Streamlining international adoptions moves ministry ahead.

By March 19, 2004

International (MNN)—Legislation introduced this month in Congress will streamline the international adoption process.

The Intercountry Adoption Reform Act of 2004 will establish an Office of Intercountry Adoptions (OIA) within the Department of State, and reform the United States laws governing intercountry adoptions.

In a parallel move, Buckner Orphan Care International’s Tiffany Taylor notes a new trend in American lifestyle. “There’s been a major focus shift as people married late in life and people become first-time mothers when they’re older, and the fertility rate declining, there’s been a focus, really, to overseas and in the last ten years, the number of children being adopted internationally has jumped over 150-percent.”

Beyond the shift though,Taylor describes an international adoption as a strategic step toward sharing a Christian worldview. “It’s an opportunity for them to really look overseas as a way of spreading the Gospel by bringing children from other countries into their home,” and that will translate into community, Taylor says, “which means they’re bringing them into their church, bringing them into their family, so that more children get to hear about their loving heavenly Father.”

Currently, BOCI has programs in Botswana, Bulgaria, China, Guatemala, Kenya, Latvia, Mexico, Romania and Russia. Through BOCI’s Shoes for Orphan Souls shoe drive campaign, over 950,000 children in the US and 30 different countries have received new shoes, socks and shoelaces. In each touch point, the love and compassion of Christ reaches the community.

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