Nancy Sanderson, from Champion, New York, is a single mom of 9 adopted children. Five were adopted domestically from American foster care and four from countries in Africa. Nancy took time out of what must be a very busy schedule to answer some questions about her experiences in adopting form Africa.
Me: Why did you decide to adopt from Africa?
NS: When I decided to pursue an international adoption I was amazed at the price differential and decided that it made the most sense to adopt 2 or 3 or 4 kids from Africa for what it would cost me to adopt from some other countries.
Me: Which African country are you adopting from and why did you choose that country?
NS: I adopted first from Ethiopia program and then from Liberia. I wanted to process both adoptions simultaneously but INS would not allow it.
Me: What do you wish you had known about adoption? About Africa? About raising adopted children?
NS: I wish I had understood from the outset the length of time it takes to process an adoption in Africa. I would have continued the process but it would have made my expectations more reasonable.
Me: Tell me about the children of Ethiopia and Liberia. What were your impressions?
NS: Ethiopian children are beautiful, inside and out. My boys had no attachment issues, as they had clearly known loving families before coming to me. My son from Liberia had had virtually no schooling when he arrived home and that has been an issue as he is way behind his agemates here. He is sweet and works hard. I think he had known more hardship than my sons from Ethiopia.
Me: What would you tell others who are considering adopting from Africa?
NS: If you can complete an African adoption you really ought to. The need is so very great. The children deserve a chance in this world and you could give one that chance.
Me: How has adopting from Africa affected you? Have you changed anything about the way you live or view the world as a result of this experience?
NS: I know much more about Africa than almost any one else I know. Having and loving my children makes me want to know as much about where they come from as I can. Most Americans lump all of Africa into one collective and it is such a vibrant and rich and diverse continent that I am ashamed of the American educational system for not teaching me better about Africa. Obviously we are most interested as a family in the countries that our family members come from, but I have found that all things African are now much more intriguing to me. We eat at Ethiopian restaurants when we can. We have African music and literature and art in our home. We think in a more global way now. We compare what we have with what people in other places have and we are humbled by our great good fortune. We want to help others to have more of what we have: clean water, immunizations, education, adequate food, the chance to make a living that will support us and our kids. Even the poorest of our country are rich compared with many in the poorest countries of Africa. Remembering that daily has made us better people, I think.
Related Articles:
Spotlight on African Adoptions
Interview: In Process for Liberia
Interview: Special Needs Adoption From Liberia