It is fascinating to learn the adoption story behind so many adoptive parents I meet. Rarely do I meet someone who adopted a child quickly and painlessly without much of a snag. Typically, it's the opposite. My friends pictured here with me are classic examples. We each applied to adopt a baby from China almost 3 years ago. After waiting so long to be matched with a baby, each of us began to pray about God's 'plan B'. For 'C', on the right, God almost literally dropped a newborn baby right in her lap through a domestic adoption. That baby is now almost 2 years old ... and she continues to wait for a match from China. 'A', on the left (yes, we make A.B.C. from left to right) was referred a special needs child from China this summer and is travelling to get her next month.
And of course you know my story of how God has lead us to adopt four siblings in Ethiopia. And I hear of so many others that have had to fight their way to adopt children. Stories of domestic adoptions cancelled by the birthmom; stories of Ethiopian children being reclaimed by other relatives after a referral was accepted; stories of babies dying in the orphanage before their adoptive parents could travel to get them; and stories of countries closing their borders to adoptive families.
Adoption is not for the faint of heart!
I guess God works that way a lot in life. He takes you down one path, only to detour you to another path (and then perhaps even another one!) But as many wise adoptive moms have told me, it's never a mistake or mishap when a door is closed (as it was in China for us) because our God has known from the beginning of time, which children would be ours to love and parent. And through all the red tape, long waits, messed up paperwork, uncooperative US and foreign governments, financial hardships, and heartache of lost referrals, God uses these hurdles as a means to lead us to the child He intends for us to have. And all the pain and difficulty we experience along the way is preparing us to love and delight in our adopted children, to appreciate God blessing us with them that much more.
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing! I'm loving reading your story and I can't wait to "meet" these four little ones that God has placed in your lives.
I must say I find your comments interesting. When we (and others I know) struggled with infertility the question is often asked, "why not just adopt?" as though I could snap my fingers and have an adoptive baby in my lap. It is a sad thing when injections, sonograms and medical procedures are the easier route to parenthood since there are so many children that could use good homes!!
Praise God for your willing heart. Maybe someday we'll be able to share in your journey...
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