A decline in adoption rates

I understand, though. It’s one of the reasons we decided to jump in now, even though we still had four at home. As it stands, assuming we add no more, we should be winding down about the time I hit your age… ;-)

Congratulations Greg and thanks for a practical and useful example of what true Christianity should be.

Our daughter and son-in-law are presently caring for two foster girls they would love to adopt if it is the Lord’s will and He makes it possible. They’ve had them now for 11 months and the case includes 7 children being cared for by 5 families.

We have become fully invested in loving the girls and learning as much as we can. It is obvious to us that the foster system is a huge and needy mission field.

I just read this blog post this morning about a foster/adoption situation- The Phone Call That Changed Everything. What a blessing!

We fostered/adopted through relative placement. It was an incredibly trying time but we look back at it as one of the biggest blessings in our lives. I have to admit that it would be very hard for us to ado pt an older child. I really believe much of the authority foundation is laid before a child is even out of the toddler years and I would be concerned about “playing catch-up”. Even more significant however is the fact that adopting an older child through foster care means you are likely adopting a child that has been abused. That in itself would be a huge challenge especially if there were other children.

All that being said we would do it over again and to anyone that is considering it I would say this: adoption is a very trying and stressful process but it is also an incredible blessing.

Thanks, Josh, for sharing your experiences.

I read this blog article a while back, and this quote, though not from a Christian, still resonates with me…

The most common response to the news that you foster parent is “I couldn’t do that, I’d get too attached.” The answer to that is that in fact, that’s the job - kids need attachments, they need love and care, they need you to get attached to them, and help them attach to you. There’s a reason why this job cannot be done by institutions or robots - they need people who will fall in love with them, advocate for them and stand for them and say “that’s my baby who I would do anything for,” Doing it temporarily for children that might go away is admittedly difficult - but it is harder for them than for us. I understand why M. might have to go. I may grieve, but I chose this - the children in foster care don’t choose this, they don’t choose to stay with us and learn to love us, they don’t choose to move home over and over again, leaving behind friends, siblings, pets, parents, toys - everything they love. To protect myself from pain and leave them to endure seems the wrong way around.

How much more should a follower of Christ be able to say that for the sake of a soul?