Not for the Faint-of-Heart

When we first started looking into international adoption, we reached out to adoptive families for their words of wisdom. The vast majority of comments were things like:

• “It’s completely unpredictable.”
• “Nothing will go as planned.”
• “It’s going to teach you more than you ever wanted to know about trusting God’s purpose and timing.”
• “It’s not for the faint-of-heart!”

I don’t consider myself to be faint-hearted… but there are days of weakness!

An article was just published in an Ethiopian news source speaking against international adoption. My quick synopsis of the article’s theme: Ethiopian children are better served in an orphanage in their home country, than a family elsewhere.  

Is this a “real” news source? Could their government potentially act on this? Could adoption be shut down? I don’t know… I do know that it makes my heart heavy.

Yes, ideally children will not break ties with their birth heritage. They will not have to grieve a loss and be moved to a new place with new people. Long term, a country that could support it’s own orphaned children would be marvelous. I would love to be a small part in helping to make that happen. I would celebrate for the mothers and children in Ethiopia. But in the present, there are kids in orphanages with little hope for a healthy future. Wouldn’t they be better served by a committed family?

My calm, collect and oh-so-wise husband is quick to point out that it’s merely one article. As he says, it wouldn't make sense for someone in Africa to read one Newsweek article and jump to a bunch of conclusions about potential changes to policies in the United States.

So although it's been weighing on my mind, I am trying not to overanalyze future implications of this article. I have no way of knowing the possible impact on us, for families further along in the process than us, or for the orphaned children. I know that this is just one blip of what will likely be a roller coaster ride with many high points and low points.

One of the main reasons that we started this blog was to share about the journey in a transparent way… not just the cute happy pictures. We can’t ask for your support if we don’t honestly share how you can support us. So we ask that you please pray for us to not carry these anxious questions and burdens, but to turn them over to our powerful God. Pray for us to love Him and trust Him no matter which ways this ride turns before its completion. And pray for those sweet children who are living in an orphanage without their parents, entertaining a million of their own questions.