Now there is much more involved in an adoption than getting a letter from your pastor and escorting a child to the US.

Adoption is expensive because more than fees add to the cost of the adoption. There are expenses that come with the adoption. The $40,000 does not go to an agency, an attorney, or to one person overseas. These costs include travel (which may be 3 trips to a country or 30 days or more in a country), Immigration paperwork, a home study, education, the expenses of taking care of a child in a foster home, medical exams and testing for the child, and post-placement reports. .

Most domestic adoptions do not cost $40,000 for one child, but they can be more than $25,000. This can include an agency fee, advertising, travel, home study, birth mother expenses, such as her living expenses for three months, medical and counseling services, and attorney and court costs.

Many people will compare the cost of an international adoption or a private agency domestic adoption with the cost of an adoption through social service. The cost to the state for one of these adoptions is well over $20,000, not even including foster care or subsidies for the child once he is placed with the adoptive family.

Most adoptions are expensive–some are paid by the tax-payer and others are paid by the adoptive parents, themselves.

Yes, it is ethical to pay $40,000 “for an adoption” as long as this amount includes fees and services, and all expenses.

Thanks for the comment and great question! I think there are many loving ways to care for orphans other than adoption. I posted briefly on this back in Feb in a post on How to Support Those Who are Adopting (http://abbafund.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/supporting-those-who-are-adopting/). I have been meaning to post more thoroughly on the topic but haven’t got a chance too.

Here is a short list of “other loving ways” that I will expand on in a post soon!

1. Sponsor a Child
2. Go on a mission trip with your church or with an orphan care ministry
3. Become an advocate in your church and community, educating others about the plight of orphans worldwide
4. Support the efforts of the many great organizations caring for orphans (praying, giving financially, going with them)
5. Pray
6. Support efforts to provide clean water
7. Become a mentor for a waiting child
8. Become a foster parent for waiting children
9. Advocate for the waiting children in your county, State, and the nation (many people are unaware that there are orphans right here in the US)
10. Get involved in micro-financing

BTW- After re-reading it I edited the last line of my post. It seemed confusing. Here is the original line:

“The solution starts with doing our homework, being educated about the process, and not letting those who have evil intentions stop us from doing what we can to care for these orphans in the most loving ways (which includes adoption).”