I saw this video about Ethiopia and was quite disturbed. If any of it is true-- how awful for the children and birth families-- and adoptive families too. There are so many children in this world that are without parents or who have parents that abandoned, abused, neglected, or rejected them that I can't ever imagine someone going out and looking for children to adopt out--- as if there is a shortage.
I don't have alot of words to describe the disgust I have for people who exploit children. It is just wrong.
19 inspiring thoughts:
Most of the poorer countries are "exploiting" their children. You are either naive or terribly stupid! Ha, Christine have you not read the State department report from Guatemala how the army was selling children/babies to facilitators to raise money? As in Ethiopia most are social orphans and not properly relinquished families are poor very poor, like in the Ukraine. Why do you think Guatemala and Vietnam have closed down their international Adoptions? FRAUD! Currently: Ethiopia, Kryzstan and Kazakhstan are being investigated. Kryzgstan is on hold ....wait just wait. They will all close down --so fat ass westerners cannot come in there throwing their money around to buy a kid. You really have no idea how many agencies have closed down do you? You must really live in another world. If agencies cared about the children they would not be making a profit off of this. for free you can go to www.guidestar.com and look at these so called "non-profit's" IRS 990 tax return. Many gross over $1 million a year! Non-profit? Ha, it is a business transaction and nothing more!
First off anonymous, you are full of venom and need much prayer. If you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all. Did you not learn that when you were a kid? Apparently not. This is disturbing and disgusting.
I have to, partially, agree with Anon on this one. There is a reason why I would never adopt from a non-Hague country (not that Hague guarantees no fraud, but greatly reduces the likelyhood). Too many people want healthy young children so human trafficing--baby stealing and bribing parents into relinquisihing, or never properly relinquishing--is, unfortunately, way more common than people like to think. Israel's very own Brazilian baby stories are a proof that where there is demand, there will be a supply.
Most people don't want special needs kids. They don't want older kids with long times in orphanages. They don't want potential attachment issues, they want healthy and young young YOUNG children.
Adoption has the wonderful side of bringing families together, but it has the nasty side of it becoming a multi-million dollar business. Families who lose children, well meaning familes, who adopt the children and the children are all victims of this. The greatest victim is the trust. My heart aches for all the children who will not be adopted because of child selling in their own countries.
There is a link at the bottom of the article to the agency that was in question and their rebutal. http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2009/Christian_world_adoption_statement.pdf
Hopefully they are on the up and up but I'm sure where there are humans there is corruption. I'm sure some of this goes on but have no idea how much and by who.
Anonymous (the rude one), Can't you partake in a civilized conversation without spewing venom and hatred? Why do you think I post things that can potentially open myself up to mean comments such as yours? I can take it-- if I couldn't, I wouldn't post them. Do you not think that I am not anticipating your comments? You have very little self control, I bet. I'm sorry, it must be pretty hard to be you. I'll pray for you.
Anyway, I never claimed to know it all, and I refuse to believe that all countries exploit their children. Granted, most countries have people who are money hungry and will do about anything to get it, including exploiting children, but not all agencies are like this. There are organizations out their with people who have only the best interests at heart for these children--- but sadly very few. I happen to agree with some of the things you said about Vietnam and Guatemala and I am glad to see that they have closed their doors to investigate. Just because when I posted this video I failed to mention everything you did, doesn't make me stupid.
Lastly, I am so thrilled that you have chosen to continue reading my blog. I trust that God is using it for His glory. Good day!
Christine, have you considered moderating the comments? That way, you can still allow anonymous comments from those with useful contributions to the discussion and disallow comments from those like anonymous who are only interested in spewing hatred and venom. Sad, pathetic people like anonymous get a kick out of having your readers read their vitriolic comments. If you take this ability away from them, then you take away their power.
Some times we just have to accept that there are people with an agenda and facts and reason are just inconveniences that they do no bother with! Seems like by bashing you, anonymous tries to convince her/himself that the 147 million orphans will disappear or that the citizens from many of the countries that allow international adoptions will suddenly have a heart for adoption and start adopting children from their orphanages or from the streets where the children fend for themselves!
I love your blog and that you keep it real! Blessings as you continue to raise the children God has entrusted you with.
In Queensland,we had a current affairs program on this issue and it made me want to cry for the parents and the kids. Imagine if all the adopting parents (of the Ethiopian children) just sponsored those children through World Vision or Compassion or some similar organisation. For the same cost they could save dozens of kids and best of all, the children would be with their own parents. That would sure make me feel better than taking a child from his or her family and exploiting their poverty.
I'm so glad that their are folk (like you) who adopt the kids with issues that no one else is prepared to take on.
