Explore your family situation financially, emotionally and spiritually. Couples should be equally supportive in the decision to adopt. If couples have experienced infertility difficulties, they will need to begin working through that loss. Others will need to consider the impact adoption will have on the other children in the home.
• Consider adopting a child with specific needs. Most children coming from orphanages overseas will face developmental delays and may have other health risks. Not only do they face loss of birth family, but they also face the loss of their culture and the security of their surroundings and what is familiar to them.
• Consider how open you will be to any possible health problems and maintaining your child’s cultural heritage.
• How open will you be to seeking professional help if your child needs to work through issues related to their birth family and the adoption experience over the years?
• Consider your ability to be flexible and patient. International adoption is complex. There are at least three governments involved in the process and it is never as fast as everyone hopes it will be.
• Explore your willingness to adopt with limited information about the child. Although Buckner strives to acquire all information, there are often unanswered questions about the child a family considers for adoption.
• Before deciding to pursue international adoption, research all the issues surrounding the process. Talk with families who have adopted internationally. Research child-placing agencies and the services they provide. When you are well-informed, you will feel confident in deciding if international adoption is a good option for your family.
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