[This reflection by Helen Ruffhead was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 16/Jun/2024]
When I started my journey to adoption, over 30 years ago, the magazine for prospective adopters was full of profiles of children needing new homes. Since most adopters want babies or very young children, most of the children still waiting for homes were older, or had disabilities. I particularly remember the description of one 12-year-old girl, who it said: “wore her carers out with continual demands for new possessions.” It also said: “X has been described as having a huge hole inside her which she desperately tries to fill, but nothing satisfies.” Clearly this girl was crying out for the love which she had never experienced, but was trying to fill the void with possessions. (more…)