We spent a great day yesterday learning from and meeting from amazing people. At the adoption conference, I'm primarily there as a mother. Karyn Purvis makes me want to change my approach to my parenting now, much less in the future when we adopt. But one of the things she said yesterday particularly stood out to me.
When adopting children who have been through some sort of trauma, whether it be large or small (and all adoptive children have gone through some sort of loss), she kept talking about going to them to join them in their grief rather than making them come to us. I had not associated my desire to adopt with our work with the hilltribers, but that idea connected with me in both ways. We work with people facing the grief of losing their culture and identity, after they have already lost their homes, children or spouses or parents, livelihoods, dignity, and sense of self. The least we can do is go to them and join them in their grief. We can do what Christ did. That's what the name Immanuel means--God among us.
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