Another article in the continuing series on international adoption by the New York Times, this one about Ethiopian adoption.
[Not to say I find this article lacking in facts, but I find it very interesting that an article written about transracial and transnational adoption, where adult adoptees (including myself) were interviewed, was shelved due to editorial (sub)ob jectivity. Yet these articles, written from the adoptive parent/agency p.o.v. keep churning out. Hm. So who says the NYT is the hallmark of fair and objective reporting?]
Harlow's Monkey 
I don’t know, adoptions from Ethiopia sounds horrible, and the potential for corruption
seems huge. The last paragraph about the child grabbing the bars is heart-breaking and just terrible.
Kathy, what’s “horrible” about adoption from Ethiopia?!
Hi Daisy, I’m sorry, I am only commenting on the newspaper article and images of a child crying at the picture of the aunt who raised her, or the boy who didn’t want to leave and grabbed the fence sound very horrible to me. And the sudden increase, making it difficult for Ethiopia to handle, coupled with the
high fees do sound scary.
I am only commenting what’s written in the article. I’m sure there are many good people who have adopted from Ethiopia.
Kathy, thanks for the explanation. In regards to corruption: I actually think this is, so far, perhaps less of an issue here than in some other countries. As the article notes, people don’t have to bring large sums of cash and deliver it to various people during the adoption trip, as happens with other cases. And the fees are much lower, actually, than some other countries!
I agree, though, that much of adoption from anywhere is horrible–starting with the terrible situations where families are so poor and/or sick that they feel compelled to relinquish children to an orphanage.
I’ve spent some time at some private care centers in Ethiopia, and I can say that they are clean, well-run facilities where children are doted upon. So it’s not all horrible.
And, for what it’s worth, I know several families with children from Ethiopia who seem to be adjusting beautifully.
“I don’t know, adoptions from Ethiopia sounds horrible, and the potential for corruption
seems huge.” Yes, you are right. You don’t know and it is dangerous to make such sweeping statements. There is the potential for corruption in any venue where a human being is involved. However, as this article shows, the corruption is not a pervasive issue in Ethiopia as it may have been documented to be in many other countries. Furthermore, anyone who thinks adoption is not without loss does not know about adoption. While adoption is a blessing to one family it is devestation for another. That does not mean that adoption is wrong or should not be a considered option. The ideal would be that the countrymen and women of Ethiopia would have sufficient economic opportunity and health benefit that it were not necessary. That is not the case. I personally know many families who now have children who grieved like the young child in this article but now have an understanding and an acceptance of the why. It is painful but life is not all joy but it is how you push through the pain that allows you to see the sunshine through the rain.
Adoption is horrible? Please. AIDS is horrible. The fact that millions upon millions of children are orphaned by malaria, TB and AIDS is horrible. The adoption of these children is beautiful.