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International Adoption Must Be Part of the Solution for Orphans
International adoption must be part of the solution for the world's orphaned and abandoned children, says Craig Juntunen, founder of the Both Ends Burning campaign.
"It is time for some child advocacy organizations to stop calling international adoption the 'last resort,'" Juntunen said. "For many of these children, intercountry adoption is the 'best resort.'"
"My fear is that many of these children will be left behind -- neglected -- by the narrow-minded agendas of special interest groups," he said. "When it comes to the best interests of a child, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution."
Many children are left to fend for themselves in fourth-world environments that cannot meet their basic needs: safe drinking water, food, shelter, clothing, health care, education and security, he said. "Neglect is as bad as abuse," he said. "We all need to open our eyes to the dire situation facing these children today."
In many cases, the best answer for an orphaned children is to remain in-country if there is a chance they can be re-united with parents. When efforts to find immediate family members fail, international adoption must be viewed as part of the solution.
Juntunen believes labeling intercountry adoption as a "last resort" is an insult to the thousands of American families who have opened their homes to orphaned children from around the world. "I have firsthand experience with this, as my wife Kathi and I adopted our three children from Haiti," he said. "I live this experience day in and day out ... I know international adoption works."
