Today is National Adoption Day! A day to raise awareness for the 100,000 children in foster care waiting for Forever Families!
The adoption agency in Oklahoma City recently began a partnership with the Department of Human Services. Their goal is to find families for the children who are eligible for adoption (approximately 350 children in Oklahoma). That means parental rights have been terminated and these children just need a family to say YES!
Many of these children are older or part of a sibling group, but they need families just as desperately as the babies being born each and every day. Have you ever considered older child adoption? Have you considered adopting through your local foster care system?
According to the Deaconess Pregnancy & Adoption Services website, most of the children eligible for adoption, “are between the ages of four and 17 and have endured physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse and/or neglect. Many of these kids have deep wounds and come from places of utter brokenness.”
“Our hope is for these precious children to be restored to a place of wholeness through the love and nurturing that only a family can provide,” according to the agencies website.
If you live in Oklahoma and are interested in learning more about older child adoption, Deaconess will be holding free informational meetings. They are scheduled for:
Thursday, December 5, 2013
6:00 to 7:00 p.m. 3403 S Peoria Ave #200, Tulsa, OK 74105
Call 1.800.567.6631 to RSVP
Thursday, March 13, 2014
6:00-7:00pm @DPAS offices Free to attend – RSVP requested
The Minimum Guidelines for older-child adoption are as follows:
Minimum age for couples is 21; no more than a 50 year age difference between child and parent. Must be married two or more years. If on second (+) marriage, must be married five or more years. Active in a Christ-centered church.
If you are interested in making an investment in the life of an older child, please call Heather Hails at 405.949.4200 or email her at hhails@deaconessadoption.org.
Not everyone is called to adopt an older child. Not everyone is called to adopt. But everyone can do something. Please pray for the 100,000 children in foster care. That they know how much God loves them and that they will find their Forever Family soon.