Why Not Domestic?

Craig and I had a video air on the local news about our adoption last week. Several people commented on that video and asked why we are adopting internationally when there are so many kids in the United States who need families. There really isn't a clear cut explanation to say why, other than that this is what God called us to.

But it spurred a long thought process for me about our perceptions of adoption and how a lot of people think "their" way of adoption is the best (or only) way to adopt. I wanted to address that mindset. The mindset of one adoption being better than another.

We have friends who are getting ready to go pick up their daughter from Asia. She is healthy, young, and from what I understand, doesn't have any "big problems". I struggled with judgement toward this family for several weeks because they were not willing to adopt a child with more severe special needs.

We also have friends who have finished all of the domestic adoption paperwork and have been waiting for over a year now for a healthy baby boy to add to their family. I am ashamed to admit that I judged them as well for not choosing a waiting child.

Then God got a hold of me and helped me realize that He sees us all equally. The healthy child in China means just as much to Him as the unborn boy who will be given up by his mother. We adopt because God adopted us first. I need Him just as much as the murderer in jail. Miah needs Him just as much as our biological children.

Adoption is beautiful, no matter the cost, location, or needs of the child. Every child should be given the chance to belong to a family that loves them.

Craig and I have talked to several families recently who want to adopt but are unsure of which path to choose. The advice we give is to seek Gods will and His alone. He chooses different paths for different people in order to save as many as possible. If we all adopted domestically, there would be an overflow of orphans in China and other parts of the world. If we all adopted internationally, our streets here would be overrun with orphans. Adoption is needed everywhere. Just like Jesus is needed everywhere.

In the words Emmerson Eggerichs, it's "not wrong, just different".

Craig reminded me of a song that's been on his mind since seeing that comment three days ago. I goes like this:

"Jesus loves the little children, ALL the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world."

And so should we.