An Open Adoption
By Sue Baumgardner

I often turn to my Bible for comfort and hope. One reading, which always piques my interest, tells of Moses' mother hiding him for a few months, and then, placing him in a basket of bulrushes, and setting him afloat on the river. She knew, if she kept her baby boy, he would surely be murdered. Her surrendering of her baby was his only hope for life.

As I reread this passage last night, I wondered, how different my life might have been, if my child's adoption had been an open adoption. Moses' adoption was really an open one, because of his sister's involvement. Indeed, his mother was his wet nurse! Did this knowledge and contact make it easier for his birth mother?

Wondering this, I remembered that when my child was born I never saw her sweet little face. Why? Because I worried that, if I saw her, I would never be able to let her go. Still, all the worry over her well being through the years........What a relief it would have been to know that she was well, happy and loved......

Another thing I have been wondering: is Moses the first mention, of a child being surrendered by his birth mother, in the Bible? And if the Pharaoh's daughter had not rescued Moses, who else could have? Would he not have been murdered anyway, had anyone else found him? If this is so, did Moses' mother know that the Pharaoh's daughter would be visiting the area where she placed Moses? Was this young woman, in particular, the only hope for Moses and his birth mother?

One final pondering of mine: While this appears to be an open adoption from the birth mother's side, what about the adoptive mother, the Pharaoh's daughter? Could she have been so naive that she never figured this one out? And Moses? When did he become aware of who his birth mother was? What was his relationship with each of his mothers? Just how truly open was this adoption?

Well, perhaps my own firstborn child's history is enough of a mystery for me. Perhaps I should content myself with learning all I can about her past circumstances? I don't know, it is somehow comforting to find our selves and our humanness recorded in the Bible...

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