Throughout the Bible, God exhorts his people to look after orphans. While all believers have a responsibility, some are called to care for orphans directly—as adoptive parents, foster parents, or caregivers in an orphanage. During China’s one-child policy, many baby girls and babies with disabilities were abandoned. Earlier this week, we published Andy Pearce’s reflection on his journey of adopting and raising his four Chinese children.
Over the years, we have published other reflections of adoptive parents and caregivers, as well as several book and film reviews looking at adoption from several different perspectives. We invite you to revisit this sensitive topic and to pray with us for orphans everywhere, listening for how God is calling each one of us to be his hands for these precious children.
Three Names of Me: A Book Review
Mark Wickersham, father of three adopted children from China, reviews this book by Mary Cummings. He includes the perspective of his oldest daughter, who made several positive comments about the book.
At Home in This World
This is another book review by Mark Wickersham. The book follows nine-year-old Lily and her adoption story. Along the way, several serious themes come up, including the complex feelings Lily has, what she knows about her life in China, and the fact that there are somethings she will never know. The reviewer cautions that this is a book best read by parents and children together so they can address the challenging topics in a supportive way.
Not Enough Hands
Christie Reenders writes a sensitive meditation about working with the children at Tianjin Children’s Welfare Institute, many of whom had disabilities. In looking back at the immense care the children needed, Christie challenges readers to consider how they might lend a hand.
Adoption Stories
Telling the story of adoption requires paying attention to several points of view. There’s the close-up view of the children who are adopted, their birth parents, and their adoptive parents. Then there’s the more zoomed out view of statistics and trends around the world. This article contains elements of both and is well worth a read.
Uncovering a Hidden Need in China
Beth Forshee starts off her series, telling her family’s adoption story. She discusses how her perspective on adopting a child from China changed when she visited an orphanage for the first time. Rather than adopting a healthy baby girl, she and her husband decided to adopt a child with special needs. The entire series is both informative and touching.
When a Canadian Swimmer Lit Up Chinese Social Media
In the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Canadian swimmer, Margaret MacNeil electrified the world by winning the 100-meter butterfly competition. Her achievement also ignited a profound discussion about Chinese girls adopted during the one-child policy era. This article references a CNN piece featuring insights from Chinese social media and ends with a list of our previous articles on adoption and prolife efforts in China.
Found: A Film Review
This film follows three teenage girls, each one ethnically Chinese and adopted by American families. The story is told from their point of view, as they go to China for the first time in search of their birth families. It’s a much-needed perspective from adoptees.
Rachel Anderson
Rachel Anderson serves as the Assistant Content Manager at ChinaSource. Though she has never been to China, her ancestors were missionaries in East Asia and passed on a deep love and respect for those cultures. Rachel lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their five delightful children. View Full Bio
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