International Adoption

“I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him” (1 Samuel 1:27 NIV).

For the Purdoms, who had desired to have a family of their own, this news was heartbreaking; however, they continued to look to God and began the adoption of a baby from China. Looking back, they now see how God set the stage and worked things out for their family. Here is their story.

By 2002, my husband Chris and I finally felt we were ready to expand our family. But after a year of trying and no child, we underwent testing only to discover that we would never be able to have biological children.

Having considered the option of adoption even before marriage, we began the process of adopting a baby girl from China in January 2004. There were a number of reasons we chose China: practicality (travel time and cost), the health of children, and stability and organization of Chinese adoptions. However, the main reason was that God led us there; the little girl he had planned to be our daughter was halfway around the world in that country. The adoption was a tedious process involving mountains of meticulous paperwork (our equivalent to morning sickness) and then waiting and more waiting.

On November 10, 2004, I finally laid eyes on a picture of the baby girl who was soon to officially be ours. My love for her had grown over the previous months, and at that time, I finally had a face to put with it.

Our “labor pains” then began as we waited some more and prepared for our journey to China. On January 9, 2005, our daughter Elizabeth was first placed into our arms. This date was especially poignant to me because it was on that same day that my mother had passed away nine years earlier. Elizabeth truly brought joy from sadness in so many ways.

We truly believe that God desired for Chris and I to be Elizabeth’s parents. God took us outside our comfort zone in many ways, and he provided above and beyond what was needed. We are very grateful for our beautiful, now three-year-old daughter and God’s plan to bring her into our lives.

For Georgia and Chris, they found Elizabeth in a country where millions of children live in orphanages because of financial and cultural issues that create an atmosphere where many parents relinquish their children. Although these children cannot be cared for by their biological parents, to adoptive parents, like Chris and Georgia, these precious children are an answer to prayer.

International adoption, such as the one the Purdoms experienced, can bring a child to parents who desperately desire to have a child. And for Christians, the loving act of adoption should remind us of our adoption into Christ’s family. We were adopted into and made part of the family of God because of Christ’s work on the cross and his calling in our lives (Romans 8:14–17).