Adoption Through Time

Call me short-sighted or whatever, but I was completely caught off guard when we started out our first homestudy session talking about the storied history of adoption. For some reason, my only thoughts about adoption were limited to my personal experiences and knowledge of modern adoption practices.
I certainly knew that adoption was mentioned in the Bible, and quite a few times at that. One of the things that has become impressed on me throughout our journey toward adoption are the mentions in the Bible of us all being adopted as children of God. Whatever misgivings I have had about adopting are being alleviated by knowing more fully that adoption is very close to the heart of God.
Beyond the Bible, I was clueless that adoption was any different than what we think of today, which would be the means to build or provide a family. In the few articles I have read I have come to know that the Romans had the closest system to our own. Many societies have had adoption practices but were usually more like indentured servitude in nature. The nature of adoption began to change in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century. If history is something that interests you, I would suggest you Google "Orphan Trains" for some fascinating reading. This event took place in the U.S. and was born out of good intentions but had mixed results. The other fascinating thing that shaped early modern adoption practices was early genetic theory. Such theories prompted much of the secrecy around adoption that is so familiar to our thinking of adoption and is worthy of research as well.
It is fascinating and humbling to me to be a part of the long history of adoption. Though we are certainly not the innovators or the first in pursuing an open adoption, we stand at the brink of some new adoption history to be written. We are certainly excited to be led by God in this new ground and are certainly feeling blessed already. Thanks to all of you for your continued support and prayers for us! Do some of your own adoption history research and let me know what you think!