Why International Adoption?

Many of you may be wondering what lead Matt and I to adopt internationally. Many of you know that we have 2 beautiful biological boys, and have no problems with fertility or labor and delivery. Because of this, we have answered many questions about why we have decided to adopt at all. This blog may help you understand our decision.
A special verse in the book of James tells us : "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress." (1:27) That doesn't mean that adoption is right for everyone, we realize this. But this scripture lead us to adopt. As Matt and I grew up in the same chuch, we got to experience many international mission trips together, and through these we met many beautiful children that were in desperate need of food, shelter, love, and most of all forever families. During these trips, on many occasions, we felt God tugging on our hearts to one day adopt a child.
Matt and I married in 2002, and right away we began praying about adoption. We prayed that God would show us when the time was right to start the process and lead us down the path He wanted us to go. We started our family by having 2 precious boys, Izaiah and Braylon. Even during our pregnancy's, we continued to research international adoption; the countries, adoption agencies, the process, ect... We gathered as much information as we could. Finally, when Braylon turned 2, we decided we were ready to add to our family. We continued to pray for God to show us His will for our family. Through MANY confirmations, we knew God was calling us to add a daughter to our family from Ethiopia. We decided to adopt an infant girl, and have chosen to use Children's Hope International to help us through this process.
We know this decision to adopt will not be easy. We have already witnessed some of that through this long and difficult process. We have been researching Ethiopia culture every chance we get to help our daughter have a respect for her culture. We have become members of an Ethiopia adoption support group that meets once a month in Cincinnati. We are trying to prepare ourselves for the negative comments and strange looks we will get. Still, we know we can't be prepared for everything, but know that God will be with us every step of the way. He never promises that everything will be easy, but does promise to never leave us.
Often people comment on the blessing we will be to our daughter. But, we know she will be more of a blessing to us. We have already been blessed through this process. Just hearing our boys pray every night for their baby sissy and listening to them talk about her is such a blessing!!
Another question we recieve a lot is, "How do you bring a child into your home that has nothing in common with you?" Different skin color, culture, language, ect... The answer to this is we know we will have many differences, but know we have the same Christ, and we believe, that is more than enough.We're aware that her Ehiopia background will be important one day to our daughter. As such, I've researched Ethiopia, got Ethiopian recipes, have connected with other Ethiopian adoptive families, and have began purchasing Ethiopian children's books. But more importantly, we stress the fact that our primary heritage is not in our ancestors or family genealogies or birthplaces, but at the cross, in Christ alone.
We know that we can not change the world by adopting one child from Ethiopia, but we do know that we can make a difference in this 1 child and prayerfully will help others answer that calling to adopt. Adoption is truly a miracle and does make a difference!!