Meeting Keza

Monday, July 5, 2010

Introduction

Last week at Target: “Did you adopt her?” the woman behind me in the checkout line asks. I tell her I did and she immediately looks at the floor. “You are so lucky. I wish I could do something like that.”

I can’t get it out of my mind. I keeping thinking about people and what stops them from doing the things they want to do.

About two years ago my husband and I decided it was time to adopt. We told our family of the plan and then started telling our friends (and anyone who was interested and had an ear) about it. Through the course of our conversations we were shocked to find out how many of those people had at one time thought about adoption and had even considered it. Most said the desire was there but they had never made the step to get serious about it and didn’t know if they would. Always, people came back to the same reasoning as to why they didn’t think they could or would adopt: money, fear, effort. All of these reasons are natural, we faced all of them personally. But really, all three reasons boil down to just one: fear. And fear should not ever carve the path we tread.

There was another group of people we seemed to learn about often as well. Dear couples who were exhausted and disappointed from years of trying to conceive and failing. Most of these people were closed to the idea of adoption despite their fierce desire for a child to love.

I want to talk about adoption. I want to speak to those four topics: infertility, money, fear, and effort. I will probably step on some toes and for any unnecessary discomfort I apologize in advance. My intentions are to clear up some questions that I am all-too-familiar with myself. The next few days I will post on one topic at a time.

Adoption is so close to my heart. And maybe, just maybe, hidden in the words I write, some single soul might find a key that unlocks a question that unlocks a heart that opens wide into the arms of a child. If there is even a small chance- I write.

4 comments:

  1. Hanna, it is a gift you have been given...and your faithfulness to the burn of passion in your heart concerning adoption will ignite others to open their hearts and lives. You've been used already to inspire and challenge hundreds. You are making a difference. Thank you for being a catalyst for changing my own heart. One heart at a time will change many lives.....

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  2. I am thankful you are addressing these "fears". We are just starting the adoption process and I still struggle with these fears. I am struggling with doubts, but clinging to the truth that it is God's calling on my life to adopt at least one baby from Rwanda. For me it comes down to the fact that God called and I said yes and I just have to be obedient and trust Him.
    I think your posts will help me, because I find myself being defensive when people tell me they would love to do what I am doing followed by a list of why they can't. If I am honest, it is because I have the same list.

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  3. Well said! What organization did you use Hannah?

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  4. This is great. I have received a lot of questions since we started the process. The main one is "Why?" "Why are you adopting when you have bio kids?" I have answers for them, but I think some of them don't really want an answer, they are more likely expressing an opinion. However, I give them my answer anyway and hope that I will soften their hearts toward the fatherless. Thanks for the posts that will help me in bringing awareness where I am:)

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