Interesting… I have gotten my first ‘controversial’ reply. Obviously from someone who hasn’t read much of my blog. :)
Mirah, Thank you for your insight! Thank you for the ‘facts’, they are thought provoking.
The thing is that there aren’t easy answers to the great adoption debate. There just aren’t. We live in a fallen world…. Jesus said himself, to Judas, that there will always be the poor and needy among us.
Is adoption always the answer? Of course NOT! The point is to make “UNorphans” as my friend Carolyn says. Let’s stop the process that makes orphans thus having less orphans and more preserved families. There’s a GREAT conference happening right now in Austin TX, that is speaking to this very subject. The subject of Orphan Care… and ALL that that entails.
You are right, unfortunately there are many children in orphanages that should not be, there has been child trafficking…unfortunately there still is…WAY WAY too much of it, and not all due to adoption. It’s sick and shouldn’t happen…it needs to change and we certainly need to stand up for those children.
You are also right that there are thousands of children in foster care waiting for someone to care for them. It sucks! I wish I had a magic wand to wave over the situation to change it. I don’t…and I can’t.
The one debate that I think makes me the most crazy…and I will speak to it here, cause it’s my blog and you brought it up…is the debate over adopting overseas or from the US foster system.
Our choice, CHOICE, was to pray about what God wanted for our family and Ethiopia was the door he opened twice. And possibly again…. I do not believe for a second that children here in the US are any less deserving or loveable…I don’t believe that they are any more ‘damaged’(and I purposefully didn’t use the word damaged in my original post because I do not think it’s appropriate. My children were hurt, scared and have seen pain…but they are NOT damaged). I believe they are part of the whole that make up the ‘children from hard places’.
We chose, Ethiopia, because that’s where God called us to… no one has a right to say that our or any other adoption wasn’t the right choice for their family.
There does need to be more focus on caring for the child in country…or in home as the case may be.
There are many ways we can help make UNorphans. Is adoption always the answer? Nope. Are there kids out there that wouldn’t be alive today if they had not been adopted? Yep. My youngest child is one of them.
There aren’t easy answers… there are lots of questions that don’t have good answers… We have been told by God that it’s our job to care for them. How we choose to fulfill that command is up to Him and us…. Adoption, Foster, Sponsorship…Family Support. Just do SOMEthing....
6 comments:
.... well don't know really what to comment on.... so better just be good and stay quite! ;)
Hmmm.....I think it is sad that some people think there is only one way. As far as I know the Scriptures don't tell us to only take care of "orphans" in the US. We have fostered/adopted, international adoption, and domestic adoption. ALL of them are necessary.
Is it the compete solution- as you pointed out- NO, but it is part of the solution.
For those who think "one way" isn't as important or not as worthy- I think the Scriptures point out- LOVE and care for ALL PEOPLE!!!! Families, the lady who checks you out at the store, the man on the street corner who hasn't shaved in years and smells less than desirable, the woman who struggles to raise 3 children on her own, the child who is hurting down the block, the child who's picture on a list steals your heart, the family that struggles and no one comes to help......ALL PEOPLE need his love. NOT JUST THOSE IN THE US or JUST THOSE OVERSEAS.
When Jesus says to love your neighbor - and then asks who is your neighbor- isn't it a big deal that EVERYONE is your neighbor.
If I couldn't take care of our children anymore- for whatever reason I pray that someone - anyone from anywhere would come scoop them up and LOVE ON THEM WITH HIS LOVE. It would NOT matter to me where they are from!!!
Whew- couldn't help myself. sorry.
YEAH what you said!! :) Thank you!
You did what God wanted you to do. It's like Big G's aunts 2 of them adopted girls from China and the other one adopted a boy from the US. The point is that there are some kids who have the chance to be loved by some awesome people and with in that love that is shown to them they can spread it. who knows Maybe when N & E are grown up they can show that love to orphans from Ethiopia or where ever they chose, what matters is that there are people who can do what they can to help all kinds of orphans all around the world.
also the things that adopted parents do with getting the word out about orphans around the world it may strike a chord in their heart and they become a foster parent or become involved in other ways. i know I didn't make any sense at all but i do know what you all do is a great thing. i truly hope that I get to meet my little cousins and of course see you guys in the near future.
You did what God wanted you to do. It's like Big G's aunts 2 of them adopted girls from China and the other one adopted a boy from the US. The point is that there are some kids who have the chance to be loved by some awesome people and with in that love that is shown to them they can spread it. who knows Maybe when N & E are grown up they can show that love to orphans from Ethiopia or where ever they chose, what matters is that there are people who can do what they can to help all kinds of orphans all around the world.
also the things that adopted parents do with getting the word out about orphans around the world it may strike a chord in their heart and they become a foster parent or become involved in other ways. i know I didn't make any sense at all but i do know what you all do is a great thing. i truly hope that I get to meet my little cousins and of course see you guys in the near future.
Hi Andrea,
I'm not a part of the conversation transpiring here but my friend, you know that I love you and your husband's heart for your children and hurting children especially that are HIV. I'm praying for you and him to keep doing whatever it is the LORD leads you to do.
Much love!
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