My daughter Amy and I attended the North America Northeast Area conference of Families Supporting Adoption. We loved it. We attended sessions on advocating for adoption, open communication between birth mothers and adopting couples, and financing adoption. (The Church subsidizes adoptions done through LDS Family Services.)
One of the highlights of the conference was a panel of birth mothers, who told their unique stories. Every one of the four women on the panel bore testimony of how God had supported them in making the difficult decision of placing their child for adoption and guided them to the couple that was right for their child. They knew God had been involved, and they had no regrets for the decision they had made—pretty heroic.
We came home thinking that we would benefit greatly from establishing a sub-chapter of Families Supporting Adoption in Pittsburgh.
Birth parent panels are always powerful experiences. As I've had the pleasure and honor of working with birth mothers, I've learned a great deal about a different perspective of motherhood. All parents make personal sacrifices for the benefit of their children. These women are great examples of courage, sacrifice, and love.
ReplyDelete