A Favor

If one were to go back and read thru A Place Called Simplicity, you would find (I think) that there was only one other time that I have asked for a favor.

On July 21st I wrote what I entitled Would You Help Me Please? In that post I shared about my sweet bloggy friend, Cindy. She was dying of cancer and she was a mom of 10. I asked if you, my bloggy friends would fast for her healing. If you are new to fasting I would urge you to go back and read that post.

Anyway, after reading that post many of you committed to fasting for Cindy’s healing. Many, many of you prayed for her. As you know, Cindy lost her battle with cancer just a week later. My heart still grieves. But in the midst of the profound loss of Cindy, there was something very miraculous going on . Many of you had never fasted before. Many of you had never participated in a group fast. All of you were moved. All of you prayed with fervor for this Mom of Many. It was overwhelming to me the care and concern you all had, and most not knowing Cindy at all. My eyes fill with tears at what God did that day in the bloggy world.

There is no doubt that God is using the bloggy world big time. I know I have found such encouragement from so many of you. I have been buoyed and blessed. I am overwhelmed at the friendships I have formed thru the blogging community.

From time to time I get requests that people want me to share here. I have to pray and discern what the Lord would have me do. Yesterday I learned of a situation that is grieving my heart. I immediately knew I needed to talk to you, my sweet bloggy friends about it.

So here’s scriptural background…..

God’s word is clear: “To whom much has been given, much will be required.” Those who know much, will be required more!! There is no doubt – we who know much (as in the technological world) will be required even more!

God’s word is also clear: We have been on planet Earth for one purpose – to honor and glorify God in all we do. It’s definitely not about us! We are not here to live comfortably and sit back fat and sassy. We will give an account how we spend our moments, hours, days, weeks, months years and ultimately our lives.

So what’s the deal Linny?

Over the last few years I have become convinced that God’s hand of mercy for our free world has been extended far beyond what we deserve. He has put up with Christians being self-absorbed and selfish. He has watched as relatively few have responded to do something for others. He has noticed that many, many, many Christians have settled into a comfortable lifestyle, pretending they know nothing about what’s going on.

Yet, His word is clear:

Proverbs 24 tells us that if we pretend to not know what is going on, yet we really know, we will be judged accordingly.

So here’s the situation….

Just days ago the Canadian Government has stopped all VISA’s allowing treasures to be adopted from Africa. They have said they need to investigate further before they will open up again.

Our Canadian bloggy friends who have jumped thru hoops and fulfilled all the necessary requirements are sitting in Africa unable to bring their little ones home.

Now one could say, “Okay, Linny, so there are some families affected.” But I say, “This is much bigger than what meets the eye.”

Friends I do not believe that this is just a little setback. I believe that the enemy of our souls would like to stop Canadians from adopting from Uganda. Next it will be another country, perhaps China. Perhaps South America.

What Canada does, often the US eventually follows suit.

I believe that we must act NOW. That we must pull out all the stops before it is too late. I believe we MUST fast NOW. We must fast and beg God on behalf of the orphan. His heart is for the orphan. His heart wants every orphan in a family. His heart wants us more concerned about the orphan than we are about what we have planned for tomorrow. He wants us moved with compassion for little ones that we haven’t met or held. He wants to step out of our comfort zone and get on our knees. He wants us to pray like we haven’t prayed before.

Theodore L. Cuyler said this: I do not believe there is such a thing in the history of God’s eternal kingdom as a right prayer, offered in the right spirit, that remains forever unanswered.

(Interpretation: God will move if we pray for the orphan with right hearts!)

When Dw took the team to Africa two of the bloggy friend men along started the process to adopt. One man, Justin, from California adopted Isaiah and is now home with him. J though, is from Canada and he and his wife, C, started the process for Ezekiel and Keysia. (I held Ezekiel when I was there getting Elizabeth and Elijah last December.)

Anyway, J and C have been to Africa to complete the process. They have jumped thru all the hoops and C flew home leaving J to complete the process and bring home their two newest treasures. At the same time, there is a couple also from Alberta (same province) who are one step ahead and learned that they could not bring their little one home because Canada has halted all VISAs for kids coming home from Uganda. J is right behind in the process. There is no doubt that this situation needs to be stopped – now!

On behalf of the orphans of Uganda would you be willing to fast with me either Saturday or Sunday or Monday to see this decision rescinded? Would you beg God to move on the Canadian Government to reverse their decision? Would you ask God to “turn the heart of a king”?

Would you ask God to open up more countries around the world? Would you ask God to move on Christian’s around the world’s hearts to begin to care for the orphan? Would you ask God to break your heart afresh for the orphan? Would you ask Him to see what He sees? Would you join me? Please?

28 thoughts on “A Favor

  1. Linny – I have been praying that first part of the first chapter of Ezra for Jubilee… that God would turn the heart of the king.

    Wow – is that confirmation or what?

    God is not changed – no matter what the circumstances seem to be. God is bigger than the boogeyman (sorry, VeggieTales courtesy of my 3-year old) and God is bigger than the Canadian government.

    Praying

  2. Of course. I have an event on Saturday, but I will fast with you on Sunday and Monday. And pray.

    Bringing world attention to the matter — if every blogger were to put up a line — might also have a powerful effect, with the help of God.

