You Can Do It Oklahoma!

What Adoptees Wish Church Communities Knew by Sherrie Eldridge

What Adoptees Wish Church Communities Knew from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Son Finds Birth Mother After 65 Years, The Tie that Binds - Oklahoma to ...

The Declassified Adoptee: Why my [Amended] Birth Certificate is a Lie

The Declassified Adoptee: Why my [Amended] Birth Certificate is a Lie: photo © 2008 Eric Acevedo | more info (via: Wylio ) "Why would they lie?"  I thought to myself when I first saw my amended birth certific...

The Right of Identity

The Right of Identity

The one resolution originating from the Diocese of Albany to go before the 77th General Convention of The Episcopal Church will be the one titled "A Right to Human Identity" sponsored by the Rev. Mark Diebel.

As reported in this blog when it came before the 2009 diocesan convention in Albany, the resolution aims to address the loss of history for both adoptees and persons born through artificial reproductive technology, including surrogacy parenting. The proposal was passed in Albany and referred to the 76th General Convention. There it was taken up by the Commission on Social Justice and Public Policy. That commission referred it, without change, for consideration by General Convention in 2012. The 77th General Convention will meet in Indianapolis this June.

The author, Mark Diebel, sees room for expansion of the resolution. He would like to see GC “undertake a study of the implications of artificial reproductive technologies for human identity and report their findings”. In fact, an amendment to that effect was proposed at the 2009 Albany diocesan convention, but was defeated before the main resolution was passed. Now Diebel says that the resolution "needs exposure and discussion in order to get understanding of it." Here is the resolution that will be considered at 77th General Convention, and explanation:

RESOLVED, the House of ________ concurring, that the 77thGeneral Convention of the Episcopal Church urge all dioceses to adopt the following statement: Personal history is a fundamental human right and knowledge of one’s entire parentage should be assumed as part of a person’s natural property, and be it further;

RESOLVED, that the 77th General Convention urge all dioceses to adopt the following statement: That all state legislatures be urged to establish procedures that would enable adoptees (upon reaching legal age) to secure current information regarding their historical heritage, medical history, and genetic derivation without the necessity of court action.
EXPLANATION

The Episcopal Church has had little formal conversation on issues related to the advances in genetic engineering, and their impact upon our daily lives. At the 76th General Convention, such an opportunity was missed as a similar resolution to this one was submitted. Though the resolution passed for debate, it did not get out of legislative committee in time for consideration by General Convention. The Standing Commission on Social Justice and Public Policy believes that a general debate is timely and of increasing importance to the wider Church. It is of note that the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, in its 2011 Church Wide Assembly received a social statement paper on Genetics.

Adoptees in the United States are not necessarily granted knowledge of their parentage because state law in forty eight states seals their original birth certificate. There are no laws that protect the identity history of children born using artificial reproductive technology. Sperm, egg, and/or embryo donations may not be disclosed to the children so conceived. Similar concerns exist for children born of surrogacy parenting.

Theological grounds for knowledge of one’s origins maybe seen in scripture: a) Old Testament scriptural testimony is structured around genealogical narratives; b) the theological concept of adoption witnessed by Paul incorporates knowledge of one’s origins; c) Jesus’ birth narratives incorporate genealogies; d) the concept of fatherhood is retained in the New Testament. Furthermore, Church history has testified to the importance of blood line in canon law. The theological concept that a person may become a “child of God” by the “will of God” does not negate other origin narratives, but fulfills them. Narrative theology emphasizes the importance of the human narrative on personal and social levels.

The Episcopal Church has already declared in GC 1982-D082: “Resolved, the House of Bishops Concurring” that state legislatures be urged to establish procedures that would enable adoptees (upon reaching legal age) to secure current information regarding their historical heritage, medical history and genetic derivation without the necessity of court action..."

The Dance

© Photographer: Hayati Kayhan | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Hosea 14:3-6

"Return to your God, for the fatherless receives compassion. I will heal your wanderings and I will freely love. I will be like the dew; you will blossom like the lily and take root in Me. Your new branches will spread."

I saw this vision during praise & worship at a recent women's conference (as written in my journal that evening):

"I was a flat wall with one-dimensional tiny flowered wall-paper ~ no color or depth....when big Hands appeared, and with somber tenacity and purpose, they began scraping down the wall, tearing off shreds of wallpaper with each determined pass. The wallpaper seemed reluctant and stubborn...hard to remove. Yet, they continued their pace, moving up and down the wall, scraping and tearing ~ until finally, the wall was almost bare ~ dark, ugly, splotchy remnants were all that remained. Worn out.

