Open adoptions not always so open

Thank you, Daily Herald, for the wonderfully uplifting story of open adoption on the front page Nov. 27. It is heartwarming to see the love these two sets of parents have for this child. Unfortunately as open adoption is not a legal entity in Illinois, birth mothers have only these promises to go on.

When my daughter chose a local youth pastor and his wife to adopt her son, I expressed my concern over how long they would be in the area because of how important it was to her that her child remain local to facilitate contact. They assured me they had “total control” over this and “had no plans to move.” Imagine our shock the night before the adoption was finalized to hear they were planning to move out of state. Never once has there been an invitation to visit without a request initiated by my daughter. The last request was made over a year after her previous visit. Although the adoptive parents were able to travel to Ethiopia twice in the past year to adopt another child, it is too difficult for them to come to Chicago. This means my daughter, a recent college graduate, must travel at her own expense for the chance to see her son for a couple of hours.

Although seeing my daughter’s pain nearly consumed me I thank God for the healing He has brought me and the joy in my heart when I hear stories of open adoptions that are such a witness to how Christ would have us love one another. Such an appropriate front page story for season. Thank you for sharing the good news. May God bless both of these families.

Colleen Rohrbacher

Palatine