crankyskirt:

One in five children adopted in the U.S. now come from Ethiopia, second only to China, reports the Wall St. Journal. That prompted a State Department investigation which found that 80% of parents who gave up children had relinquished the children, rather than abandoned them. After speaking with an American family who adopted Melesech, an Ethiopian child, the WSJ went to Ethiopia to hear the birth-father’s take on things.

DISCUSSED: Missionaries—Siblings—Dubious Practices—A Happy Life—Agricultural Incomes—Financial Reward—An Expected Return—One of the Lost Kids of Peter Pan.

Listening to Melesech’s family in Ethiopia broke my heart. The lack of understanding (and I think it’s a willful lack at this point, because stories like this are not uncommon) about the reasons for families like this one placing their kids in care is infuriating. Note how the dad talks of relinquishing custody so that Melesech can come back and help the other family members. That is so not the same thing as “My parental relationship with this child is over; please take them away.”

I want to ask why there aren’t masses of American families contributing their time, money and attention to better indigenous support systems within Ethioptia, rather than just adopting kids out, but I already know the answer to that question, and it’s dismaying.

And the fact that they keep pushing a nickname, calling her Mel like her real name wasn’t chosen for good reason, like other people don’t need to be bothered to learn how to say her name, fucking kills me.

(Source: videoforlunch.com)