Adoption saves lives

USA (MNN) — It’s one thing to hear inspiring stories of how people overcame opposition; it’s a different thing entirely to meet them. All around us are people with amazing back-stories we can’t even begin to imagine without talking to them.

We spoke with Amy Scott, an adoption specialist with Bethany Christian Services about her story of opposition and how a generous family changed everything for her.

“When I was born, my birth parents left me in a garbage bag in a trash compactor in an apartment complex, with the intention that I would no longer be living once the trash compactor crushed me.”

Clearly Scott’s story didn’t end in tragedy. At just the right time, she let out a shriek. A man in the area heard her and pulled her out, and took her to the hospital. Within an hour of her birth, Scott was pronounced healthy.

A life touched by adoption

After a short five months, Scott was adopted by her foster family who introduced her to Jesus.

“My life was blessed tremendously through the family that I was adopted by, through the opportunities made available to me,” Scott says.

Of these opportunities, Scott is especially thankful for her education. She pursued a graduate counseling degree.

While she was completing her education, Scott became familiar with various ministries and careers she could pursue with her degree.

She says the Lord led her to Bethany, and for the past seven years, she can see why He did. Being an adoption specialist combines her compassion for people with her ability to relate to these families embarking upon the journey of adoption.

Scott also began a summer camp program for adopted children. At the camp, kids can meet and relate with other adopted children. Scott says they provide practical advice to the children such as how to answer hard questions in a way that protects the information they want to keep private about their backgrounds.

We all can help

One thing Scott believes in strongly is that even though we’re not all meant to adopt, we are all meant to get involved in helping these children in need.

She often wonders what it would be like for the people she impacts on a daily basis if she hadn’t been rescued.

What if she remained in foster care, switching from family to family instead of ever finding a forever home? What about other children? How can your involvement change the course of a child’s life for the better?

There are many ways to impact the lives of orphans.

For starters, you can donate baby care supplies to Bethany Christian Services. You can volunteer for childcare during training events for adoptive families. And you can encourage your church to get informed and to promote adoption so that women with unexpected pregnancies are already well aware of adoption as an option. Contact Bethany here.

“Every life is valuable, and you never know what impact you’re going to be having,” Scott says.