When you first begin your journey into the jungle of adoption. It may feel like open game season and the target is YOU.

I know my husband and I were naive. We wanted to go out and save the world one little child at a time. So when our orientation day came and we went to the first appointment, we were overwhelmed by all the paper work shoved at us and the bluntness of the speaker.

It seemed she was not going to encourage anyone at all to become an adoptive parent. She was not going to sweet talk anyone into anything. Then the next worker spoke. She was the exact opposite.

My husband caught on faster than I did. They were playing off each other. The Devil's Advocate. Trying to make us understand all the rush of feelings about the process and the uncertainty of our choices.

They knew that anyone who came back for more on the second meeting and did not run for cover would have a good chance at being decent Adoptive Parents.

We watched several movies. About adoption from the child's point of view versus the new adoptive parents desires to be parents of the adopted child.

We were told about some of the abuse that children who are up for adoption have encountered. We were told how some children act like angels for a grace period and then become little demons. All because they are trying you as new parents to see how far they can push you or if you will turn them back in.

We watched tapes of children who were up for adoption as they told the camera what they thought family life was and why they wanted to be adopted.

When the eight hour class was over, we had been exhausted by all the information they had pushed at us so quickly.

I believe we went home and tossed the paper work on the desk and didn't touch it for two days. Then with a cold glass of ice water and an aspirin, I opened the folder and began to read.

The agency had rules, the state had rules. Every where you turned there were rules and guidelines and you had to accept them and abide by them to even be considered for the Adoption Program.

With this agency we had gone through there was no way we could pay the finality fees for the adoption and still offer a child a good life.

We almost gave up hope, until my friend told me about Foster Care and Adoption. So the process started all over again. In very much the same way. Orientation. Only this time they were open and willing to talk and answer questions up front.

Foster care offered us the opportunity to learn the state laws on foster care and adoption. It offered us an out if we were not able to live with a child. So placement was a more open minded experience.

Foster Care offered the hope of repairing families, which I truly believed in, if and when at all possible. For those who had the parental rights terminated for what ever cause, they were placed for adoption. However if you were their foster parent and they were doing well in your home, you had the first opportunity to adopt if no biological family member desired to adopt the child.

For us the Foster/Adoption plan worked. For those of you who have spongers or have the money for travel, any adoption agency can work. There are churches and support foundations now that will help families adopt a child. They cover travel and adoption expenses and other costs so do not give up hope if your bank account is like ours and will not supply all the cash needed for an international adoption. If that is your heart's desire, it can be done.

Wel all have our own calling in our journey into adoption. Some of us save the children on the home front. Others are called to save a child who may not have freedom to survive without adoption. All I know is it all works hand in hand to save the children and to place hope in the hearts of the childless couples all over the earth.