The Worst Team

People like to root for their teams. Whether it be the Superbowl, the Olympics, or your little brother's first soccer game, you like to root for them. You like to stand and scream and jump and cheer them on. But would you still cheer them on if they always lost? If it was absolutely impossible for them to win?

Picture this: The New Connecticut Eggs are the worst team in the NFL (Yes, I know that there is no such thing as New Connecticut. It's supposed to be fictional.). Each member of the team has a deformity of some sort - a limp, a wheelchair, an inability to see clearly, an inability to understand what's going on around them. None of them know how to play football, or really even know what football is. They want to score a touchdown because that's what the other teams do, but they don't understand how to. And even if they did, they wouldn't be able to manage it. Picture the Eggs up against the worst team in the real NFL. They'd get pummeled, completely smashed. People feel sorry for the Eggs. They can't root for them, because they're so bad they don't even have a chance, but they do feel sorry for them. Maybe they even want to help, but they're too embarrassed to be seen with that team. They're too bad. They're just hopeless.

That is the situation of Down syndrome children in the game of adoption. Except that their lives are on the line. Because they have a little extra chromosome, they don't understand why they can't sit with the other children in the orphanage. They don't understand why families come in and kiss and hug the other children, but only glance pitifully in their direction. They don't understand why the other children get to leave with these nice people, and they're still stuck in the orphanage. They want so badly to go home with some of those nice people, and they try so hard to get the nice people to like them, but they don't know how. They try their best, but they don't understand why they're so different from the others. Those nice people feel sorry for them, maybe they even want to help them. They say, "I'll just give the orphanage some money and tell them to use if for these poor, little disabled children." But the "poor, little disabled children" don't want those funny green papers. They want to be lost in the arms of one of those nice people. They want to leave with them like the other children. But those nice people don't like them. Those nice people's kindness only goes so far.

You can donate money all you like for the Down syndrome children in places like Eastern Europe, Russia, and around the world. But do you honestly think your money means anything to those children? Maybe, maybe, they'll get a nicer bed, or some good food. But I'll bet you they would trade a bed, clothing, or good food any day for a family that loves them. For one of those nice people to take them home and love them for who they are. Not feel sorry for them and give them little slips of green paper, but take them home to a safe, warm, loving place.

Down syndrome orphans are the worst team in the Adoption League. People feel sorry for them, but they don't root for them because they're embarrassed or scared, or both. But they need someone to root for them. That's the only way they'll ever get any better, is if someone comes to teach them to play, show them what to do.

Don't wait for someone else to come along and do your job. Adoption is not an alternative. God calls everyone to help the orphans and the fatherless, especially the "least of these." Don't be tricked into thinking that those kids care about your money. Because they don't. Not one bit.

If you say, "Hey, that's none of my business," will that get you off the hook? Someone is watching you closely, you know. Someone not impressed with weak excuses.

- Proverbs 24:12

If you are interested in learning more about special needs adoption, Down syndrome in particular, please visit: http://www.reecesrainbow.org/