International (MNN) ― A year after the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, a trend is emerging. Many countries are making special needs adoptions a priority, and families are educating themselves about various special needs.
Sarah Zuidema with Bethany Christian Services says, "We have well over 300 children with a great variety of needs. Some of them are healthy and just older. Some of them were born premature; some of them are wheelchair-bound. Some of them are members of large sibling groups." Others come because of extreme poverty in their country, which can cause malnutrition, developmental delays, and medical issues.
Bethany often has children with physical, developmental and medical challenges. There are children with missing limbs, paralysis, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and other genetic conditions or diseases. Children also come from backgrounds of neglect, abandonment, mistreatment, and parental alcohol and drug abuse.
Zuidema says with so many challenges presented, "Every time I look at a child, I wonder, 'Are we going to be able to find a home for them?' And every day, somebody steps up to place one of these children."
There are many advantages to adopting a waiting child on the special needs lists. For example, there is no wait time for a referral of a child. The child is your direct referral. Also, there are opportunities for single women.
Some organizations provide grants to help parents afford the adoption of specific waiting children. Most countries reduce fees for the children with special placement need, and families have an opportunity to apply for a grant through Bethany's Caring Connection Fund.
This is not for the faint of heart. Some children will have lifelong needs and will require lifelong care. Zuidema adds that many children are abandoned, so there is only limited social and medical information about them.
However, Bethany needs families willing to accept the limitations and challenges of these children. When a family adopts one of these children, it's not a journey they'll walk alone. Bethany's experienced staff will prepare, train and help find resources specific to the children.
God uniquely prepares the families who are taking on the challenges that come with adopting special needs children. Zuidema says, "We are called to adoption and feel the support and the love of what the Bible teaches about adoption. Our families rely on the fact that we were adopted by God. We are part of that family and have that Biblical example of love, care and support. God asks us to care for the 'least of these.'"
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