Why in the world are we adopting?
I know most of you must be thinking, hey, haven’t they done a head count lately? They already have quite the clan of rambunctious little boys running around.
I’m not sure when God placed the first stirrings in our heart for adoption. We did have a bro/sis pair in our first Junior High group who were adopted from Russia, and then I (Amy) had a cousin whom I very much respected adopt from Russia. (This family later went on to adopt some blood relatives who really needed a loving home also.) And of course I loved the music of Steven Curtis Chapman, and loved hearing all about how God led their family to adopt.
I remember even before we were married, dreaming that God would bless us with a large family, of our own and through adoption. It has always seemed like a no-brainer to me. We do not have fears that we would love this child any differently than our own birth child. There are children out there who need a loving home, and we could provide that, so why wouldn’t we? And the thought that Jesus could use us to give hope and a future to someone who has none is beyond incredible.
What’s always worried us most was the financial cost. We really thought that when we left California, we’d make so much on our house that that would be how God would provide the adoption funds. Then the market crashed, and God still amazingly spared us from a disaster that many faced, but we sure didn’t walk away with the extra funds we’d hoped to. For many months this had me very very discouraged. Maybe He didn’t want us to adopt. Then, one day, while reading Jill Savage’s Adoption Story it really hit me that that would have been way too easy. I really think God wants us to give Him the opportunity to show up in ways we never even imagined.
And of course, we are both adopted. God adopted us into his family even though we did nothing to deserve it. He not only saved us, but made us His children. Over and over in Scripture we see this theme. The gospel is made real with the metaphor of adoption. And real adoption helps the gospel to become even clearer.
Why International?
We really desire a young child, who would keep our family birth order the same. To adopt domestically as a more financially feasible option , we’d really have to go through the foster care system and deal with a whole lot of different issues that we aren’t feeling called to. I do think it’s an amazing honorable calling, and there are so many kids in the foster system who need to be made part of a forever family, but that is not where we feel God leading us.
Why Ethiopia?
We started out not really feeling God placing a certain culture on our hearts above any other, but with our existing family size, and looking for the least amount of time to have to be overseas away from our other children; Ethiopia has risen up as the most viable option. And we are thrilled with this. We know quite a few families who have adopted from there in the past few years, and their beautiful radiant children are testimonies of God’s grace. And as I’ve researched and read up on Ethiopia, I am falling more and more in love with the idea of holding one of their babies in my arms.
Are we seeking a girl?
Yes. We need another female around here, and we’d love to have the opportunity to parent a daughter. But please understand, we are not adopting only because we want a girl. If we’d been blessed with both sons and daughters, we’d still be in the very same place right now.
