Hey Soph, good to hear you thinking about this.

Adoption is difficult and expensive, but fostering is much more readily available, and there are huge needs in this country for foster carers.

Check out Anglicare for more info if you’re keen. I spoke to the wife of a student at Moore who works in the fostering department there, and she said there is great need and sometimes it will lead to adoption (without the heavy cost!)

thanks for that, geoff. Def something to talk about with Sam:)

I didn’t find Anglicare that informative. I called and asked for an info pack on adoption and received 2 A4 pieces of paper.

From Docs I received a 30 page booklet about the process & a book on adoption issues. Feel free to borrow either of them.

I also know of a good forum full of useful first-hand info on adoption.

Hey soph, I read that blog too. It blows me away! It also blows me away the impact her story has on people - her trust in God is so evident.

I think adoption is a great idea. Barbara Hughes spoke at the Ministry Expo in the city a few months ago and ended by appealing to everyone to adopt the millions of orphans around the world. She said we have a duty as christians to care for the weak and needy, and we of all people should do this.

I agree with her, but it still seems daunting! Although my cousin is adopted from Columbia and he’s a dude, so I guess I shouldn’t be so daunted!

Hi Soph and Bonnie,

It’s the process that daunts me more than anything. I’m not sure sam and I could afford it, to be honest.

By the way, in case people get the wrong idea (and I be accused of planning our family without even consulting my lovely husband!!) - my thoughts on all this are purely speculative at the moment.

I am all for adoption, would certainly consider it in the future.

Barbara Hughes was certainly challenging when she spoke about it.

Apparently Australia is one of the hardest countries to adopt internationally from.

The process should be made easier!

Our neighbours are foster carers which can be pretty tough but they have adopted 2 boys in the last 4 years through fostering and DOCS.

Soph, the costs for International adoption run the the tens of thousands, but local adoption is much less expensive (about $6000 all up). It’s the one we’re looking at going with, if we do decide to adopt.

There’s also a new option called permanent care, which is also worth looking into. Kind of a cross between adoption and foster care.

Hey Soph - Christine’s amazing isn’t she!! What an inspiration. I’ve found her blog so encouraging and helpful.

I would love to adopt a baby from OS, but it is so incredibly hard and expensive from Australia, I’m not sure we’d be able to….which makes me so sad, because there are so many children who need families.

Maybe as Christians we should be more communitarian with adoption.

Here are a few ideas:

1. A group of ten friends from church put in $1000 each to help someone adopt a kid from OS. It’s only a beginning. It’s about the same price as supporting an MTS apprentice for a year.

2. A group of benefactors within our local churches is set up to help couples with the financial costs of adopting OS kids. There would be application, accountability and screening for the grant. This is a Christian form of the baby bonus.

I don’t think this should or would take away from other aspects of church ministry considering that only a few people in a given church will take up the offer.

People in different life stages could help each other out because we all hold onto Christ.

We don’t have much money but I would be willing to help out a friend who wanted to adopt a kid. I think many would count it a blessing to be able to be involved.