Although infertility isn’t a prerequisite to adopt or do foster care, I, for one, know that if I had a houseful of children who came to me the “traditional” biological way, I would probably be too busy to think about adoption or foster care. Perhaps it would be a thought in the back of my mind, but I honestly don’t think it would be a priority to me.
With that in mind, here’s a thought: What if there were no such thing as infertility? Would there be as many people wanting to adopt? Sure, there will always be people who are passionate about providing homes for children through fostering or adopting regardless of their reproductive capabilities or family background. But I wager that if children came to families solely by being “born” into them, there would be a heck of a lot less people eager to adopt, which also means that there would be a heck of a lot more children in the world missing out on a family. My husband and I can’t imagine what our life would be like without our little girl (well actually we can, but it is just too heartbreaking and painful to do so). If it weren’t for adoption she wouldn’t be in our lives!
Perhaps the most tragic consequence of living in a world where infertility didn’t exist is that the options for women faced with unplanned pregnancies would be limited to either bearing and raising their child, finding family members or friends willing to help out, or abandoning or aborting their child.
What a blessing adoption can be for all members of the adoption triad: women placed with unplanned pregnancies in search of a loving family for their child, men and women who wouldn’t have the opportunity to be parents if it weren’t for adoption, families wanting to welcome another child into their home, and perhaps most importantly, the adopted child.
God works in mysterious ways. Perhaps infertility is one of them.
6 comments:
Perhaps those not spending so much money on infertility treatments could use it to help out those who need to keep their family together but are having difficulties in affording that without some support.
I love this perspective!
Money helps, but time and love are priceless.
I have also heard it said that adoption exists because we live in a fallen world...but my problem with this is that if there were not a "need" for adoption, then those of us who are infertile would have no chance at being parents. I for one, thank God that BOTH exist. Because I cannot imagine having any other son and daughter than the ones I have been blessed with.
A hopeful perspective that you are brave to share.
I like this perspective. I suffer with infertility and always that it was all bad, but it is good to think of it this way.
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