The Beauty of Adoption

by Megan Hyatt Miller

December 20, 2010

I heard through Michael Hyatt and his wife Gail that his daughter Megan and her husband were walking the adoption journey. Adoption reminds me of the father heart of God, how we all are adopted by His great sacrifice and love, so I count it a privilege to highlight Megan’s story today.

Megan writes: As a child I was preoccupied with rescuing injured and abandoned animals. At only five years old, I would often walk around my parents farm, carrying a tackle box filled with Q-tips, band-aids, and gauze, hoping to offer my medical services to hurting members of God’s creation. While my interest in veterinary science didn’t last, my desire to care for the suffering and brokenhearted remained.

Eleven years ago, I traveled to Uganda where God planted the seed of adoption in my heart. Though it is only the size of Oregon, Uganda houses an estimated 2 million orphans within its borders. For the first time in my life, I became aware that there was a global orphan crisis. In Uganda, most children are orphaned due to the ripple effects of HIV or abandoned by parents who are unable to care for them due to unimaginable poverty. These children are often found in pit latrines or on roadsides, left for dead. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to adopt someday.

When I met my husband, I was thrilled to discover that he shared my desire to adopt. After being married for a year, we began the adoption process last January. We spent several months pursuing domestic adoption before God providentially turned our attention back to where I first felt the tug on my heart for orphans. Currently, we are waiting to be matched with a Ugandan baby boy and expect that referral to come very soon.

By far, the most daunting aspect of any adoption story is the staggering cost. In fact, 34% of Christians consider adoption but only 1% will actually follow through. This is likely due to the costs involved—between $20,000-40,000 in most cases. How in the world could an ordinary family like ours pay for an adoption that costs so much? The truth is, we couldn’t, but God could!

Thanks to generous contributions from family, friends, and complete strangers, we have raised 60% of our $20,000 goal! Absolutely amazing. We still have about $8000 to raise, but we believe God will be faithful to provide every dollar we need.

As I’ve talked to other adoptive families, I’ve found that our story isn’t unique. Without fail, God provided all the funds necessary for each family to adopt. It’s never the same story, but it’s always the same outcome—God funds what he favors, as Gwen Oatsvall of 147 Million Orphans says.

Pursuing adoption has expanded my heart and faith in ways I never would have imagined, and we’re only getting started. Now, more than anything, my husband and I want to spend our lives serving the fatherless and encouraging others to do the same.

My heart aches for the day when I will meet our son. I can’t wait to look into his sweet face and see the answer to my prayers. Until then, I wait expectantly.

To follow our journey or discover how you can become a part of our story, click here.

Question: If you knew that God would provide, how would you step out in faith and follow him?

 See more articles:

Adoption, A Paramount Decision
Is an Adoption Home Study the Best First Step in Your Adoption Process?
Resolving the Loss of Fertility
The Beauty of Adoption
There is Hope
Thinking of Adopting? You can do it!