Russia's Adoption Ban

(Author's note: I started this article over a year ago. I am just now finishing it up...)

I had heard about Putin's signing of the new anti-adoption ban. As I've been contemplating it the last few days, I heard another article on the local news. A Nebraska family was in the final stages adopting a child from Russia when Putin signed the law into effect. Now, the family is in limbo with the adoption process. A big question is, will Putin honor a treaty that states, according to the news article, that people trying to adopt a child from Russia be given at least a years notice to changes. You can read the article here. This hits close to home for my wife and myself, for several reasons. First and foremost, because we are wanting to adopt at least one child in the future. This stems out of our biblical understanding and personal experiences. Biblically, we read that we are adopted by God through Christ. Because of our sinful nature, we are separated from a holy and just God. But, because of His great love for US, this same holy and just God also provide a way for US to be redeemed and have a personal relationship with Him.

(From 30JUL2014)

Today, while going through draft blog posts, I found this one on adoption. I did a quick web search and found this article here. This appears to be the most recent article on this particular topic, according to Google search. Being adopted myself, this is a very personal issue. I would not be where I am today if I had not been adopted as a small child. Because of the environment that I grew up in and upbringing that I had, I am the mature adult today. From what I had learned about my biological family, things would have been drastically different had I grown up with them.

If one does a search on the Internet concerning adoption, there are many, many sites that they can look up. Three that I have bookmarked are: Adopt Us Kids, Bethany, and Nebraska DHHS Adoption page. If a person does a Web search, he or she will find a plethora of sites that one can look through concerning children available for adoption, local requirements, the process itself, etc.

Believe it or not, adoption is a significant concept in the Bible. Using Biblestudytools.com, I did a word search for 'adoption' in the New King James Version. I came up with three hits for Romans (8:15, 8:23, and 9:4), one for Galatians (4:5) and Ephesians (1:5). I will use the Romans 8 passage (here) for my example here. The Letter to the Church in Rome (Romans) is a letter that Paul wrote, having not ever been there. Because of this, he wrote a long letter to explain the Christian faith. Having explained how, because of the rebellion of Adam and Eve, we are all cursed with a sinful nature. But, although we were now in rebellion against God (His enemies), out of His love, God provided a way for us to be reconciled. Having been born into sin and having a sinful nature, we would have to be 'born again' (see John 3) in order to become children of God. And, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we have that possibility. This spiritual rebirth also meant being adopted by God. One theological dictionary (Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology) further defines adoption, if you would like to read it.

Just as God chose the Hebrew people to be his heirs and witness to the world, so those who are adopted by God through Jesus Christ become heirs of His Kingdom and ambassadors for Him to the world. To my wife and myself, one way to imitate Christ is to bring someone out of a life of difficulty, loss, etc., and into a new life for of opportunities and experiences that they would not have had in the previous life. Or by bringing them into a life of stability and love that they may have not known otherwise.

I know that there are many stories out there where a child or group of children were adopted, at least on the outside, by a loving family. However, over time, it became apparent that the family adopting the child(ren) had ulterior motives for doing so. Instead of having a new life filled with love and new possibilities, they experienced even more pain, betrayal, etc. However, there are many, many stories out there that tell a different story. A story of a child(ren) taken out of a painful situation and placed into a new one where they not only lived, but were able to thrive and become loving adults who could contribute well to society around them.

Some people adopt because they cannot have children biologically. Others adopt because they want to have a bigger family. Or, they choose to adopted because they want to give a child(ren) who have little hope for a good future a chance to experience hope, love, and a stable life. Some countries have a large pool of people willing to adopt other children. Unfortunately, many countries do not have this. So, people in other countries open their lives and hearts to children from other countries.

For a country like Russia to shut its doors to families of other nations, especially when there are many, many children who need to be adopted, is extremely saddening. Those in power have decided to further abuse those who have little or no hope by preventing them from having a chance. Should they not seek to take care of the widow, the orphan, the stranger, etc., even if it means letting someone from another country do so? I know that God condemned Israel on many occasions for not taking care of such people. Paul and other Apostles challenged the young Church to take care of those who could not take care of themselves. Should we not also do likewise?!