Here is a Fact. Children Are Dying.

Here is a fact. Children are dying. Today, "merry and radiant" S," with her beautiful smile, aged out and will be transferred to an adult mental institution for the rest of her life.

An adult mental institution. S will never have a sister to paint her nails, never know the joy of getting on the bus to go to school, never have a family to laugh with. Instead, because of her disability, she is now condemned to an institution. Autobiographies of adopted children and documentaries tell us what goes on in these places - inhabitants are drugged daily, locked in rooms, some are left naked - and more horrendous things. Can you imagine how terrifying it will be for S, who is capable of understanding?

Thinking of S, I am reminded of the words of Marc Ching, who works with rescued dogs. This is not the first time his words about abandoned animals have been fitting for orphans. He said: "Sometimes I wonder, why fight when the world does not want to fight with you. Why believe we can change things, when the people that have the power to - they do not care."

Do we really care? Or are we too busy to even share a post so more people can see a child's story? I pray we are careful we do not become accustomed to convincing ourselves "Someone else will do something." Why do we fight? Because it is a command to go. James 1:27.

Yes, God is the ultimate Defender of the Orphans - but He calls us, His people to be His hands and feet on this earth. We have the resources to save children like S - but only if we want to. If the over 1,000 people who saw her post had given only 40 dollars...her adoption would have been completely paid. On days like today, it won't matter how many likes, comments or shares a post got.

Only a family would've changed S's life.

Christ adopted us - and the price of the adoption was His life. We are called to lay down our lives (John 15:13). This means truly giving something up. The next time we see an aging out child, what will we be willing to do about it?