Why International? | Englerths Adopt
I want to start with a statement that Ben and I had heard many different versions of since we began this process:
“Why Bulgaria? There are plenty of American babies that need homes.”
Let’s unpack this a bit.
First, as a mother on a journey to bring home a child via international adoption, this statement hurts. What I hear in a statement like this is that American children are worth more than other kids. American children are more valuable than other kids. God loves American children more than other children. As you’re reading this, I hope you realize how untrue that is. God loves ALL the children of the world. Nowhere does the bible say anything about American children being more valuable to him.
Next, let’s talk about the cultural component. We are not going to stand here and pretend that the cultural diversity our child brings into the family won’t matter. We are not going to pretend that our child won’t look different from us. She will. We aren’t going to pretend that leaving her country, the only home she has ever known, and her culture behind isn’t going to be hard. It absolutely is.
Let’s talk about international adoption in the world now. Many countries have come a long way over the last few decades when it comes to domestic adoption. They have far more resources and better programs put together to help find children families that need them. That said, there are still far too many orphanages in this world. There are far too many children left “unwanted”. To be available for international adoption, most children are first eligible for domestic adoption. When they reach eligibility for international adoption, this typically means all other paths to adoption have been exhausted and the child remains without a family. Sadly, the children left in these orphanages tend to be children that have more special needs.
God has so clearly placed adoption on our heart to lead us to this point. We don’t know what our daughter will be like or what special needs she may have, but God has softened our hearts and opened our minds to what we can do through Him. We will never succeed on our own, but through Him, we know all things are possible.
Now let’s rewind a little to exactly why we ended up in Bulgaria. When Ben and I started this process, Bulgaria wasn’t even a thought in our mind. When we thought of international adoption, Europe didn’t even appear as an option. The more we learned about Bulgaria and the children in need there, the more we felt drawn to adopt there. Once we officially decided and applied for the Bulgaria program, we felt such immeasurable peace that we were exactly where God wanted us.
I’d like to take a second to share a song that has meant a lot to us lately. You may or may not know, but Steven Curtis Chapman is an adoptive dad with a very powerful story. I’d encourage you to look that up and read about it if you don’t already know it. He recently wrote and released the song “Still”. I pray that as you listen, it encourages your heart and draws you closer to the Lord. Listen here.