Last week I noticed some discussion on twitter concerning adoption in Uganda. An article from AFP was circulating (http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/Uganda-fears-for-children-as-overseas-adoptions-boom/-/2558/2439568/-/weogw2z/-/index.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed) entitled, “Uganda fears for children as overseas adoptions boom.” The article quotes a front page headline of “AMERICANS RUSH TO ADOPT UGANDAN KIDS “by David Lumu in Tuesday, September 2, 2014 New Vision. (The article can be purchased at http://epaper.newvision.co.ug/login.aspx.) After the front page headline the article takes up most of page 3 with the headline, “Alarm as foreigners adopt more Ugandan children.”
When I did a google and twitter search I came across a CNN article entitled “Red flags wave over Uganda's adoption boom” by Todd Schwarzschild on March 2, 2013 (http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/27/world/africa/wus-uganda-adoptions.) Then one quickly finds the common trends of those using the recent headlines to voice concerns about adoption such as (http://www.againstchildtrafficking.org/category/adoption-lobby-alert/) and a plethora of personal adoption blogs, adoption agency information, and feel good news promoting Americans adopting in Uganda. (I chose not to list those sources so they can have the freedom to speak themselves.)
My
family has adopted two children from Uganda.
We served
With Ruth and Timothy, June 2014
there as missionaries with New Testament Churches of Christ
from 1993 to 2004. Following that we
served with Christ’s Church of Rwanda from 2005 to 2012. We have facilitated several Americans
adopting, been adoption advocates, and at times been involved with East Africa’s
media. We’ve also been part of dialogue
within international adoption discussions (http://hekimagreatlakesmessenger.blogspot.com/2013/08/missionary-reflections-on-kathryn.html.) It seemed prudent to blog about this
discussion.
OUR STORY
For my wife, Jana and I our adoption
journey began with both of us having adopted siblings. Adoption was always on our radar. When we first arrived in Uganda in 1993 we
noticed the large numbers of orphans as a result of the AIDS epidemic, and
considered personally adopting.
However, at the time only citizens of Common Wealth countries could
adopt from Uganda. In 1997 The
Children’s Act was passed in Uganda.
There were many issues the legislation addressed. It cautiously opened the door for those from
Non-Common Wealth countries to adopt in Uganda.
We decided that this was a whisper from God to pursue adoption.
On October 29, 1999 we began
fostering Mary Ruth Mirembe,
an infant girl after being contacted by Mama Joyce
at Sanyu Babies Home in Namirembe Hill, Kampala, Uganda. An advert with Mary Ruth Mirembe’s picture
was run in Bukedde and no relatives came forward. We obtained legal guardianship of Mary Ruth
Mirembe so that we could travel with her in both East Africa and to the United
States in relation to our missionary responsibilities. On February 23, 2004 we adopted Mary Ruth
Mirembe. We traveled to the United
States in October 2006 and our daughter, Ruth became a USA citizen. As intended in the records of fostering,
legal guardianship, and adoption she has grown up well educated and involved in
our delightful Christian heritage of Uganda and East Africa.
Jana and Ruth 2000 |
Our African Christian heritage is
one of inclusion of children
in difficult situations. A few years later Mama Joyce asked us to
consider bringing another child into our home.
We began fostering Timothy David Sanyu on October 21, 2002. We obtained legal guardianship on March 4,
2004 to facilitate travel in East Africa and to the United States for
furlough. On January 20, 2006 we
adopted Timothy David Sanyu Jenkins.
He traveled with us like Ruth in October 2006 and became an American
citizen. As intended in our
documentation he has been educated and nurtured by our wonderful Christian
heritage that spans nations.
Ethan, Ruth, and Timothy at Lake Bunyonyi 2011 |
Our family returned to the United
States from Rwanda, Africa in June, 2012 to serve as missionaries in Chicago
land. Ruth is currently enrolled in
ninth grade at UNO Charter High School in Rogers Park, Chicago. She excels in photography and dance.
Timothy is enrolled in sixth grade
in Waters Elementary Magnet School in Chicago.
He was diagnosed at 10 months old with a minor case of cerebral
palsy. Yet, Timothy has fast feet,
rhythm, and Ugandan determination. He
excels in soccer and plays on travel teams.
Ethan playing with Chicago Uganda Cranes |
Our family is members of Ugandan
cultural associations in Chicago. We
pay our yearly membership dues, attend most functions, and occasionally provide
some pastoral care. Our other Ugandan
born son, Ethan plays soccer for the Chicago Uganda Cranes team. Some who may not know our community well
conclude that we “bless Uganda.” With
all due respect we disagree. We have
been immensely blessed by Uganda. If we
offer any blessings to others it is us simply passing on the goodness Uganda so
graciously gave to us.
OLD CONCERNS
The boom in adoption is likely a fly
wheel gaining momentum. Few Americans
were adopting in Uganda when we began the journey. We were featured on UTV’s “Open Up” show with Irene Kulabako. Relate Magazine ran an article on
our adoption. Elizabeth Kameo wrote an
article in The Weekly Observer related to the need to provide extra care
for children with disabilities that discussed our journey with Timothy’s
cerebral palsy.
The non-Ugandans we knew when the
journey began who adopted were those with deep Uganda roots. Most were long-term missionaries. A few
were business people.