Then, with enthusiasm and great delight, these same strong Hands picked up a huge brush and started painting broad strokes of beautiful color all across my wall. Like a passionate artist, jumping up and down, and laughing with great joy, His Hands flung more and more color with wild abandonment over the entire surface.

All of a sudden, out walked a three-dimensional figure, in the shape of a person, from the surface of my wall, and with great energy & light, was drawn into the Hands. He lifted me into His arms and we danced ~ twirling 'round and 'round, with eyes gazing intently, in passionate love, we were enraptured with one another. Then, in perfect step, we began to move as one."

Lord, please lead me into a dance of obedience. Be this real to me. I need a voice to wake me up and arms to hold. You.

Royalty

© Photographer: Tyback | Agency: Dreamstime.com


Why is it so important to know where you come from and who you are?

For the same reason it was important for Moses to know...so he could embrace his dual identity and fulfill his destiny. You don't know where you are going, until you know where you've been. It is true.

Acts 7:23
“When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people."

Adoptees are arrested in emotional development because, not only is our true identity hidden from us, but we are also asked to fulfill an identity that is not truly ours. We shut down that part of ourselves that is disenfranchised by society to "become" who we are "adopted" to be ~ a false persona. What we really need is permission to be the person we are, but don't yet know. Even when we find our truth, it takes years to unthaw, grieve, and assimilate our origins and identity.

Then, and only then, can we begin to develop on an entirely new level towards wholeness ~ but it is a process.

I was embraced by my family of birth, but couldn't receive their love because I was still operating in a false persona, as a people-pleaser to gain approval, not able to receive or give (to others or myself) genuine acceptance or relationship. My relationship with God was also on this level. It wasn't until I opened my heart and allowed myself to grieve, that God has been able to break through this "heart of stone" and give me a real heart, a heart of flesh. And what a beautiful mess!

Isaiah 58:6-7
"Do not turn away from your own flesh and blood ~ THEN you will be healed."

What I'm learning now is that even after the intense journey of reunion, with family and with self, and feeling like Pinocchio ~ "Wow, I'm a real person" ~ I realize, even more, my deep need for a real Father who never leaves, and patiently teaches me His love and faithfulness (even in the midst of my unfaithfulness). No earthly relationship is enough. Humans are humans. They disappoint and leave us empty inside, a void that can only be filled by the Lover of our souls.

Jesus' own birth was shrouded in questions and controversy. He became flesh so he could identify with all humanity. John 7:5 says, "...for even his own brothers did not believe Him." Mark 3:21 ~ "His family said, 'he's out of his mind' and tried to take him away..." Jesus was rejected & abandoned. Even we rejected him, yet "while we were yet sinners, he died for us"...to give us life. Hope. Love.That.Never.Fails.

When Jesus rose from the dead, he made a special point to comfort those He loved who had hurt him the most, and needed His reassurance ~ Peter, who denied him three times, and many others. Mary Magdalene, whose life story was one of "manifested grief" and yet she was delivered. She appears in Jesus' very genealogical family line!

Then He went to James, his brother, who mocked him, yet later went on to write the book of James as a believer. As an adoptee, I resonate strongly with this statement in I Corinthians 15:8 ~ "Last of all, as if I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw Him."

During women's Bible study today, the leaders prayed over each of us, draping us in prayer shawls of different colors. As loving hands wrapped a beautiful silky red cloth firmly around my shoulders, a motherly voice whispered into my ear, "Beloved, you were born of royal blood...a daughter of God." Tears flowed yet again ~ another wave of healing.

All earthly blood lines fail us, whether we are brought up in them or not. They are only there to show us who we are, and who we are not. To point us to the only One who can fill the canyon in our soul. Perfect.Love. No matter how far we've been thrown, or run on our own ~ His Love pursues, awakens and heals. Our identity and worth is only secure in our Creator.

Ezekiel 16:6
"Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!”"

ABC News: Apology Urged

Australia has dramatically changed their adoption laws and procedures since the "Baby Scoop Era" of the 1950's-1970's. Unfortunately, the same atrocities occured/occurs right here in America.

Australia Urged to Apologize for Forced Adoptions - ABC News#.T0-G73PN7x7