Our 1st true Vacation since we stated the adoption of our 3 children, For over 7 yrs, every extra dollar was put towards fees, applications and renewals, it was all worth it, now time to relax from the "paperchase" and reap the rewards of the long long waits! Just Chilling! Lately I have been more of a facebook person, email me if you want an invite. I am here to support all the adoptive families that are waiting, It is worth every second of anxiety!
In life every single person is given a cross. Some are large, some small, some grow as we live and mature, some fade as we live and mature. However what do you do when the cross is so heavy? Lay it down and walk away? Try harder, pick it up and continue, continue to the end? What did Jesus do? A cross has been placed in your hands, an opportunity that you choose to see or walk away from. Then others pray they are never given chances have they ever opened up their eyes to the crosses that are placed in their hand?
Having lived thru one adoption lasting over 3 yrs only for it to end with the country of Vietnam shutting down. I can truly feel for the 3000 plus families and orphans that are now at the mercy of the Russian and USA government's. I fought tooth and nail to get Senators, Congressmen, involved to just push thru some type of agreement, two yrs later still no agreement and US citizens can not adopt from Vietnam, keep in mind some of those families had photos of the children they were going to bring home. Many families and orphans still wait. My advise for families is, grieve then move onto the next option, when one door closes a window opens. We are proof of this and now have a beautiful little girl from Ethiopia, it all worked according to His plan.
There has been great outrage, anger, blame and finger pointing over the disrupted adoption of a 7-year-old Russian child and his abrupt return to Russia over this last week. Today it has been announced that Russia will suspend adoptions to the USA. During this time, I have wondered, "where is the outrage for the thousands of children who are housed in hopeless institutions with minimal care and daily abuse from the other children?"
The exact conditions that may have traumatized this young child and greatly contributed to this situation, are barely mentioned. No one absolves the mother.She had options and chose to do something outrageous and selfish. But her actions are only one part of this. The unspoken rule is that those of us who work to find homes for these children must never, never criticize the governments that allow these wretched institutions to continue. Adoptive parents must be grateful...and silent, to insure that international adoption continues, and a few lucky children find peace in a family of their own. Volunteers must quietly work to make changes in the orphanages, for fear of offending those in power. Yes, this story makes me very upset, and sad for all of the children who will now continue to suffer. And for the families who have waited, longingly, to give their love to these children.
And now we wait, with our only hope once again in the hands of government policy makers. I suggest that the meeting scheduled for the 20th take place in the largest, most rural orphanage that can be found in Russia. Let our governments meet, and come to their decision, surrounded by the children's lives and futures that hang in the balance. --Martha Osborne
*Footnote, 80% of orphan girls will end up in prostitution and the boys will end up in jail.
