[TestifyToLove]

No, not all families adopting from Ethiopia are or ever were this brand of missionary adopter. However, the craze of missionary adopters who were sent by Above Rubies into Liberia and shut the program down turned the majority of their attention towards Ethiopia after Liberia closed. Their ilk is a HUGE part of why Ethiopia is having trouble and trafficking issues are cropping up. And yes, they are turning their attention towards the Congo. It doesn't mean ALL adoptive families in ANY program are this style of adoptive family. It doesn't mean all large adoptive families are this way.

However, the Quiverful readers of Above Rubies who "answered the call" Nancy Campbell put out to adopt for conversion are by huge percentages this way, and they have swarmed programs across Africa to swoop up children to evangelize and rescue them.

There's a several hundred year old missionary fervor amongst ultra Fundamentalist Christians that they need to convert deepest, darkest Africa. They don't generally enter adoption programs outside of Africa because of this mindset. They also have NO concept nor understanding one of the oldest churches in the WORLD is in Africa, nor that most areas of Africa have been at least percentages of Christian while Europe was still in tribal affliations and worshipping druid gods.

When these missionary adopters enter adoption programs, they don't CARE about ethics, morality, or legality. They believe they are fighting for the very souls of children and thus ALL MEANS ARE ACCECPTABLE. They don't care how children are obtained, nor do they care what happens to the children after the message has been provided for them. They adopt with the mentality that they will evangelize these African children, teach them morals and worth ethics, then set them loose into the world grateful that they were rescued by Americans and without family and support. These children are held apart from the "real" family. They and all of the biological children are constantly reinforced that they are different than everyone else.

They are not even the bulk of the call to the church to adopt. They are a minor subset of adoptive families, but the damage they cause is tremendous for everyone. They existed before Nancy Campbell entered the fray. However, she sparked a movement a cause, and a momentum that hasn't stopped even today, despite the destruction left in it's path.

As for Primal Wound, it's not that I don't recommend the book ever. It is NOT a book I would recommend to someone before adopting. It is NOT a book that should be read without balance and experience. Even as a birthmother, I resent a great deal of what is written in the book because it paints ALL adoptees and birthmothers with the SAME cloth--which is ridiculous. It is NOT a book that will prepare you to actually adopt, but will scare you away. It provides no pratical advice on helping an child of adoption with their struggles and healing. I would FAR more likely recommend something such as The Weaver's Craft, Attaching in Adoption, or even Adoption Nation LONG before I would recommend Primal Wound to someone preparing to adopt. Nancy Campbell is recommending that book because she is essentially stating that none of the disaster is HER fault, afterall all adoptees are like this and were doomed to do what happened whether they entered her home or another home. That is malarky.