Making a Difference

We were at Meijer earlier tonight buying groceries. The cashier was a very friendly African-American woman who commented on the fact that we have three boys and no girls. I told her that we are in the process of adopting a baby girl. We talked a bit about the adoption and I told her that we are hoping to adopt from Ethiopia. She looked at me and seemed puzzled and then asked, "Do they have caucasians to adopt in Ethiopia?" I told her no. She let that sink in and then told me that she gives us a high five for our willingness to bring someone of a different race into our family.



A dear friend asked me earlier this week if we would be open to an Asian or a Latino baby and I told him that we absolutely would be open to a baby of any race. Our decision to pursue adoption through Ethiopia, in particular, is due in part to the huge need for families for almost five million children, as well as the fact that their government works very well with ours to facilitate adoptions. Some countries make it rather difficult for children to be adopted, even though there is an incredible need. We have also been asked why we are not adopting domestically. What it boils down to for us is basically this: there are programs in place in the U.S. to care for children who have been orphaned or whose parents cannot or will not take care of them. The basic issue is the same here as it is in Africa and it is very sad when a family cannot remain together for any number of reasons. The difference, however, is that there are millions of children in other countries DYING because they have no food or medical care. There are few programs to provide them with a place to stay, food to eat, or medical care when needed. I am not saying that the system here in the U.S. is ideal and I realize there are children who fall through the cracks. I also realize that many foster home situations are far less than ideal. However, there are many called to serve as foster parents and adoptive parents here in the U.S. and they make sacrifices to provide a stable and loving home for children who desperately need and deserve it. For us, we believe we are called to adopt internationally and to provide a home for a child from Ethiopia who also desperately needs one and deserves one. I sometimes stop and think how much it must hurt God's heart to see so many of His little ones suffering - both here and afar. I want to be part of the answer for at least one little life. I am so excited to see others around me who are also deciding that it is within their power to make a difference by bringing another child, who otherwise would have no one, into their families. Many of these are families who had thought they were complete. God, however, had other plans!