Tale of Two Boys, IV
Posted on November 20, 2007
Filed Under Social Issues, Life, Personal, Spiritual Life, Parenting, Dr. Dobson's Broadcast
(Conclusion of a thread started last week)
I’ve written about two boys, Artem and Savkin. And yet, I’ve really told you about one boy, our adopted son. Zane’s given name was Artem, and he was born in Russia at just 26 weeks gestation. His prematurity meant some struggles, and we knew about some of the possible problems he might face when we brought him home at nine months.
What we did not realize, though, was that he has autism. That condition would not have been overly apparent at 1 year of age, but by two or three, it would have been painfully obvious to those in the orphanage. His autism probably would have meant he’d remain at the orphanage, and then at age four, he’d be sent to an asylum. That would be the world he’d remain in for the next 12 to 15 years, and perhaps for the rest of his life (however long that might have been).
We are so grateful to God for this boy, and for the entire “package” that is Zane. He is energetic, he is funny, he is intense, he is quite a challenge at times. We know a bit about his past. We know about some of the physical things he has to wrestle through. We know some of the emotional pain he has been through as an orphan.
About his present and future, this much is clear: Zane is a beloved member of the Fuller family, forever. He is a gift to us from God. He is a child of the Father who formerly had no one to call, “Daddy,” now he in a “forever family.” He is hearing about Jesus. He is seeing the Gospel message lived out daily. We pray one day soon he will commit his life to Jesus.
For tis one orphan, life has changed. There are still 143 million kids in the world who are in need of families and love The world is full of Artems and Savkins. Orphans who are either healthy or perhaps suffering from a physical, mental or emotional challenge. Either way, the statistics indicate little to no real chance of a successful, fulfilling life. Certainly most orphans will not have a life in which they will encounter the Gospel and have an opportunity to find eternal life in Jesus Christ.
Unless you do something.
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