Did you know there’s a huge need for families to adopt African American and bi-racial children in Oklahoma?
This is a fact I learned through the adoption of our son. Yes, there are millions of orphans around the world, but there are also children in our own communities who will never have a family to call their own.
Through the adoption of our son, God made it very clear that John and I were to leave the Ethiopia program and pursue a domestic adoption of an African American or bi-racial child, once Jackson gets older.
I really struggled leaving the Ethiopia program. Our hearts were so invested. Many nights I would lay awake and imagine getting on a plane, flying to Africa, and being united with my children.
One reason it was so hard to leave the Ethiopia program was because people seem to glamorize international adoption. Like you’re a better Christian if you go to a third-world-country and rescue a baby from an orphanage.
But what about the children here in the United States who aren’t getting adopted because of the color of their skin? People seem to be okay if you adopt a black child from Africa, but question when you adopt an African American child from the U.S.??
God revealed a great need in my own community through the adoption of our son. (who is bi-racial)
Orphan care and adoption were prevalent themes at SheSpeaks. Compassion International was on site and conference attendees were encouraged to sponsor a child. Renee Swope shared her Ethiopian adoption story. Tom Davis, president of Children’s Hope Chest International, was also a guest speaker.
During the conference, God affirmed over and over again that I am supposed to be a voice for the fatherless. Yes, I’m supposed to (and I do) care about every, single orphan in the world, but He has called me to educate people about the need in the U.S. – in my own community. I am to advocate for the children in my own community who need Forever Families just as desperately as the child in Africa or China.
Please don’t read this and think I don’t care about the millions of orphans around the world! I am passionate about orphan care! I would adopt a child from every country if I could, but that’s not the story God is writing for our family.
I have no idea what God has planned for our family, and even though I may never adopt a child from another country, I will always support orphan care around the world. I will continue sponsoring a little girl in Ethiopia, as well as, supporting families who have adopted or are in the process of adopting internationally.
Adoption is God’s heart! He adopted us and I will support anyone who is willing to answer God’s call to “place the lonely in families.” (Psalm 68:6)
***In a few weeks I will be meeting with the Executive Director of our local adoption agency. I will be getting some statistics from her and will share those here on my blog.
My husband and I have talked endlessly about this whole issue…the thing we keep coming to is the issue of birth parent rights in the United States. Can you please address this issue on your next update? We do not feel called to adopt overseas (at 43, I am *almost* too old in many countries and there are other reasons too)…but we have been discouraged by the sensationalized stories of adoption difficulties here. Still don’t know if God is telling us to open our home or our checkbook (to help someone else). Thanks for working on this!
Britta –
Thank you so much for your comment! YES, I will address this on a future blog! I totally know where you are coming from. The idea of open adoptions and birth parent rights freaked my husband and I out when we were first called to adopt. Now I see it all so differently and would love to share that in a blog post. I will also include some information from the local agency. Keep praying! God will reveal his amazing plan for you! I will say that adoption has been an amazing journey for us….
I love your heart for adoption!! You’re an inspiration to me & I hope that one day God can place some of the lonely in our family, too.
My husband and I are pursuing domestic adoption (biracial or African American). Wow–my eyes have been so opened to the need for good Chrisitian adoptive families to adopt domestically! Keep getting the word out! One thing that has been discouraging…the cost. It almost seems impossible…but we serve a God who is able to do all things!
Julie – I hope to address the cost of adoption in a future post! Are there any specific questions you have concerning cost or comments addressing this subject?
The thing that is discouraging is that it seems to be that poeple may be capitalizing on adoption–possibly making more money than maybe they need to. I’ve seen “breakdowns” of where the money goes, but it still doesnt seem right somehow! Not sure if I’m making sense! 🙂 The bottom line, though, is God can provide!! I just need to trust Him!