Two China Dolls and a Prince!

This blog chronicles the story of 2 of our adoptions, both older children when they came home. It begins in 2008 and will continue in the hopes we can be of encouragement and information to anyone thinking of older child adoption.



Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Why do we adopt?

I was pondering a negative reaction (from a professed Christian) I got to our adoption, especially of a teenager, today and came across this blog, http://rylandsfamily.blogspot.com/.  This family recently brought home two older boys who had their first opportunity ever to celebrate a Mother's Day.  The family is now adopting yet another older child, a 9-year old boy.  The same people who encouraged them before now can't "support another one". Why?  Go to this blog and read the post from Saturday, May 12.  Like all adoptive families, we don't adopt to "save" a child or "rescue" them.  If we happen to bring them out of a bad situation, then so much more the better.  We adopt because this is how God wants us to build our family; He commands us to care for orphans and widows.  Like the mom on this blog, I, too, cannot understand how anyone, especially a Christian, could judge another harshly for wanting to be Mom and Dad forever to a child, no matter what country they're from or how old they are.  Teens need parents too, and in my opinion, even more so.  The cute, young, cuddly ones are the first ones to find families, while a child who slips through the cracks get older and older, diminishing their chances for a family.  There are several older boys and girls in China right now who are close to losing their chance of having a family forever at the tender age of 14.  Does this mean everyone should rush out and adopt one of them?  It would be great, but in reality, it is not a journey for the faint of heart.  We've researched and read, and asked, and talked, and researched some more to prepare ourselves.  And then you have a person, who thinks they have all the answers, say "why on earth would you do that?"  "You are crazy to want a teenager" and my personal favorite "I can't believe you're doing this again!!"  Well, we think we'd be crazy NOT to follow God's plan, to thumb our nose at His architecture of our family.  And to those who've said "it's great you want to help these kids by adopting them, but.......", I say it's the kids who have helped US.  Our two little ones, Jazmin and Judi,  have enriched our lives beyond measure and I marvel every day that God allowed us to be their parents and we are so looking forward to having Jaxon be part of our lives.  And I have to give credit where credit is due; Jessica and James (our current teenagers) have embraced our adoptions from Day 1 (2003) and were willing to share our love and attention and welcome their new siblings with open arms and hearts.  We are a unique and diverse family and our biggest desire is that we inspire others to open their minds and maybe even their homes to adoption.

3 comments:

Anne said...

Amen. We haven't gotten too much of that, but I tend to avoid the people who I suspect will have that opinion. They are the ones missing out in MY opinion :).

Rylands family said...

Debbie, Needless to say...LOL....I wholeheartedly agree! My boys have been unbelievable blessings to us! I am so excited to follow your journey and to witness what God has planned next for your family.

Angie

Anonymous said...

We, too, during our fundraising were judged. One friend, who was a huge advocate for foster care, said, "God sees no boundaries, just children who need love." Hang in there and pray for the people who misjudge you. Do not let your heart be bitter from this. If they could understand, they would. Adoption and raising money is not on everyone's spiritual grid.