Intercountry Adoption Moratorium

On November 3, the U.S. Department of State released the following statement:

November 3, 2010

The Ukrainian legislature is in the process of voting on a bill that would suspend all intercountry adoptions from countries without bilateral agreements with Ukraine, including adoptions from the United States.  The bill passed a first reading and vote, but must still pass a second reading and be signed into law by the president.  The second reading could take place in the next few weeks.  If the bill passes the second reading, it may be signed into law as early as the end of 2010.  The draft bill appears to include suspension of all adoptions in progress.

This bill would prevent hundreds of children from coming home, some of whom have already been chosen by prospective adoptive families, some of whom have already met their adoptive parents and are simply waiting upon finalization, some of whom have urgent medical needs that cannot be met in their own country.  There are over 70 families working with Reece’s Rainbow right now, to bring home over 100 special needs children from Ukraine.  They are at various stages in the adoption process, but regardless of how far along they are, if this bill passes their children will not come home!  And that’s just the families associated with RR, that doesn’t include countless others working with adoption agencies around the world.  The second vote is supposedly scheduled to take place in mid December.  If the bill passes,it would be an enormous blow to the efforts of His faithful servants striving to obey His call of caring for orphans in their distress.  (James 1:27) 

As you now know, I have a special place in my heart for all orphans, but especially the least of those, the children with special needs.  Over that last several years, more and more special needs children have been adopted, chosen as treasured gifts from God.  Each time a little one is carried out of an orphanage, into the loving arms of a Christian family, and ushered into the Father’s Kingdom, Satan is defeated.  So he is fighting back.  Our enemy does not like this folks—the more innocent lives that waste away in orphanages and mental institutions the better.  We MUST NOT let him win this battle!!  For if he wins this battle on earth, he is winning a battle in the heavens. 

We must “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that [we] can take [our] stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  ¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Please, please join me in launching prayercrafts of mass destruction against this bill.  It must be destroyed before it ever gets off the ground!  These children have no future in their home country, so if they are not allowed out, their future on earth is extremely bleak.  Pray, pray that the authorities and powers that be see the futility of banning intercountry adoptions; pray that they see how many good and loving families are ready and willing to bring these children home; pray that Light overwhelms the darkness in one glorious crushing blow!