happy monday everyone!
i hope your weekend and sabbath was as restful and reflective as mine was.
this next week, i plan to share with you some of the frequently asked questions dell and i have answered recently about our choosing to adopt and adoption in general since we have shared our news to grow our family in this way.
some have been quite simple and easy to answer, and others.......well.....
...one left me speechless for about a minute. :)
i am so excited to share our heart and excitement here with you and i want you to know, i appreciate your questions.
maybe some of these questions you have wanted to ask about our adoption, or another adoptive families or maybe just about international adoption in general. i know it might feel uncomfortable and you may be timid to ask hard and honest questions for fear of hurting or discouraging an adoptive family. i want you to know it's ok to have and ask questions.
it actually is quite comforting to know people are thinking about us and that it's not just dell & I & the kids, living in this very real process and journey that can be so lonely at times. i hope through my sharing these questions and answers with you, openly and honestly from our perspective, you will be able to see into our hearts and rejoice with us in how God is leading and working.
so please know we appreciate your care, concern and questions....
feel free to ask away at any time..... we LOVE to talk about adoption!
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FAQ #1
*with so many children in the US that need loving homes and families, why are you choosing to adopt internationally?
this is an excellent question and one we have been asked most from the people who are closest to us. it is also a question that has many answers, reasons and layers to it.
and for every adoptive family, the reasons and answers will most likely be very different.
for the ledbetter family, it is a multifaceted answer as well.
a question that for us, has many in depth answers and issues that we feel very passionate about and would love to discuss and share with you if you ever want to have a chat.
for times sake, i am going to choose just one of the reasons WE feel called and compelled to adopt internationally and hope through this answer and the ones to follow, you might have some of your own questions answered.
ANSWER #1
we feel strongly about pursuing the adoption of children that may have some special needs. needs that can be met and treated here in our country relatively easily. the very same needs may go untreated or minimally treated in their country and can greatly decrease their chances at living a full and healthy life. older children and those who have special needs in orphanages and institutions internationally , have a much greater chance of never being adopted. rarely in America in our foster care and adoption system, are there countless children who are wasting away and dying daily b/c of preventable and treatable illnesses and diseases. children are rarely found to be malnourished and lacking simple preventative medical treatments, medications and therapies. all these things are readily available to parentless and vulnerable children in our country. also, virtually no American children are institutionally housed just because they are orphaned or come from vulnerable and hard places. we have a system set in place, (albeit an oftentimes flawed one) that seeks to place children in homes where they hopefully, will be given the benefit of living and growing up in a nurturing family environment.
our hearts do break for the thousands of children in our country who deserve and long for, a loving, forever family. every single child on earth longs for unconditional love, support and approval from parents who love them. we understand there are great needs children in this country go without being met every day. we pray that more good families will choose to foster and that more children will be permanently placed in good and loving homes in this country of ours.
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be sure to check back for FAQ #2 tomorrow.
i hope your week is filled with great joy, peace and thankfulness.
blessings!!!
heather
