Searching for Bennett

Breath In. Breath Out.

Blogging.. I swore that I would never come to this, but here I am. I used to make fun of people who would talk about ‘blogging’ and I would always swear to myself I never would. “Who reads these things anyways? Seriously.” I guess I was so resistant to it because, if I’m honest, I know that I would somehow conger up some type of false pride. I know that I’m not that important. I know that I’m not that guy that will be able to create these eloquent phrases that make people drool and hang on for the next one. I mean, come on, I don’t even write that well, much less speak good. Did John Owen have a blog? No. Does John Piper? Not that I know of. My name isn’t even John. So why do it?
Hmmm. So here I am.

Instead of talking about myself, I thought there was something to talk about that is more worthy. Ironically, it actually has a lot to do with what Britt and I are going through.

A long story short, my brother Scott and his wife Sherry over the last 6 months have undergone a process of adopting a child from Uganda. We have some connections there (I am Jason Bourne) and so God has blessed them with a smooth process so far. They just got back from Africa to meet him, and now awaiting the green light to get him. Not only him now, but another little boy could potentially be a new addition to the McGough clan. The baby is officially named Bennet Adai McGough. And the Little boy is Francis.

So there they are. One, potentially two, little boys from Uganda who are completely unaware of the world they were born into. They are apart of a culture and system totally different than suburban America. They did not ask to be adopted, at least not at the beginning of their life. But now they have a chance to live safely, away from fear of disease and poverty. What really gets me though, is that they can’t even fathom all this.

I wonder what it will be like. How will my family make sure that he knows he is one of us? How will we as a family get past the stereotypes? Bennet is sure to struggle. He will wonder why he looks different, because the world that we live in will make sure of it. When he gets older, he will undergo some identity issues, perhaps serious. And then…my favorite…then Bennet will wonder why him.

If there is anybody who has a better chance to understanding, and living in the gospel, it’s Bennet. He does not deserve this, nor does he ask for it. He doesn’t know his parents, but they know him and love him. While Britt and I struggle to even understand our own need for God, Bennet will have his own life as a picture of the gospel.

The question remains: will the gospel ring out? Not just for Bennet, but for all of us. When we see both of the boys, will we see our own hope that we have in Jesus? Will we see the wholeness, healing, and redemption that Jesus has brought us to? My hope is that we too will see that we are adopted sons and daughters. Brittany said it best that lately we are just trying to learn how to breath this in, this light. At this point I struggle to find words; my eyes are full of tears with emotions lodged in my throat.
Breath In. Breath Out.