I just need to address something that has been slapping me in the face many times in the last few days/weeks. Maybe this is an evil at work trying to crush my spirit but regardless, I'm over it. Here's my problem. When I tell someone about our adoption or speak with someone about adoption I can only share our story, experience, and desires. I do not beget anyone their thoughts and ideas, but maybe before placing judgement we should all consider each other's point of view before speaking our minds.
One instance occurred when I was discussing adoption with someone and they were telling me their concerns about adopting. In an attempt to dispel some myths they had bought into they quickly told me how they did not believe in international adoption. Mind you, at this point they did not know that we are adopting from Uganda, they just know we are adopting. They proceeded to tell me that it's bogus that people would even consider adopting internationally because there are so many kids in need here in the United States.
In another instance, I had someone almost attack me with questions about why we would even think about going outside the US for a child with the great need locally and imply that it's just because it's "in" right now to adopt a child of another culture.
These are just two examples of multiple conversations I've had lately. So let me set the record straight. We are talking about a CHILD here people. These children know nothing of borders and boundaries. All they know is heartache and pain and trauma that they have suffered because they were abandoned. And this is true from children inside the borders of our amazing United States and in every country of this world. In my mind, whether you decide to adopt domestically or internationally and have the right motives, then it is not wrong, period.
Of course there are children here that need forever families. Our decision was more of just a personal pull toward Uganda that we cannot explain or express to you. Just because I cannot put it into words does not make it an inaccurate decision. We also know that children in the US, even those growing up in foster care and orphanages, have certain opportunities that children abroad do not. Those opportunities are simply non-existent in places like Uganda. We know the almost certain outcome of a little boy if he reaches the vital teenage years in Uganda and does not have anything but the babies home he grew up in. The statistics are staggering at the amount of orphaned boys who are drugged and forced into militant groups and forced to fight brutal and violent wars at very young ages. Please do not hear me trying to make a play that everyone should adopt from Uganda. I could tell you stories of this caliber about the little girls in China sold into marriage or the children in eastern Europe forced into human trafficking.
All I am saying is, there is a need. There is a need here, and there is a need there too. And in every case, it comes down to one child. We have chosen to adopt one child (for now) from Uganda. And had we chosen the United States, that would not have been wrong. It would not have been better or worse, just different. In choosing to give a child a chance they would have never had before, any child from any country, there is not a wrong answer.
One instance occurred when I was discussing adoption with someone and they were telling me their concerns about adopting. In an attempt to dispel some myths they had bought into they quickly told me how they did not believe in international adoption. Mind you, at this point they did not know that we are adopting from Uganda, they just know we are adopting. They proceeded to tell me that it's bogus that people would even consider adopting internationally because there are so many kids in need here in the United States.
In another instance, I had someone almost attack me with questions about why we would even think about going outside the US for a child with the great need locally and imply that it's just because it's "in" right now to adopt a child of another culture.
These are just two examples of multiple conversations I've had lately. So let me set the record straight. We are talking about a CHILD here people. These children know nothing of borders and boundaries. All they know is heartache and pain and trauma that they have suffered because they were abandoned. And this is true from children inside the borders of our amazing United States and in every country of this world. In my mind, whether you decide to adopt domestically or internationally and have the right motives, then it is not wrong, period.
Of course there are children here that need forever families. Our decision was more of just a personal pull toward Uganda that we cannot explain or express to you. Just because I cannot put it into words does not make it an inaccurate decision. We also know that children in the US, even those growing up in foster care and orphanages, have certain opportunities that children abroad do not. Those opportunities are simply non-existent in places like Uganda. We know the almost certain outcome of a little boy if he reaches the vital teenage years in Uganda and does not have anything but the babies home he grew up in. The statistics are staggering at the amount of orphaned boys who are drugged and forced into militant groups and forced to fight brutal and violent wars at very young ages. Please do not hear me trying to make a play that everyone should adopt from Uganda. I could tell you stories of this caliber about the little girls in China sold into marriage or the children in eastern Europe forced into human trafficking.
All I am saying is, there is a need. There is a need here, and there is a need there too. And in every case, it comes down to one child. We have chosen to adopt one child (for now) from Uganda. And had we chosen the United States, that would not have been wrong. It would not have been better or worse, just different. In choosing to give a child a chance they would have never had before, any child from any country, there is not a wrong answer.
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