There are so many opinions out there about adoption. I am an opinionated person... so I thought I would share some of my thoughts on the subject...The Lord put domestic adoption on my heart... maybe because I have worked around kids in these horrible situations for so long... I don’t know why exactly, but I don't think one child is more deserving of adoption than another. They all need homes. None of them asked to be orphans. None of them did anything wrong to become an orphan.
A parent who adopts their child internationally potentially saving their child from starvation and disease and a parent who adopts a child domestically potentially saving their child from abuse and neglect are both saving a child. The Lord wants all children to have loving homes which is why He calls parents to adopt... it doesn't matter where they were born.
I used to date a guy that drove a motorcycle. He had a street bike. I noticed that all other street bikers waived to him as he drove down the road... even though they didn't know him. But if a biker on a Harley drove by he didn't waive. Harley bikers only waived to Harley bikers. It always seemed so silly to me... both were bikers...
A silly analogy to describe a serious problem… Segregation. I have not experienced this yet and hope I never do... but regardless of where one adopts from, the children should be loved the same. Whether they are from China, Africa, Russia, Maine, New York, Philadelphia, or Altoona... these kids all have one thing in common... they need a home, a loving home. There is no room for segregation here…
Please realize that the children coming into a home are now that family's children. They are not the kids they adopted from China or the Hispanic kids from Texas ... the black children from Philly or the red heads from Johnstown... these children are now their children. It doesn’t matter how they got there… it doesn’t matter where they are from. You don’t say, oh, that’s my neighbor’s in-vitro kid, or my neighbor’s birth children… why label adopted children?
Also, as long as they are in their home these children are their children. So they might not be adopted yet, legally they might be their foster children, they might return to their birth family... but while they are in their home... these are their kids.
Let’s say a foster child is in a home and she is turning 6 years old... and you know that in a few months she will most likely be returning home to her birth family. Please keep in mind that child will only turn 6 once. Make her birthday special. Let her know she is loved. Make every day special. If you see her at church, don't be afraid to say hi to her because she is leaving soon... let her be loved just as much as the child next to her.
Be a part of creating a normal life for this child. So little of their life has been normal.
When I was growing up I lived with my dad for a few years. Our house was on a farm. Our driveway went up between two cow pastures. I remember my dad telling me to stay away from the mother cows. He said that bulls are mean and I should avoid them too, but the mother cows were fiercely protective of their young… I think I will probably be too…
Please don’t think you have to say everything perfect around me or else I might get offended. I say stupid things A LOT!!! But please keep in mind that whatever children the Lord gives me… they will be my children, and I will love them very much. I invite you to love them too.
1 comment:
Amen! (I shall refrain from saying more, because it would probably not serve anyone...but as someone else who has domestic adoption laid on my heart, I can definitely say I have heard it all too, and agree with everything you are saying!)
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