This video, created by the Adoption Advocacy organization called “Love Without Boundaries,” explores international adoption from a different perspective. These sweet Chinese orphans are asked a series of questions about adoption, simple things like:
- What is adoption?
- What does “overseas” mean?
- What do Americans look like?
- Why would foreigners want to adopt a Chinese kid?
- What do you do in a family after adoption?
- If you get adopted and your parents speak English, how will you talk to each other?
- Do you want to be adopted?
- What would you want your family to be like?
One child says he thinks you get adopted until you are big, then you will be sent back.
One child describes Americans as white haired, blue eyed, tall, and old.
Many of the children don’t really understand what adoption is or why someone would want to adopt them. They figure they’ll do lots of cleaning in their new families.
Certainly, the most stunning answer for me was when one child explained that the only way you get adopted is if you are obedient. This really made things hard for me. It is disappointing that a young child must think that the reason they are in the situation they are in, is because of them. This breaks my heart. No orphan should ever feel like their situation is their fault.
The point of the movie was to show that children do not really have an understanding of what adoption actually is. They ask that you be patient, compassionate, and understanding if they are slow to bond, slow to understand, or slow to communicate.