This blog isn't about anon. Somehow it's turning into her own comment section. This blog is about Christine and her heart for children. I watched the whole video and it's very sad. I cannot imagine how those families feel knowing they will never again see their children or know that they are well cared for. My heart breaks for families who feel they have no other choice.
We just completed our adoption from Ethiopia through CWA [the agency in question in the video] and are still trying to process all of the new information being shared. As an adoptive parent, it makes you question everything you've been told up to this point. It also makes me wonder if my son was, in fact, NOT abandoned, but "found" some other way. I have no sure way of knowing.
I have to rest in the fact that God's Will will prevail despite people's sinful nature. Our son was supposed to be with us. Praise God he is home and not sitting in an orphanage without a family.
The agency we used to adopt our Meron from is being investigated for exactly this thing. Thankfully we met Meron's birth family and have her story and KNOW she was not "harvested" but lovingly relinquished in order to save her life. I am so sad that ANOTHER country is facing shut down because there are evil people out there looking to make money off of other's unfortunate situations. Think of all the children needing homes that will never have one because of a few greedy harvesters...
*standing and applauding*
WHOA- good for you Christine! I have re-read your "Harvesting Children" post several times, while praying for an appropriate response to Anon.(the rude one). I then read YOUR response, which is absolutely perfect.
I will continue to have your family in our prayers daily, and will now also add the rude Anon.
Continued blessings and prayers-
Deb
colemans link wasnt complete the full link is
http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2009/Christian_world_adoption_statement.pdf
there was also an answer by the program which can be found here
http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2009/Response_christian_world_adoption_statement_september_16_2009.pdf
Im totally shocked this stuff happens its really sad i just hope there can be some cosure for the families involved
oops i meant to type closure
It is definitly sad to see this news story but I also keep in mind that it is only one side of the story. I have been to Ethiopia twice to adopt. In both case I have met the birth family. In our son's adoption it was only his 1st mom we met and completely believe that he was given up by his mom and it was fully her choice. In our daughter's case her parents were both deceased and only an elderly grandfather around along with an older teenage brother to care for her. Anon's comment is just ignorant and not worth addressing, but the one that bother's me more is when people suggest that sponsering a child through World Vision or Compassion is actually an alternative. Maybe is some cases, but in my daughter's case I can assure you that she would much rather have a family to love and nurture her than to be left possibly in an orphanage or with family who can't or don't want to care for her than to receive monthly support. God designed us for family. We need parent's to love, nurture and guide us. You ask any former orphan at least from Ethiopia what their choice would be and I know it would be family, I have heard it first hand from some. So while I support and respect World Vision and Compassion's vision and the work they do, they will never be a substitute for family, they just can't. And really do we want to compare the two ways to help kids by how many we could help. For me the choice was easy and I would do it 100 times over and spend the thousand's of dollars to adopt just one, because you know what, life is forever changed for that one child and it is one child that has a chance to know the love of a family and through that, know the love of Jesus.
Christine, thanks for putting this up and opening yourself up like this.
This is one subject that I feel it is pretty safe to say "we just won't know for sure" quite a lot of the time. Being right smack dab in the middle of something similar right now...well, you have to do the best you can, explore all of the information, pray like crazy, and then go with what you feel is the best answer for you and your family.
In a perfect world adoption would not have to happen at all right?
Having adopted out of the foster care system as well I can tell you that there is a lot of "stuff" that goes on there too that is not what I would call morally correct. People are people where ever you go and those of us called to love these children have to take the good with the bad sometimes...
:(
I would venture to say that adoption is never an easy process. In an imperfect world hurting people are always left behind; mothers, fathers, children, grandparents... The best we can do is to love our neighbors and support those who the Lord puts in our path. "Christian" is a name that schemers like to put on themselves when they are anything but Christian. Thank God adoption is still a beautiful word to so many, because for so many children it is their only hope.
I don't think it is a good idea to take this video at face value. I have read that this was heavily edited to make it look a certain way and that whole other portions were cut out. Sometimes "reporters" have an agenda and there isn't a money making story behind how well the Ethiopian adoptions are going and how well they are being handled. I do know that AIDS is a huge problem for Ethipia and they have a lot of orphans that need loving homes. I hope that this video doesn't dissuade someone from opening their hearts and home to a child who is waiting.
BTW~if Anonymous #1 has so much to say, why doesn't he or she leave her name for proper dialogue?
How flattering that Anon follows your blog so faithfully. He/she is right on top of your posts. He/she obviously has a pathetic, lonely life and therefore makes posting negatively on your blog rewarding somehow. Such a shame. We'll all pray for you. Till then try and get a life.
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