| The numbers are staggering, but recent information | | | | their parents to disease or war, yet others have |
| suggests that there are over 130 million orphans | | | | simply been abandoned because the parents could |
| worldwide right now, many in the United States, but | | | | not afford to care for them. Without an adoptive |
| many more in third world countries in various places. | | | | family, many of these children will spend their entire |
| Whether due to infertility or out of conviction to | | | | lives in an orphanage, alone and in terrible living |
| provide a stable home for a child, adoption is one of | | | | conditions. |
| the most rewarding experiences you may ever | | | | Depending on your location and the organizations that |
| encounter. | | | | look after adoptions in your area, it may be more |
| While your local children's aid or family services | | | | likely that the children waiting to be adopted are not |
| organizations are overwhelmed with orphaned | | | | babies, but toddlers. This is one of the biggest |
| children, countries with fewer resources are also | | | | decisions when adopting as plenty of people would |
| dealing with orphans, but on a much larger scale. | | | | prefer to adopt a newborn baby, and not a toddler. |
| Without adequate funding to look after orphans, the | | | | Unfortunately though, many of these older children |
| living conditions for orphans in other parts of the | | | | get overlooked and they still need to be adopted and |
| world is heartbreaking. | | | | loved. |
| Both international and domestic adoptions are good, | | | | No matter where you choose to adopt from the |
| but each individual must decide on their own which | | | | decision cannot be made lightly. Weigh all the options |
| one will work best for their family. By adopting | | | | and choose what works best for you and your |
| domestically the costs are often significantly lower | | | | family. Either way, inviting a child to become part of |
| than the costs involved in international adoption, | | | | your family, no matter where they came from is |
| which can be as high as $30,000. Many of the children | | | | what really matters. |
| available for adoption in foreign countries have lost | | | | |