by Dorcas Horst, MAA family
Many people have asked us this question when they discover this to be the birth country of our four children.
What made you go there?
The answer is God. We could have picked any country, but God moved our hearts and circumstances to help us choose Colombia because that is where our children were waiting for us and we couldn’t be more grateful. Now that we’ve been through the program four times, there are many reason that we love and recommend adoptions from Colombia.
The adoption program in Colombia is long standing and stable. The requirements for adoptive parents such as age, income, and health are reasonable, and many families will fit within these guidelines.
We have always been profoundly touched by the love and care our children have received before they came to our family. We discovered with amazement the amount of work the staff puts into preparing the children for their new families. It didn’t make the adjustments non-existent, but it made them much, much easier. There is careful thought and planning put into the meeting with your child in hopes of making the transition as smooth as possible. I loved being able to send a photo book to my children, knowing that when we met them, our faces would already be somewhat familiar to them, due to the wonderful preparation from their caregivers. And for this, we are deeply thankful.
The amount of information we have received about our children has been a huge blessing. There will always be questions and blank spots in your child’s history, but Colombia does a wonderful job at providing as much information as possible. If there are questions about information in the child’s file they are usually willing to do what they can to get you more information or updates.
The broad range of ages of children available makes this program a good fit for many families. There are very young children available and all the way up to teenagers who may be running out of time to join a family. There are also many beautiful sibling groups. Why not experience twice the love? or triple? The health of the children covers a broad range as well, from very mild to more severe medical needs or developmental delays. So, again, this makes it a good fit for many families.
The stay in country can be a draw back for many families, as it is longer than some other countries, but don’t let that deter you from adopting from Colombia. Those weeks of family time with your new child without the distraction of outside schedules and responsibilities are so valuable to your bonding. Sometimes the four walls of the hotel might drive you crazy, but needing to be this close as a family is something you will discover is so good for all of you. By the time you are home and thrown into the whirlwind of activities there, you will have that much more groundwork laid and know your child so much better than if you had a very short adoption trip.
This time also gives you a better chance to learn more about your child’s birth country and heritage. Colombia is a very beautiful country. You will probably have opportunities to visit points of interest and learn more about the local culture. Our family enjoys quite a few Colombian foods and traditions that we never would have been able to experience on a much shorter stay in country.
So, as you consider adoption, please take a second look at Colombia and all the beautiful children who are waiting. Let your heart be moved by the plight of the thousands of orphans in Colombia. You could make the difference of despair or hope, of a lifetime of loneliness or of a family’s love and care.
Madison Adoption Associates is happy to assist you in your adoption from Colombia. Please feel free to visit our website for more information, or email Misty Lucas at misty@madisonadoption.org.