Excerpt from "Tread Softly on My Adoption"

The adoption world here in Uganda is very ......  I'll leave you to fill in the blank.  There are those that are very much for it and those very much against it.  Those that say there is too much corruption involved in adoption and those that have wonderful experiences that were very open and void of corruption.  Many say that orphanages (and adoption- especially international adoption) shouldn't exist.  Others say that, while that may not be the best option for a child, it's better than the alternative.

So many sides to the issue.  I don't think there is any one way to quickly fix the problem.  Some orphanages aren't great.  Others that have grown up in wonderful orphanages will tell you that it saved their life and provided them with a "family."

To me it's not black and white.  I believe we have to look at the gray areas in the middle.  Look at each child and family on a case by case basis.  Can this child be reunited with his family?  Can her family even be traced?  Was there abuse?  Does the family want the child back?  Will the child be in danger if taken back?  What is best for the child?

There are many children that can possibly be reunited with their families.  There are hundreds of thousands of others (all over the world, not just in Uganda) that for various reasons can't.  Take a look at the U.S. foster care system!  How do you return a child whose mother left her for dead back to her without there having first been change in that mother's life and assurance that the child won't be put back in danger.

When I hear criticisms against adoption, I somehow take it personally.  I'm not out to tear families apart.  I'm not out to take a child away from her mother.  I believe any parent that fosters or adopts a child wants what is best for the child.  Yes, God is with the biological family.  But, I also believe God has a plan for families standing in the gap when biological families can't care for their children (whether that is through fostering or adopting).  I believe there can be redemption in adoption.

Recently, I've started reading many blogs...... mostly blogs by other mom's and their daily struggles with life, children, careers, etc.  In one of the blogs that I read, the link below was linked there.  I clicked on it and really liked what the writer had to say.

Here's an excerpt from it:

"Family living doesn't come easy- the tumble of personalities, insecurities and contending wills.  We each struggle with identity issues, questioning our worth, wondering if we can contribute something of value to the world.  What parent, adoptive or not, hasn't had to battle personal anxieties while fortifying the healthy identity of their child?  Isn't this par for the course in family formation?  Iron on iron, friction forging character and undaunted acceptance culling a child capable of self-love- this is indigenous to every family, right?"

Click here to read the entire article and in the meantime, "Tread Softly on My Adoption."

So much more that could be said on this issue (from many points of view) but for the sake of not making this too long, I'll end here with the conclusion that if we are ok with all of us being "adopted" into the family of God, shouldn't it be ok that we "adopt" children into our family?