  3. Lynn, yes I will definitely fast on Monday and storm heaven's gates. As a Canadian I'm trying to find out more about this. Is there a link to any news article you might have. I definitely want to write to my member of parliament, however I can't find any link to a news article. Hugs..

  4. Yes! Yes! Thank you Linny for posting! We will be fasting tomorrow! I can not wait to see what the Lord will do! As for people asking about a link or media article – a Canadian said her friend was working on it and I will keep you updated!

  5. I'm in Linny! I was in this morning even before I knew what was up.
    Now I'm definitely in.
    I love the line you wrote, "His heart wants every orphan in a family". That means every family needs an orphan, gives me hope!

  6. Yes, of course, I will fast and pray with you! Absolutely! Thank you for bringing this to our attention. How heartbreaking for all of those in the process of bringing home a sweet little one (or two). Let's see our awe inspiring, mountain moving God let those babies come home!

  7. Linny-
    You are an inspired woman of God. We brought our 2 treasures home from UG in Feb of this year. We have a Canadian family who is adopting from our orphanage who was sent home 2 days ago WITHOUT THEIR CHILDREN. The kiddos will be left in UG until the Canadian gov't moves. My heart breaks-Yes, Yes!! I'm in!!!
    –shannon

  8. I will fast on Monday, Linny. This is SUCH a spiritual battle and we have to rise up and fight it! I tell so many people about how 2 weeks after you brought your sweet African beauties home, Satan attacked your home- right near where your babies were sleeping! It gives me chills and I know he will not stop.

  9. Yes Linny, definately!!

    We are a family of 8 that the Lord is moving to Zambia in the early part of next year to take care of the orphans.

    We already have been given contacts with the Zambian government and are asking the Lord to give us the opportunity to ask Zambia to open up to international adoption. That won't help the Zambian children at all if Canada and possibly the US have closed their doors.

    Thanks for letting us know about this.

    Michelle

  10. Thank you, Linny, for posting this. I have been praying, and will continue to, and I will join you in fasting. God can turn the heart of a king, or a Canadian bureaucrat, or anyone He chooses. I know He wants the orphans home!

  11. I can't even begin to express how much this means to both James and I. I am sitting here with tears pouring down my face. God will move! He will defend the orphan! He has asked us to go and we have and He will not abandon us or our children. Thank you all for joining in our fight. It is so encouraging to know we are not in this alone. I am waiting with great anticipation as to how God is going to work and move on our government and the HC in Nairobi. He will get the praise and glory!!!
    Cheremi

  12. I've been following your blog for a while now. I've never fasted before, but will today. I will be in prayer for the families who are trying to bring their children home.

  13. I'm so glad I found you through Shonni at Nations Around Our Table. We have a heart for orphans and have adopted one of our 5 thus far. I've been posting about adoption this month since November is National Adoption Awareness Month. I have been so blessed as I've searched the Scriptures and seen that God really does have a heart for the orphan. I love the theology of adoption, what a gracious God we serve! I will pray for these families and the Canadian government that they would start re-issuing visas. I'm American and Guatemala is closed to us right now. It's so heart breaking and doesn't make sense! There is so much injustice and God loves justice. I will pray for justice!

  14. Canadian gov't is not the only one who needs prayer.

    We had huge problems with our (US) Embassy this summer while adopting in Uganda. We had to leave our boys there for 3 months while the US figured out we were above reproach.

    America is NOT above pulling stunts like this either. THANKFULLY we did return to Uganda, get visas and brought our 3 sons home. But it was a struggle and really the only thing we were "able to do" was pray. Feverently.

  15. Wow, a lot of what you said was like God has been telling us the same things. I have been fighting for orphans and I have had such a heavy heart. The last month I have been fighting non-stop on my blog for the orphans with DS and I have never had such an urgent feeling to fight as I do now.

    Today I just posted a blog party on my blog to celebrate family, adoption and orphan care. In working on my week of celebration I have noticed that many, many people going through the adoption process right now are being attacked.

    I agree it's time to get on our knees and pray like no other time. It's time to fight even when it's hard. I know because I wanted to give up the fight so bad a few weeks ago but instead God told me that was not a choice and it was time I fought even harder.

    It's time pastors and churches stand up. It's time Christians stand up. I'm in the fight with you!

  16. oh, linny….i am in. i have been and will continue to pray about this and will be fasting on monday.

    i loved meeting james and cheremi while i was there to bring our little boy home. keysia and ezekiel are precious and you are so right that God wants them, and EVERY orphan, at home with their family.

    asking Him to break my heart even more and to get these babies home!

  17. Not sure if I will fast (just being honest:), but I will definitely be praying hard. I have felt that satan has been winning more and more wars on the orphan in the past few years. Time to turn the tide…

  18. Ok, we are in… in that God has prompted our hearts to do something on behalf of the orphans… We are in, but also afraid to admit it to anyone, fearful about what the future will hold and even our financial situation will be "acceptable or enough" (as we support raise). But we are looking at adoption agencies and did a webinar on adopting from Africa last week. Our baby is only a year, so we are shooting for sending in paper work a year from now. But we are in, and we are letting at least you know…
    Durango, CO family

  19. Please check out the blog
    the30dayjourneyforhope.blogspot.com. A little 11 year old girl is trying to raise $20,000 by Thanksgiving day so her family can adopt a little girl with down's syndrome. I was wondering if you might consider posting about it on your blog to raise awareness. I do not know them personally at all, but it is a really sweet story!!

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