Thursday, October 16, 2008

Something to read... a true MUST READ!

Life can be so ironic sometimes.  I used to feel so much more literate and eloquent.  I recently felt called to action by some posts on an agency specific adoption group I'm a part of.  I felt I HAD to attempt to provide some introspection and perspective on a PAP's (prospective adoptive parent) comments about adopting to "save" a child.

Ironic to me that I have now seen a post on a much more eloquent and amazing mama's blog... thank you Julie  Please take a few minutes to go to Julie's blog and read her post.  Is adoption selfish.  Yes.  It IS.  Is adoption the ANSWER to the problem of poverty.  No.  Not even close.  Yes, it can change the life of the child you adopt... but think about those left behind.  Think about how radically you are changing your child's life by adopting them... for better AND for worse.  Should we adopt to "save" a child?  That's for you to decide... but I truly and deeply believe that one's motives should not revolve around that concept as the primary motivating factor.  There are too many other incredible ways to help try and make a difference for the children of the country you are adopting from to adopt because you feel called to "save" a child.

Really.  Please.  No hate here.  No backlash comments.  Just consider what I'm trying to say.  Think deeply... all AP's need to do this.  If you aren't willing to question yourself, your motives, and the life you will provide for your adopted child(ren), you really shouldn't be adopting.  As AP's (adoptive parents) we really must take it upon ourselves to see the bigger picture!

4 comments:

rachel said...

thank you for linking to this post. one way that we would like to celebrate our "family day" each year is to do something to give back to the ethiopian people. the post had some great suggestions. i felt particularly compelled to support the fistula surgeries. i had never heard of that condition prior to now. great information.

rachel

Anonymous said...

I am about to link to the same post - it is amazing and says everything I would say (but better).

Brad and Christy Sherrell said...

I happen to have just read the post you linked to and was very moved by it. We have one adopted child from Ethiopia and two biological children. We could have had more bio children but felt that our third child was somewhere else in the world. We didn't even know it was Ethiopia at the time. But GOD has a way to work in you. Yes, we got our child out of poverty but that is not why we adopted him. We adopted him because we wanted him...pure and simple...selfish yes...but hey I'm willing to admit that. My heart is linked to our son's Mom and I think about her and thank her everyday. She is our angel and she is the one that "saved" our son.

I hope Colorado is treating you well!

Alicia said...

Thanks for this post and the link to the other blog and also thanks for having the courage to answer the post about "saving children" in the Adoption Forum. I'm in the same forum than you but I didn't know what to say at that moment.
Thank you!
AliciA
http://ethiopia.limbo13.com/