Why International?

From the very beginning of our journey, there were different questions or comments that came up over and over again along the way. One of them was, "Why do you want to go adopt all the way across the world when there are kids right here in America that need homes?" Most of the time, I believe this was simply asked out of genuinecuriousity and not with ill-intent. Either way, it came up again today so Ithought I would take a moment to respond to this. It is a good question for which there is not one simple answer, but I will share my thoughts. First, I think when people ask this question, there is an assumption that adoption was ONLY a choice of the adoptive family. This fails to recognize a basic Christian principle that God has prepared in advance good works for those who are now followers of him. He has a plan for each of our lives and it was authored by Him. So in essence, while we make the choice to adopt, we are also recognizing that He has something in mind, and it then becomes a journey to discover Him and that plan. It is obvious that His plan for some families is to seek to adopt here in the US, and some overseas. So ultimately, I think that question should be directed to Him and He would welcome it :-) My second response to this is this: recently, Haiti experienced a terrible tragedy. The earthquake that hit completely devastated this country in so many ways. When news of the devastaion hit, Americans and mandy other people in nations abroad joined together in an effort to respond with all kinds of aid for these broken and suffereing people. You didn't hear people say, "Well, we have homeless, hungry people here in the US (or Great Britain, etc) , shouldn't we feed them and take care of all of them before we run off to Haiti?" No. We heard of people in desperate need and we responded to meet that need. See, we are made in the image of God and are thus, His image-bearers.
As the bearers of His image, we will be sensitive to those in need, no matter where they live, just as He is. In many cases of overseas adoption, this is what has happened. Someone hears of a situation of an individual child, or of crises in an area, and are broken and moved to respond with the same love, compassion, and care our Papa God shows to all who are broken and in need. His loving arms reach all over the globe and show no favoratism or partiality in regards to race or nationality, so why, then, if we are made in His image, made to do what we see the Father do, being lead by His Spirit, would we not do the same thing? Even from a political standpoint, where would the world be if America had never looked out for those vulnerable people in other nations and reached out to them, despite that we haven't fixed every single problem in our country first? Simply put, I just don't think love has borders. I believe in reaching out to those in need here, which many, many are doing, and those in other nations. As believers, we are called to make disciples of all nations. Jesus called us to the ends of the earth. I see this as just one snapshot of how that call is fufilled.