While The Children’s Act did open
the path for non-Ugandans to adopt it required a 3 year residency in Uganda and
3 years of fostering before the adoption could be completed (http://ugandansadopt.ug/faq/.) The length of time to complete an adoption
was a concern of some. Yet, it made
great pragmatic sense for a nation with few means of doing extensive background
checks. A Ugandan friend told us, “We
don’t want people taking our children like chickens in the market.” Our old missionary mentors had counseled
that cultural understanding would take 3 years.
If Ugandan children were to be raised by those who honored Ugandan
culture a 3 years residence made sense.
Some advocated that with so many
children in vulnerable situations the process should be streamlined. Yet most of the non-Ugandans arguing for a
stream lined process represented the beginnings of the waves of short-term
missions (volunteerism.)
In fact, I had some very pointed
conversations with foreign residents of Uganda who had great concerns with the
slow process. From my perspective most
of those with great concerns were those whose Uganda experience had been
disappointing. They had found a child
to adopt and now wanted to depart Uganda as soon as possible.
Many of us processed legal
guardianship so we could travel easily between the nations that our African
livelihood took us. However, a few
families were processing legal guardianship in what American jargon calls, “An
end around.” It was a loop hole to
avoid staying in Uganda 3 years and respecting the intent of Uganda’s leaders.
I distinctly remember telling
several who I perceived to be running an
end around, “The gospel requires for
us to treat Uganda’s government with honor (Romans 13:1-7.) It is true that you have found a child that
needs a family. It is not true that the
Uganda government is stopping you from adopting that child. The Uganda government is asking for you to
respect their culture in the process.
Yes, some in the Uganda government are corrupt. Yet, this 3 year residency is not about
corruption. In fact, by you going
around the intent you encourage corruption.
A time will come when an honest government official goes through the
adoption records and finds inconsistencies.
Some will be held to account.
Will the cost at that time be less vulnerable children in families? Please put down a 3 year root in Uganda.”
VALID CONCERNS
Last week’s New Vision told how Uganda’s Attorney
General John Muwanga had come to a similar conclusion. I believe he has valid concerns. The process is irregular. There is no mechanism within the Ugandan
government to monitor the trend. The
numbers don’t match up. For instance,
while there are records of 576 Americans adopting Ugandan children only 333
adoptions are registered during the studied time. The legal guardianship process allows those
who don’t qualify to adopt in Uganda to adopt Ugandan children outside of
Uganda. A side effect of what appears
to be a growing adoption industry in Uganda is a growing number of baby and
children homes that now total over 500.
Such concerns raise fears of child trafficking and
abuse.
Also, the children’s homes that support the adoption industry
will leave many children who do have extended family disconnected from their
community. Consistent research
concludes such children will suffer from a wide range of social and
psychological issues.
It is the responsibility of Uganda’s government to protect Uganda’s
children. The Attorney General’s
recommendations of clear adoption and legal guardianship guidelines are
needed. (For more insightful reading on
the subject see http://www.thewayforwardproject.org/file_uploads/U01%20Interim%20Report%20on%20Adoption%20Status%20in%20Uganda.pdf.)
MISSIONARY SUGGESTIONS
My experience has been that with
headlines, partisan dynamics outside
of Uganda, volunteerism, and industrial
economics sometimes adoption discussions polarize beyond reason. In that process vulnerable children are
frequently the loser. Thus I offer the
following missionary suggestions.
First, take a deep breath. Examine the facts. Listen with compassion. Act with grace. A quick reaction will wound many.
Second, think about long-term
consequence. I once heard a seasoned
missionary in a discussion about caring for vulnerable children say, “If you
want to increase the numbers of orphans in a community build an orphanage.” He was right. Once the institution of an orphanage is
functioning extended families struggling to economically care for their
children will turn to the easy fix.
Yet, the process has horrific consequences. Besides isolation we must consider the
stigmatization of being an “orphan” in a society where the basic social
building block is the extended family.
Conversely, a few children in Uganda have absolutely no extended family
to care for them. In a quick reaction to
stifle an industry we take away adoption options for those children.
Third, though Americans and
short-term missionaries have greatly contributed to this anomaly, it is Uganda’s
responsibility to deal with her vulnerable children. Those who must craft new procedures are
Ugandan. We from other locations must exercise
restraint. God’s Holy Spirit moves in
Ugandan hearts just as it moves in American ones. God will direct this discussion to His
intent. One of those intents will be for
Ugandans to lead in adoption of Ugandan children (http://ugandansadopt.ug/.) Ugandan Diaspora may be particularly of help
here as their remittances are Uganda’s largest source of foreign income. We should never sell the Ugandan people
short on their capacity to reason and create solutions.
Fourth, though difficult following
process is a must. The current
discussion has been created by many who chose to rush and not follow process. The process should prioritize reuniting
children with their extended family.
Next it should prioritize adoption of Ugandan children by Ugandans. Then it should place Ugandan children with
no family in non-Ugandan families for adoption.
Lastly, this discussion calls those
of us who believe in Jesus of
Nazareth’s resurrection to live the Gospel. Old Testament texts are rich with metaphors
of adoption to describe God’s relationship with Israel (Psalm 68:5; Ezekiel 16.) Paul uses adoption as metaphor of the Gospel
(Romans 8:15; 8:23;
9:24; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5.) Thus when process is
followed and children with no adults in their lives are part of our world
community it is the responsibility of those who believe in the Gospel to adopt
them into our family.
May we live with the grace and wisdom of God’s Holy Spirit in
that process.