition to life in America?  What would his life be like if he stayed in Haiti?  Could he?  Would that prove to be better for Him?

Questions are so hard.

A few months after my return Licia posted another blog pleading for a family to adopt Ronel.  The child that we loved.  The child that we prayed would have a family soon.  This child that our children called brother.

That night the questions seemed to be minimized by the fact that we love this boy.  Our boy.

It was as complex simple as that.

Less fear.

More love.

[Follow our story.]
[Help bring Ronel home.]
[Follow the Rescue Center blog.]

I used to think that adoption was a radical family planning choice – something weird that weird people did. But, now that I’m older and I’ve been exposed to more of life, I’m beginning to think that the weird ones are the people who don’t adopt… I don’t know if Drew and I will adopt, but at the least we want to be a weird family – a family that will go above and beyond what is considered normal in order to radically change someone else’s life.

Have you ever done anything radical in order to bless someone else? Have you thought about doing something radical or weird this month?