Why Adopt Internationally?

This is the question I am frequently asked so I thought I might explain.
Since Jared and I have been married we have had many conversations about possibly adopting someday. It has just always been there even when we have gone back and forth with the idea. Presently it feels like the right timing in our life and the right place. Ultimately we believe OUR child is in Ethiopia. Here are many of the reasons why we feel called to adopt from Ethiopia specifically.

There are 4.8 million orphans in Ethiopia

1 in 4 women dies in pregnancy or childbirth

• One in six children die before their fifth birthday

• 44% of the population of Ethiopia is under 15 years old

• 60% of children in Ethiopia are stunted because of malnutrition

• The median age in Ethiopia is 17.8 years

• 1.5 million people are infected with AIDS (6th highest in the world)

• 720,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS alone

• Per capita, Ethiopia receives less aid than any country in Africa

• Half the children in Ethiopia will never attend school. 88% will never attend secondary school

• Ethiopia’s doctor to children ratio is 1 to 24,000

Average life expectancy is 37 years