I watched The Philanthropist on Wednesday night. The episode was about the philanthropist getting a vaccine to a remote area in Nigeria. After the program, I actually went to the NBC website to see what information they were providing about Nigeria and ways to make a difference in Nigeria.

Watching The Philanthropist and reading about Nigeria sparked in me again a desire to prepare more people to make a difference in remote areas of third world countries. I have had this wild idea about starting a masters program in international non-profit leadership.  The program would be a two year program.  The first year of the program would introduce students to a specific third world country and its current situation and needs as well as the basics of non-profit management.  Students would spend time during the first summer in a third world country collecting specific information about needs.  During the second year, students would develop a plan to establish a self-sustaining non-profit project in a third world country.  Students would go to the third world country and implement the project during the second summer.

Right now, establishing a program in international non-profit leadership seems like a dream.

I am a dreamer.  Dreams do come true though. 

If you are reading this, let me know what you think about the idea of a degree in international non-profit leadership.  Pray that God will send the resources to implement a program in international non-profit leadership.  If you know of some great resources to help with this program, let me know.  Right now, it is just a dream, but our God is powerful enough to make it a reality.

In the midst of a discussion about adoption with a child today, I got a quick glimpse of what God’s grace can mean. The child I was talking with today had been removed from the care of his mother due to physical abuse, sexual abuse, and drug use of his mother. He has lived in with mutliple relatives and moved from home to home. A judge made the decision in March to terminate his mother’s parental rights.

As part of preparing kids for adoption, I try to make sure that they understand ways their adoptive families will be different from their biological families. Sometimes kids are afraid to be adopted because they believe that living in a family will mean that they will be abused again.

Today, I asked, “How will your adoptive family be different than your birth family?”

The answer caught me off guard. “They won’t know anything about what has happened to me or the things I have done.”

I had to challenge that answer because adoptive families get to read all the information available in a child’s file. Admittedly, some times the information available is limited.

The child sitting with me had been sexually abused by multiple children in his family and had engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior with other children. His hope was that an adoptive family would not know about a history that made him feel ashamed and embarrassed.  It would have been so nice not to have to tell him that his family would know, but I had to be honest.

The best response I could come up with was “Your family will know all about your family and everything that has happened to you, but the great thing is your adoptive family is going to love you even when they know everything about you.”

The child paused and looked at me.  “They will really know everything about me?”

I heard the rest of the question he couldn’t put into words.  “They will really know everything about me and still adopt me?”

I responded again.  “They will know everything about you and love you even when they know everything about you.”

I saw a smile gradually spread across his face.  “That will be good.” 

Yes.  Being loved by his adoptive family will be good. 

Being loved by the One who created us and knows everything about us is even better.

Okay.  Eventhough I have worked with abused and neglected children for nearly 20 years, a headline about drunken breast feeding caught my attention.  Today in North Dakota, a mother pleaded guilty to child neglect due to breast feeding her baby while she was drunk.  When police responded to a domestic violence disturbance on April 13, they witnessed an intoxicated 26-year-old Stacey Anvarinia breast feeding her six-week-old baby.  The fact too few of us know is that the alcohol in the mother’s system can pass through her breast milk into her baby’s body.  Literally, the baby can experience some of the effects of the mother’s intoxication. 

As a counselor I have frequently worked with children who are experiencing the consequences of their mother’s alcohol consumption during pregnancy.  I have witnessed these children struggle with behavioral challenges and learning disabilities. I have witnessed the looks of discouragement on their faces when they realize they can’t do what their peers are doing.  I have witnessed the unjustice of innocent children paying the price for their parents’ reckless behavior.

I applaud any situation that draws attention to the fact that children pay the price when their mothers use alcohol during pregnancy and while breast feeding.  Maybe one day as a society, we will no longer tolerate prenatal substance abuse.  Maybe one day, we will value and protect the lives of the most vulnerable–our children. 

I’m praying for that day.