Taking care of "our own" first

I don't remember where I was recently when the topic of adoption came up...

I may have overheard it at the pool, or read some bitter person's blog.

However, the statement went something like:

"Why would anyone adopt from another country when 

there are SO many children in the 

US Foster Care system that need homes, too?"

Well, let me answer that from our family's perspective on this particular adoption.

We wanted to maintain birth order in our family.

I realize, this isn't a big deal to many families, but it was for us.

Enough said.

At the time that meant adopting a child under 6 years old from the foster care system.

We knew that wanting siblings and younger kids would be a tough call from the US system, not impossible, but more difficult.

We also feel that God didn't draw the boundaries on our maps and tell us to stay inside our zone.
Ethiopia is as much "our own" as Texas or Kentucky.
They are all His...
and He wants families for all of them.

So, for those "take care of our own" folks out there...

Go for it!

Adopt domestically!

But, if you read your Bible... God is pretty clear about going into all of the world... not just those boundaries someone drew on a map. 

It's not always about helping "our own", it's about who becomes your own.

I have seven children.

4 home-grown, and 3 from Ethiopia.

They are all MY OWN.

Forever.

And that is a beautiful thing!