Waiting for a Father

Hearing the Heart-Cry of the Orphans of the World

Waiting for a Father

Author: Gary Stephens & Carmen Radley
Review By: G. Stephen Goode

Marie and I have known Gary and Helen Stephens since the early 1970's. The Stephens and David and Carol Boyd, who you will meet in this book, were instrumental in our becoming involved in Missions to the poor and vulnerable of our world 40 years ago. Our lives have never been the same. We live in Bangkok, Thailand and these two couples are some of our dearest, closest friends. We are god-parents to all of their children. This book is about the difference that one person, one family can make in reaching out to the abandoned and vulnerable children around them. This book is also about a vision and a passion to see what would happen if we as able and willing adults would open our hearts and homes and see that God places children into families, we could empty all of the orphanages of the world.

"Waiting for a Father" is a MUST READ book for families, couples that are wanting to foster or adopt a child and anyone serving children at risk. It is also for government social welfare department workers, churches and NGO's that reach out to children without parents and the critical importance of a child bonding to a primary care giver. It is a personal story of how Gary and Helen read a story from the local newspaper in Hong Kong, had a thought, an idea, and then took JUST one step to being an answer to a need around them and that led to more steps into Hong Kong, China, India and beyond. You will be so encouraged by this story, yet it will raise all sorts of difficult, challenging questions that you cannot side-step.

This is a personal story of two of our god-children, abandoned at birth, Jacob Lok Chi Stephens, born blind and Fuxia Taylor Boyd who was born with brittle bone disease. It is a story of a struggle and a fight to live of these two little ones through two years in government run orphanages in Hong Kong and China. It is also about an issue that occurs when human beings do not attach or bond to a primary care giver and are left to fend for themselves. You will be shocked by this attachment disorder and its implications upon thousands of children without parents today. Gary writes very openly about the consequences of this attachment disorder upon Jacob and Fuxia's behavior and its practical outworking within their family. As Nury Vittachi wrote in his endorsement, "readers sharing this amazing journey will learn a wonderful lesson: that 'tough cases' often perceived as burdens are actually the source of life's deepest joys."

You will read about families that step up and foster or adopt children with special needs, the challenges that they face as moms and dads and lives that are literally transformed. This book and these stories are powerful. Thanks Gary, Helen, David and Carol for allowing us the privilege of living these stories with you. Thanks as well to Jacob Lok Chi and Fuxia. You have impacted our lives more than you will ever know.

Don't be afraid to read this book and act upon what you read...

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