Some years ago I sat with a group of street children on the curb here in Ukraine and listened to them cry and ask over and over what happened to the Americans who had promised them a home. When were they coming back? When would their home be ready? Why was it taking so long?
Knowing that money was raised and had never appeared in Ukraine, and that the promise of a home was very unlikely at this point in time, I decided to tell them the truth.
"Sometimes people have really good intentions and cannot follow through with them. You have to forgive them, accept them as they are and move on in life."
Except for these kids, they had no where to move on to. They were on the street to stay.
About a year later, the big orphan care movement started in Christian churches in America. I was thrilled. Now, working with non-profits who had set up a model of rehabilitation for children, from ministering to those living on the street and on through to adulthood. I was sure that Christians would catch the vision of helping these children both spiritually and physically.
Except that was not exactly what happened.
I visited the states and went to conferences on orphan care. I was handed stacks and stacks of glossy, expensive brochures and was then told excitedly to go to the fast track workshop were I could hear the first hand stories of a woman who actually worked on the street with street children in South America!
"You really need to hear this woman speak. She is going to tell us exactly what it's like working with street children! Isn't that exciting?"
"Uhm, I already know what it's like working with street children.
Blank stare.
I have been working with street children in Ukraine for a few years now." I explained.
Blank stare.
As I sat in the near empty non-profit financial accountability workshop, it began to dawn on me that these conferences were not set up for people like me.
And then the adoption movement gained momentum.
This really excited me because at the time in Ukraine there was nearly no precedent for nationals to adopt children and there were scattered orphan care ministries around the country. If Ukrainian nationals started to adopt, this could have a huge impact on orphan care in Ukraine. Our ministry was one of the very first to promote national adoption and foster care and placed over 100 children in homes. Today more Ukrainian nationals adopt orphans than foreigners.
But while adoption was promoted, I saw that some areas of child care for orphans and at risk children were either ignored or dismissed out of hand by pro adoption leaders who stated at conferences that "orphan care, is adoption, first, second and last."
That sounds very romantic and good in theory, but how exactly is that supposed to work?
"Although the christian movement pledges to bring "the end of orphans in the world," making adoption the answer seems to ensure that the root causes that create "orphans" will go unchanged and that the poor or at least their children, will always be with us as families mixed in a cycle of devastating poverty, and in the absence of a working child welfare system, continue to relinquish children they still have inadequate means to provide for." - The Child Catchers
In my frustration, I began talking with other people working with orphans or involved with adoption advocacy and with parents who were planning or had adopted children. Thanks to many people who were willing to take the time to talk with me and share their expertise, experiences and knowledge, I began to learn about "ethical adoption" vs the "adoption as a cause" and gained a better working knowledge in approaching orphan care.
I am not against adoption. I am 100% for adoption. But I understand that sometimes adoption is just one option for an orphan or at risk child and that some of the current marketing of adoption as a cause can do more harm than good.
Simply stated, sin is in the world to stay and there will always be orphaned and at risk children. If we, as Christians want to minister to them, then we need to do the best for them, in a biblical and holistic way, in the context of their culture.
Not every orphan is adoptable and we must be willing to minister and care for them and include them in orphan care if our faith is truly based on Christ's Christianity. Jesus left his 99 sheep to go out and find the one lost sheep. How can we quote a theology of adoption which only applies to a chosen few? Christ died for every single one of us.
The latest statistics I've heard is that Ukraine has 100,000 children in orphanages, but only 20% of these children are adoptable.
Some children simply are in at risk situations where adoption is not that best choice or even an option for them.
I recommend The Child Catchers: Rescue, Trafficking, and the New Gospel of Adoption
by Kathryn Joyce for anyone learning more about the adoption movement and the issues facing those of us who want to do ethical work with orphans. I don't agree with everything in this book, but whether you agree or not, I know that it will definitely make you think and ask yourself some hard questions.If you have read it, I would love to know what you think. Or, if you just want to comment on this post, please do. I want to encourage everyone who is working with orphans and at risk children to start talking and looking at how we can improve orphan care and the adoption process.
This was a hard post to write. Thanks for reading it.
, Nikki tells her true life story of how she left life in a cult. 
