Adoption, One More Time

Last updated on: October 21, 2009 at 9:55 am by Amy Julia Becker

Adoption, One More Time 2009-10-21T09:55:00-04:00 Amy Julia Becker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

If you haven’t had a chance to read through the comments on last week’s post on adoption, I commend them to you. If you are one of the people who contributed to that conversation, thank you. You’ve helped me to clarify some of my own thinking on the issue, and you’ve prompted further reflection.

So where am I now? I should explain first that for the past few months, every time I have thought about having another child, I wondered if I should feel guilty. I haven’t actually felt guilty, but I’ve wondered if I should. I wondered if it was irresponsible to have biological children given the number of orphans in the world. I wondered if we were simply doing our part to contribute to overpopulation and global warming. And so I wondered if this desire to have children, biological children, was merely that: biological. I wondered whether it was a vestige of our evolutionary past, to be overcome by prayer, by the Spirit.

I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not.

There shouldn’t be orphans in the world. It’s a simple statement, and yet one I hadn’t realized before we began this conversation. The truth of the matter is, parents shouldn’t abandon their children. Parents shouldn’t die. If and when they do, there should be family members who can incorporate the children into their family.

Of course, the reality is that there are orphans. There are abandoned children. The need is there, although it shouldn’t be.

So recently, I have come to believe that this desire for biological children is a God-given one. “Be fruitful and multiply,” God commanded in Genesis. Or consider that, as one friend pointed out to me today, all the barren women in the Bible pray for and receive a biological child as an answer to their prayers. Biological children are a gift from the Lord. The desire for them is a good one, a God-given one.

So when I feel torn between the desire for another biological child and the reality of orphans in the world, it is a holy tension. Children are a gift. Take care of the orphans. I’m not sure how this will all work out in our lives. For now, we’ll do our best to show Penny and William God’s love and grace. For now, we’ll support our new friends Eric and Holly Nelson (Special Hope Network) as they start an organization to provide for orphans with special needs in Africa.

Bearing children. Adopting. Either way, I will, I hope, be participating in God’s work in this world.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

October 16, 2009

Adoption?

Next Post

October 23, 2009 Remember Me...

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Articles Books Disability Down Syndrome Faith family Perfectly Human Uncategorized

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 September 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz