An eye on the children who need us

By Sarah Mraz, Director of Programs

This year marks my twentieth year of service to children at Wide Horizons. I have done a lot of reflecting this past year on the changes that I've seen internationally over my tenure, especially in relation to the rapidly changing landscape of child welfare practices in the United States and many other countries.

Change is hard. Change can be disappointing and it can also be wonderful. It is almost always hard to manage. I was talking with my brother in law the other day about stress in the workplace as he contemplates a new position at the prominent bio tech firm that employs him. He asked me how I do it. How do I manage the stress of trying to help so many children in need when there are so many obstacles in the way? When there are too many children who need families in the world, but only a very few of them will ever be placed in adoption? When governments and global child welfare organizations criticize intercountry adoption but offer few alternatives to address the current critical orphan crisis? Are my efforts a fruitless drop in the bucket? Why should I bother to take three steps forward when I am then forced to take two steps backward?

I responded that I do my best to focus on the children who I can help. Yes, I am sometimes "stressed out" by the changes that have made adoption more difficult for everyone. Yes, I am sometimes overwhelmed at how many children need families and how few families there are who come forward to adopt them; within their country of origin or from abroad. There is a fine line, but a distinctive one, between letting the stress control me or me taking control of the stress. One strategy leads to helplessness. The other leads to progress and positively changes the world.one child at a time.

I can choose to be overwhelmed by the millions of children in need, most of them older, who are already growing up without a family. Or I can celebrate that last month, (coincidentally on my birthday!) Jose and Paula came home from Colombia and Ya-Ting from Taiwan. This month, to name just a few, are Guo Hong from our China Special Children program; Ilya from Russia; Justine from the Philippines and Da-Eun from South Korea. Every single one of these children who have made it to their forever families is real. Every single one matters. Every single one is worth it.

I manage change and stress by keeping my eye on them. You can too.