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Gwen, why does it cost so much to adopt?
With so many hungry children in the world,
shouldn't adoption be free?
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Let's look at this issue from another perspective, shall we?
Every time a child enters a family, money is exchanged.
Scenario A: A family has a biological child born to them. A large chunk of money goes to pay her ob-gyn, the ultrasound tech, nurses, midwives, pre-natal educators, anaesthetists, lactation consultants, gas to and from the clinic and hospital, the upkeep of the hospital, and so on.
Scenario B: A family adopts a child from Ethiopia. A large chunk of money goes to pay their Social Worker, their case worker, government officials in both countries, translators, lawyers, court fees, orphanage workers, the upkeep of the agency facilities, the upkeep of the orphanage and transition homes, the food purchased to feed the children, the clothes purchased for the children, medical care for the children, and so on.
The difference in these two scenarios is that the family in Scenario A doesn't see the costs -- and those costs are considered normal and reasonable. In contrast, the family in Scenario B pays all these costs out of their own pockets.
There, see? Does that make sense?
