Adoption and the Presidential Candidates

I know...two posts in one day. I came across this on another blog, and couldn't help post about it. Many of you know that Rick Warren interviewed Obama and McCain recently. After completing an adoption ourselves this year and becoming a part of that world, it has become so obvious to us that our system is flawed. The fact that it takes so much red tape and so many thousands (tens of thousands sometimes) of dollars to adopt is unacceptable. Bringing in an orphan - domestically or internationally - should be easier, less-expensive, and quicker. I understand that there is evil in the world, and steps must be taken to be sure orphans do not go to the wrong people, but it's gotten a little out of hand. When there are families all over the country who want to adopt, but can't afford it, or the time constraints or roadblocks are too difficult - it's the children that suffer the most. Many children wait years for families to come for them...and for many, they never come.
Here are the presidential candidates response to a question from Rick Warren about adoption.

Warren: OKAY. THIS ONE IS DEAR TO MY HEART. MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THERE ARE 148 MILLION ORPHANS IN THE WORLD, 148 MILLION KIDS GROWING UP WITHOUT MOMMIES AND DADS. THEY DON'T NEED TO BE IN AN ORPHANAGE, THEY NEED TO BE IN FAMILIES BUT A LOT OF FAMILIES CAN'T AFFORD TO TAKE THESE KIDS IN.
OBAMA: RIGHT.
WARREN: WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO CONSIDER AND EVEN COMMIT TO DOING SOME KIND OF EMERGENCY PLAN FOR ORPHANS LIKE PRESIDENT BUSH DID WITH AIDS - ALMOST A PRESIDENT'S EMERGENCY PLAN FOR ORPHANS TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE?
OBAMA: I CHEATED A LITTLE BIT. I ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THIS IDEA AHEAD OF TIME AND I THINK IT IS A -- I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD SIT DOWN AND FIGURE OUT WORKING BETWEEN NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, THE US GOVERNMENT, TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CAN WE DO. I THINK THAT PART OF OUR PLAN THOUGH HAS TO BE HOW DO WE PREVENT MORE ORPHANS IN THE FIRST PLACE AND THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE HELPING TO BUILD THE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND THE WORLD, THAT WE ARE YOU KNOW BUILDING ON THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU AND, BY THE WAY, THIS PRESIDENT HAS DONE WHEN IT COMES TO AIDS FUNDING AROUND THE WORLD. I THINK YOU KNOW I'M OFTEN A CRITIC OF PRESIDENT BUSH BUT I THINK THE PEPFAR PROGRAM HAS SAVED LIVES AND HAS DONE VERY GOOD WORK AND HE DESERVES ENORMOUS CREDIT FOR THAT
(THEN LATER)WARREN: JOHN, MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THERE ARE 148 MILLION ORPHANS IN THE WORLD GROWING UP WITHOUT PARENTS. WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT THIS AND WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO CONSIDER OR EVEN COMMIT TO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THE PRESIDENT'S EMERGENCY PLAN FOR AIDS, WHICH HE SAID AIDS IS AN EMERGENCY AT PEPFAR. COULD WE DO A PEPFAR FOR THE EMERGENCY PLAN FOR 148 MILLION ORPHANS? MOST OF THESE, THEY DON'T NEED TO GROW UP IN ORPHANAGES, THEY NEED TO BE IN FAMILIES AND MANY OF THOSE FAMILIES COULD TAKE THEM IN IF THEY HAD SOME KIND OF ASSISTANCE.
MCCAIN: WELL I THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE ADOPTION A LOT EASIER IN THIS COUNTRY. THAT'S WHY SO MANY PEOPLE GO TO OTHER COUNTRIES TO GET -- TO BE ABLE TO ADOPT CHILDREN. MY GREAT HERO AND ROLE MODEL TEDDY ROOSEVELT WAS THE FIRST MODERN AMERICAN PRESIDENT TO TALK ABOUT ADOPTION AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS AND PROMISE YOU THIS IS MY LAST STORY: 17 YEARS AGO CINDY WAS IN DHAKA, BANGLADESH. SHE WENT TO MOTHER TERESA'S ORPHANAGE. THE NUNS BROUGHT HER TWO LITTLE BABIES THAT WERE NOT GOING TO LIVE. CINDY CAME HOME. I MET HER AT THE AIRPLANE. SHE SHOWED ME THIS 5 WEEK OLD BABY AND SAID MEET YOUR NEW DAUGHTER. SHE IS 17 AND OUR LIFE IS BLESSED AND THAT'S WHAT ADOPTION IS ALL ABOUT.

I can only pray that this issue will gain more attention, so maybe there will be hope for these families who are saving their pennies...and mostly for these children who are waiting.