Why Adopt a TEEN?

Mrs. Beaver:

Mark, Samuel, Alexander, Tatiana (hidden) and Daria (left to right)

My title is too big for what I can accomplish tonight. In fact, this title is too big for a post of any length. After 14 months of parenting a teen who most Americans--most Christians--would write off as too damaged, I could write a passionate book on "Why Adopt a Teen?" In my few words here I can only say that our God IS big enough! Our God provides grace freely but only once we trust Him and thrust ourselves into a vulnerability that demands we depend fully on Him. The Lord has amazed Mr. Beaver and I at every turn as we've been blessed beyond measure to parent Daria.

Some day I'll try to tackle "Why Adopt a Teen?" in a more concrete manner, although the subject is so beautiful, so well--magical--so "of God" than I'm not certain there are words equal to the wonder experienced.

For now please read the post of my dear friend and co-adopter, Jamie. Her insight about teens who are seemingly unadoptable carries an profound insight about OUR adoptability by God.

We spent Thanksgiving with Jamie and Marcos and their son of four months, Samuel. Mr. Beaver and I first met Samuel in Moscow two years ago on the trip which allowed us the chance to meet our children-to-be Daria, Alexander and Oksana. All four kids were in the same orphanage in rural Russia.

Above, I've included three favorite pictures from our Thanksgiving vacation in Minnesota. Please follow their sequence carefully to get the full impact of Samuel's act of kindness. To me, the pictures seem prophetic of the role God will grow Samuel into--reaching out and helping others in need.

Our couragous, faith-filled friends on their family's first Thanksgiving together -- Praise God!

And just to think, Samuel could have easily aged out of the system, lost to crime, desperation and possibly even suicide.