One of my favorite sessions at the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit in Minneapolis was a rather impromptu lunch seminar on International & Domestic Adoption the U.S.  Three agency heads lead the discussion which wound up to be standing-room-only.  Tom DiFilipo from JCICS attended as well as Chuck Johnson of the National Council for Adoption and several other orphan care superstars… what an amazing experience, basking in their knowledge and insight!

Bill Blacquiere, with Bethany Christian Services, opened by noting that there will always be critics of intercountry adoption.   There are 3 major claims they tend to make, and rather than rolling our eyes and blowing them off, we would do well to tuck into those criticisms, talk openly about them, and be prepared to tackle these (sometimes, sadly true) concerns when they arise.

These 3 claims about intercountry adoption are:
(1) We’re taking kids out of their birth country (therefore depleting a country of a valuable natural resource).
(2)  We’re fracturing their identities (racially and culturally).
(3)  We’re causing the trafficking of children.

All three points have some validity – we live in a broken world, and I think we can agree that adoption isn’t the be-all, end-all.  Adoption is not the universal cure but is instead a gift that unfortunately comes out of great loss.  

However, Mr. Blacquiere also pointed out that the primary consideration of a child needs to be his or her physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being.  When all sources have been exhausted (birth family, extended family, domestic adoption), intercountry adoption is a valid and necessary way to a child’s physical, spiritual, and emotional health.  Every child deserves permanency in a healthy home.  When that cannot be provided in the country of origin, we need to be willing to look across borders to meet children’s needs.

Heather