Just thinking about adoption some more...

I know that there can be a lot of heart break with adoption, but there are so many orphans in the world, it seems worth some heart ache to make a difference in the life of a child.

I have heard a lot of people say why would you adopt internationally when there are so many kids here that need homes?

Here are some of my thoughts...
* As you saw in my last entry... birth mother's change their mind. If you adopt internationally, you are most likely adopting from an orphanage and you don't have to worry about a birth mother changing her mind.
* You can adopt a baby or very young child if you adopt internationally... many of the children available for adoption in the US are older.
* Sub-Saharan Africa, with 48.3 million orphans, has the highest proportion of children who are orphans at 12% (www.cryoftheorphan.org/)
* Asia has the largest total number of orphans with 73.7 million orphans, which represents 6% of all children (www.cryoftheorphan.org/)
* Latin America and the Caribbean has 10.7 million orphans, also representing 6% of all children. (www.cryoftheorphan.org/)

There are so many international orphans living in unbelievable poverty, disease, surrounded by death and have no hope. Compared to the number of orphans in the US, there are so many more international orphans in horrific conditions.

I am not trying to talk anyone into an international adoption, but I believe that the Lord calls us to care for the orphans and there are so many different ways to do this. Some give money to different organizations that help orhans, some pray, some adopt domestically, some internationally... the Lord leads us in different ways to care for these dear children.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:
to look after orphans and widows in their distress
and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27 (NIV)

Here's some information about domestic adoptions...
* Over one-third of Americans have ever considered adopting, but no more than 2 percent of Americans have actually adopted. (www.cryoftheorphan.org/)
* More than 500,000 children are in United States foster care. (www.cryoftheorphan.org/)
* Over 120,000 children in foster care are waiting to be adopted. (www.cryoftheorphan.org/)
* Only around 50,000 children, or 18% of those waiting in foster care, are adopted every year. (www.cryoftheorphan.org/)
* On average, children in foster care wait over 2 years to be adopted. (www.cryoftheorphan.org/)
* According to the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 33% of children adoption from Foster Care is by a single parent (U.S. DHHS, 2000).

Cost of Adoption (adoption.com)
* Domestic public agency adoption: $0 to $2,500
* Domestic private agency adoption: $4,000 to $30,000+
* Domestic independent adoption: $8,000 to $30,000+
* Inter-country private agency or independent adoption: $7,000 to $25,000

(There are grants out there available to people who want to adopt but can't afford it. Money should never deter anyone from adopting... there is help available if the Lord puts it on your heart to adopt.)

I am just a few weeks away from everything being approved for me to get some kids.... I can't wait...