In my last post, I addressed the question: Could I put a price on helping just "one" child? And the answer was NO. (click here to read that post.) I said adopting one child would not only change that one child's life, but would create an immeasurable and priceless ripple of change that would affect many lives. And I could never put a price on that.
But, as I mentioned, there was another question. At that point in our adoption process, we had settled the question in our minds about whether we could "justify" the cost, and that no longer kept me up at night. But something else did.
How would we know if adoption was for us? If we were cut out for it? How does anyone know whether or not they should adopt?
Before we started the process, I would've said, "Everyone who wants to adopt, should adopt." I thought that was true. But as we learned more and got deeper into it, I began to see the other side of the coin. Where I had seen a black-and-white issue, I now saw a vague grayness.
I read somewhere that about 75% of Americans think about adopting, but less than 2% follow through. I think the number who follow through should be higher - much higher - but I don't think adoption is for everyone. Not anymore.
But is it for you?
Adoption is for you if you are willing to spend thousands of dollars of your own money with no guarantee you will ever add another child to your family. Adoption is for you if you can accept the high likelihood that your adopted child will have mental, psychological, or physical challenges (or all three) that you were never told about. Adoption is for you if you can handle people asking intrusive and inappropriate questions, and people staring and pointing at your family (particularly with transracial adoption). Adoption is for you if you can wake up in the morning and go on with life even if your heart feels like it's been pushed through a meat-grinder, fried on a skillet, and devoured by a broken, callous world.
And adoption is for you if - no matter how hard you try - you just can't talk yourself out of it.
If that's you, please get in touch with me and let's talk. There's a child out there waiting for you.
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." --James 1:27
Brothers, ages 5 & 9, came to live with us 45 years ago--foster children, adopted three years later. For all the reasons you list, Katie, I've often said, "the only reason people should do this is because God calls them to." I can't imagine this journey without Christ by my side.
ReplyDeleteBless you, Shirlee, for heeding God's call and opening your home. When God gives a call, He also gives the strength!
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