Why Ethiopia?

Some people have asked us, "Why are you adopting from Ethiopia? Don't we have orphans in the US?"

Yes, of course there are orphans here. And I would like to see them adopted. Every child deserves a family. If I could adopt and adequately care for all 143,000,000 orphans in the world, I would. But I can't. One is a pretty big stretch for us right now.

So, why would we choose one from Ethiopia, rather than here or somewhere else? There are many reasons. Not the least of which is a conviction that this is the place God has chosen for us. We prayed about "the where". He has put this place on our hearts. Circumstances have pointed us in this direction. And godly people have affirmed our selection.

Also, we wanted to adopt from a place with deep need. And there is no comparison between the need in Ethiopia and the US. As bad as the foster care system can be, by and large those kids will be fed, medically attended to, clothed, educated, and cared for. They still live in the most affluent nation in the world, and perhaps the most affluent country in the history of the world.

If they do not get adopted, it will be a sad and terrible thing that they will have to wrestle with emotionally. But they'll live, and they'll be given every chance to succeed.

By comparison, here is a snapshot of the life of an Ethiopian orphan who does not get adopted:

Life expectancy--42 years
Mortality rate for those under five--169 per 1000 live births
Maternal mortality rate--850 per 100,000 live births
Adult HIV prevalence rate (ages 15-49)--4.4%
Percentage population with access to safe drinking water--24%
Adult literacy rate--42%
Life expectancy (at birth)--42 years

Percentage of population living on less than $2 a day--80.7%

Actually, these are the stats for all Ethiopians. I would assume the statistics for the orphans would be worse. Add to this the tension Ethiopia faces as one of the last bastions of Christianity in the region, and the prevelance of harmful superstitions (Many still believe that a man can b cured of AIDS by having sex with a virgin, putting little girls at a terrible risk).

These are just a handful of reasons why my family is becoming part Ethiopian.