Imagine

When I saw this touching video clip (at a friend's request), I immediately wanted to share it here.  If you haven't seen this, please take a minute to watch it.  If you're touched by redemption stories, particularly orphan redemption stories, grab some Kleenex.

The thing that amazed me about this video is how moved the judges and audience (and viewers of the video) were by Emmanuel's story and performance.  It actually made me really sad because E.V.E.R.Y. former orphan's redemption story is so similar to Emmanuel Kelly's, yet much of the world remains clueless.  I praise God for opening the eyes of all those who have viewed Emmanuel's story.

"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act." Prov. 24:12

Every former orphan has a story of courage, bravery, strength, determination...and other endless qualities that describe redemption.  The sad thing is that most people don't realize or recognize this.

Every former orphan will have a history of survival, whether he/she survived abuse, neglect, being cast out of society for imperfections (internal and/or external), incurring near death experiences, enduring the losses of loved ones, or, many times, all of the above. 

Being chosen, regardless of history, is part of the redemption story, and E.V.E.R.Y. former orphan has a story to tell.

But...

There are still 147+ million orphans remaining out there who are all waiting to be able to share their story of redemption, the story where a family chooses them, regardless of their history, regardless of their disabilities.  Regardless.

Imagine a world where E.V.E.R.Y. orphan IS CHOSEN, where E.V.E.R.Y. orphan becomes a former orphan, where E.V.E.R.Y. orphan is commended for his/her bravery and courage, where E.V.E.R.Y. orphan is given a chance to be someone, to chase their dreams, instead of dying a hard and lonely death while waiting to be chosen.

We, as servants of Jesus Christ, have the power to give E.V.E.R.Y. single orphan the opportunity to share his/her redemption story, the story of when he/she was chosen.  We're actually commanded to care for orphans (James 1:27), yet there are still 147+ million orphans waiting to be chosen. 

Imagine what the number 147+ million could be if E.V.E.R.Y. person who was touched by Emmanuel Kelly's story would step up to the plate and give E.V.E.R.Y. orphan the opportunity that Emmanuel was given.  The now famous mom who rescued Emmanuel and his brother from Iraq didn't make that choice because of an opportunity to become famous; she made the choice to rescue these two boys because of love.  Emmanuel says that his adoptive mom is his hero, his angel.  She was the one to step up, to love, to redeem, to rescue these two boys from death.  She was who God used to enable Emmanuel to share his story of redemption with the world.

Imagine a world where E.V.E.R.Y. orphan is given an opportunity to share his/her story of redemption.

Imagine a world where E.V.E.R.Y. orphan is given an identity.

Imagine a world where E.V.E.R.Y. orphan is given an angel to walk through the orphanage doors and choose him/her, to rescue him/her, to REDEEM him/her.

Imagine a world where E.V.E.R.Y. orphan is given the opportunity to chase his/her dreams, just as Emmanuel Kelly was given.

It doesn't have to be something we just imagine.  It can be real.  E.V.E.R.Y. orphan can be chosen, rescued, redeemed if E.V.E.R.Y. servant of Jesus Christ would answer the call command to adopt.

Imagine a world where we would no longer have to simply imagine the redemption of E.V.E.R.Y. single orphan because E.V.E.R.Y. servant of Jesus obeyed His command and adopted just one orphan.  There would be NO. MORE. ORPHANS.  Only redemption.  Oh how it must grieve our Father's heart to see His children not answering His command.  His answer to the orphan crisis is in our hands.  Imagine if we only obeyed.

Be someone's hero.  Be someone's angel.  Imagine.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."   James 1:27