A few weeks ago I had the priviledge of speaking at a church which I had spoken at almost three years ago. Our first time there was during my first year as Communications Director for The Shepherd's Crook Ministry, and my family and I were struggling to determine the effectiveness of our speaking ministry. When we began communicating the needs of international orphans to American churches we had great goals of seeing families step forward and become a "forever home" to the waiting children we represented. But during those days we were experiencing some discouragement because the response was not nearly as high as we had hoped. Instead of a flood of families, we were seeing a steady trickle. And when you are speaking on behalf of 143,000,000 orphans, you really pray for a flood.
We left after speaking at that church without seeing any adoptive families step forward...or so we thought. Imagine our surprise and delight when we returned to that church in early June to discover three families had responded to our message and adopted children from Ethiopia! It was such an encouragement and affirmation to meet two of those little ones that morning!
This has happened occasionally over the last two years. After a child comes home we learn of their adoption that was begun after we spoke at a church after we had assumed that no one had responded. In fact, we have come to realize that for every two adoptions of which we are informed, there is another one which was never communicated. (This is an estimate based upon our follow-up visits to churches two or more years after our initial presentation.)
And as I have reflected on that reality, God has reminded me that I don't need to know the results of our ministry. Instead, I need to simply be faithful to His call to spread the biblical mission and message of adoption and orphan ministry. The truth of God's love for these little ones and the church's responsibility for them is worth proclaiming, regardless of the results.
In fact, I have come to the conclusion that my desire to measure tangible results is more about me and my desire to justify myself and our ministry than the children Hope for Home Ministries represents. Don't misunderstand me, we need results because results are measured by the glory given to God and the children who find homes. However, I don't need to know and count those results...that is my Father's job. It is my responsibility to simply and sincerely stay close to Him, hear His voice, and obey. That, in and of itself, is enough. And, in so doing, He somehow uses me to make a difference, even if I never see the difference that is made.
