Orphan Sunday is tomorrow

Tomorrow is Orphan Sunday. How will you spend the day? Will you please pray for the 132 MILLION orphans in the world? So many children who need a home.... so many children who need to hear the name of Jesus and know that He loves them more than they can imagine! The Cry of the Orphan is hosting a celebration in Nashville. It will include Steven Curtis Chapman and Dennis Rainey. For more information click HERE. I wish I could be in Nashville tomorrow for this celebration. We will have to be content watching it online.

But the Mansfield's will have our own celebration tomorrow. We will be celebrating that soon there will be one LESS orphan in the world. Xiao Li, who has been waiting for a family for 12 long years, will not grow up alone. She will not turn 14 only to be deemed "unadoptable," thus sealing her future. Xiao Li will not be turned to the streets at 16 with no one to care for her. No, Xiao Li will come home to a mama, daddy, and 4 sisters who already love her. Xiao Li will come to a country where she can hear about the love of Jesus and know the One who created her perfectly. She will live in a family who will help her reach her full potential to be everything that she was created to be, not limited due to her gender or disability.

Please join us in celebrating that soon there will be one less orphan in the world.

Avery XiaoLi Mansfield
will come home to her family sometime during the summer of 2010.

We are praying now for God to prepare her heart for the many changes that are to come. Will you join us in that?

I was totally planning on ending the post with that but realized that I would be so ill if I was left with so many unanswered questions...so here are some of the answers.

"Why are you going back?" Most of you know that Shawn was adopted at 14. Our family reaps the benefits every single day that there was a family who didn't turn their backs on a boy in need. Shawn is the man he is today because a family took the chance on bringing a 14 year old boy into their home with 3 little girls! I have no doubt that I would not be married to Shawn today and our girls would not even be alive if his family had not lovingly accepted him into their home and family. So for us, the bigger question would be, "How can you NOT go back? How can you NOT adopt an older child who has waited so long for a family?" We can never repay Shawn's family for the life-changing gift they gave. But we can bring another child home and give her the same opportunity.

"Why are you going back so soon?" The timing was totally God's plan. Our plan would have been to wait until next year but as all Christians know, our plans do not always mirror God's plans. And He has been VERY clear in confirming that Xiao Li is our daughter. We began this process very tentatively and yet, God has provided so many things to show us that now is the time and this is our girl.

"Where is she? Is she in the same place as Anna?" Xiao Li is in the same province as Anna Grace was but not the same city. There is an American group in her orphanage and it just happens to be the same group that is in Anna's former orphanage. That is an amazing fact considering that this group is only in 3 orphanages in the ENTIRE country. Coincidence? No, just the first of many confirmations from God.

"What is her special need?" She has a repaired cleft lip and palate, just like Anna Grace. We have a fabulous doctor who she will see when she gets home. He most likely will need to do another surgery and we are good with that. Other than that, Xiao Li is perfectly healthy!

"How did you get the name Avery?" We actually have a contact at Xiao Li's orphanage and she is helping us begin a relationship with her. We are able to send e-mails to her on a regular basis, which is amazingly wonderful!! We first asked Xiao Li if she even wanted an American name and she did. We then sent 4 names for her to choose from and Avery was her pick. We love it!

I am sure there are other questions but I'm drawing a blank....and I really need to go feed my little girls breakfast anyway! Post questions in the comments section and I will do my best to answer them. Thank you for joining us in praying for Avery XiaoLi.

As you begin your day tomorrow, please stop and pray for the millions of orphans worldwide who do not have a family excitedly preparing for them. Ask God what He would have you do. Some of you may be called to adoption. It is a scary thing for many people but I can promise you, it is an amazing journey and one that God ordained. God may be calling you to help another family who is called to adopt. Or to help an organization that sends resources to orphanages throughout the US and around the world. Or He may just be asking you to pray for orphans on a regular basis. Whatever you are called to do, I firmly believe that Christians are called to do something. Tomorrow, on Orphan Sunday, would you ask Him what you are supposed to do? I will be praying for you.