Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 7
September 1, 1955
NUMBER 17, PAGE 10

Will Someone Please Give Me An Answer?

H. A. Simpson, Barksdale, Texas

My wife and I are what most people would consider an average couple with one exception, we cannot have children of our own. We had talked to one of the adoption agencies in San Antonio a year ago but were told that it would be necessary for us to wait until we had been married four and a half years before our application would even be considered. So, after a wait of a year we returned to San Antonio just the other day. That trip was among the most disheartening we have ever made. We knew that there would be a considerable waiting period, even for an older child; but because we wanted to open our home to some child who had no home, we made mention of the fact that we would like to have an older child. As soon as I stopped speaking, we were told that not only were there no children available at any age at that moment but that we would have to wait a year before we would even be permitted to make application to be considered as a home in which a child might be placed.

That was the way we were received in San Antonio. We felt we would be treated in a kinder way by brethren. We had the opportunity of hearing the Boles Home Bel Canto Chorus sing just recently and of hearing a very interesting talk on the needs of the home and the number of children that were being turned away daily, not just a few a week, but 10 and 12 each day! Surely, we said, here is a chance to get a whole family of children. We'll just suggest to this representative that he send some of those children to us. We can certainly get all the children to care for that we will be able to support on a small town preacher's salary. I'm sure that every one knows that we were told to be at the home the very next day to give some of these poor, unfortunate children a home. You would think we were received that way wouldn't you? You would suppose that any organization, institution if you will, dedicated to the care of homeless children would he glad for assistance in the work to which it was devoted. Such just was not the case. We might almost go so far as to say that we were laughed at. There is no interest in getting these children a home. The only interest is in getting a larger plant so that they can be incorporated into Boles Home.

I was told that there was a vast number of applicants ahead of me and that whenever an infant came to the attention of the Home they tried to find it a home. I was told also that Boles Home tried first to have the elders of the local congregation seeking admission for the child try to make arrangements for the child to remain with any surviving parents or near relatives. If that were not possible, a home among the members of the church was sought for the child. Then, as a last resort a child would be taken into Boles Home. After explaining that my wife and I wanted to help care for orphans by providing a home for one now and more as we were able and that we would be glad to have an older child in our home, we were still told that there was nothing that could be done to help us. Perhaps they do make an attempt to find a home for those children that are recommended by elders, but I'm constrained to believe they don't look very hard. When I was told that nothing could be done and that none of the children making application for entrance into the home were accepted unless recommended by a local eldership some where, I was forced to ask the representative to send the next child that came to them under his own power on down to me here at Barksdale, Texas. I promised to take any that Boles had to turn down because of lack of space. Yes, believe it or not, the statement was made that many children came to them under their own power seeking a home. I am not questioning the veracity of the person making such a statement; I just want to know how any Christian could be so heartless and cruel, if I may be permitted to use that word, as to stand between such a child and a home with Christian parents.

If we are going to appeal to emotions rather than God's word, we must of necessity deny the right of institutional homes to exist. One such home by its own admission is standing between homes for children that walk miles just to gain security and those children; yet it can not or will not provide that security for them itself. I know of several Christian families and am sure that there are many of which I have never heard that would be glad to open their doors and their hearts to the homeless children about which we are always hearing. Yes, if reason and God's word are not going to be heeded, we must still condemn the present arrangement just on the grounds of a lack of humanitarianism and on the basis of an emotional appeal.