In the United States, families seeking to adopt outnumber available babies by approximately 50 to 1. This imbalance often leads to aggressive, sometimes exploitative practices toward mothers in crisis by an adoption industry swamped with misinformation. Furthermore, churches are often at the forefront of promoting and facilitating adoptions, with an abundance of money and resources changing hands that could otherwise be used to help these mothers in need. Those in the church who promote adoption tend to portray birth mothers who relinquish as making the brave, loving, selfless choice. But what do birth mothers have to say to the church? Today, we talk to three birth mothers, members of the Faith Collective for Truth and Healing in Adoption who grew up and remain Christian, about the complexities of their experiences—of shame, grief, loss, reunion, faith, and how they believe churches can better care for struggling mothers.

Amber Jimerson is a birth mom of a young-adult son in a semi-open adoption, a psychology student, and a preacher’s wife. She is a former board member of the National Association of Adoptees and Parents, where she facilitated the First Families Support Group for two years. Currently, she facilitates the Knee-to-Knee in-person support group for birth moms in central Indiana, hosted by Adoptions of Indiana. Both she and her husband, who preaches at the Brownsburg Church of Christ, are also artists and parent their four children together.

Beka Overby is a birth mom currently in reunion with her first son who she placed in a semi-open, private adoption after finding herself pregnant at 16. After attending Multnomah Bible College in Portland, Oregon and then studying pastoral counseling in Sydney, Australia, Beka began working in full-time ministry. Both she and her husband, Seth, currently minister at New Hope Church in Portland, Oregon. Beka and Seth parent three boys together and enjoy spending time outdoors in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Mellisa Lathion has been a birth mom for the past 25 years and has been working in healthcare for the past 14 years. She is in reunion with her birth son, who she placed in a semi-open adoption in 1999. Mellisa is passionate about sharing her story and providing evidence-based education to empower others in order to improve the care of those impacted by adoption. Mellisa has her MSN in Nursing Education and works as a Nurse Educator and Lactation Coordinator. She is certified in Maternal Newborn Nursing and Respectful Equitable Care. Mellisa is married to her husband of 15 years and together they have a son and daughter.

CONTACT US

Faith Collective for Truth and Healing in Adoption: Website | Instagram

RESOURCES

The Knee-to-Knee Group, Adoptions of Indiana

Fireweed: I am His Fireweed, blooming from adversity, a display of His splendor

CUB: Concerned United Birthparents

Love, Your Birth Mom

On Your Feet Foundation

Twisted Sisterhood Podcast

Utah Adoption Rights

Weaving Threads

Today we celebrate Black History Month with our guest, Iris Bryant, an adoptee and member of the Faith Collective for Truth and Healing in Adoption. Iris is passionate about helping fellow adoptees find purpose and well-being. We explore the connections between shame, race, and adoption, how shame flourishes when we cannot speak the truth, and how churches need to foster courageous truth-telling and listening in order to be places of healing and welcome for all. We also discuss our contrasting experiences as two same-race adoptees and one cross-racial adoptee, and speak on how to reclaim our unique, God-given identities.

Iris P. Bryant, a North Carolina native, has been shaped by some of her most difficult life experiences—walking through rejection and abandonment, learning to navigate life as a caregiver, and facing grief after losing her husband, David, the love of her life. Hence, she is able to speak with empathy and compassion into the pain of others. She shares stories from her life in order to share God’s message through her own podcast, Adoptees in Arms. Iris has two young-adult children and two adorable granddaughters.

CONNECT WITH US

Iris Bryant: Website | Adoptees in Arms Podcast

Faith Collective for Truth and Healing in Adoption: Website | Instagram

In this first episode of the new year, we explore the topic renewal and resetting, which can be particularly sensitive for adoptees. As a twice-adopted person, Julian Washio-Collette is certainly no stranger to starting over, whether in his childhood or in his life as an adult. With Julian, we explore how the impacts of choicelessly starting over twice through relinquishment and adoption linger into adulthood; how a mysterious intuition to visit a monastery while bicycle touring transformed the adoption script and fostered a life-changing renewal of faith; and how to navigate at the intersections of spirituality and healing, contemplation and a life of service in community.

Julian Washio-Collette is a domestic, Baby Scoop Era double-adoptee, relinquished and adopted as an infant and again at age nine. He took temporary vows as a Benedictine monk at New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur, California, and currently resides with his wife, Lisa, at Dandelion House, a Catholic Worker house of hospitality near Portland, Oregon.

CONNECT WITH US

Julian Washio-Collette: Blog | Dandelion House

Faith Collective for Truth and Healing in Adoption: Website | Instagram

Meet the members of the Faith Collective for Truth and Healing in Adoption in this special Christmas episode, as we explore what "Emmanuel, God with us" means to each us as adoptees and first mothers, and how Emmanuel motivates us toward service and growth.

Connect with us: Website | Instagram

Watch Patrice Martin on TLC's Long Lost Family

Today we talk to adoptee and founder of the Faith Collective for Truth and Healing in Adoption, Sara Easterly, about who among the adoption constellation is given a seat at the table in conversations about adoption, especially in communities of faith. Are the voices of adult adoptees and first mothers welcomed, or are our voices stifled by those who claim to speak for us? Is there room at the table for uncomfortable truths and the painful impacts of relinquishment and adoption to be heard? What can we do to foster greater inclusion?

Sara Easterly is an award-winning author of essays and books that include Adoption Unfiltered: Revelations from Adoptees, Birth Parents, Adoptive Parents, and Allies (Rowman & Littlefield, 2024) and her memoir, Searching for Mom (Heart Voices, 2019). She is the founder of Adoptee Voices, a writing group for adoptees, and is a trained course facilitator with the Neufeld Institute.

CONNECT WITH US

Sara Easterly: Website

Faith Collective for Truth and Healing in Adoption: Website | Instagram

OTHER RESOURCES

Rachel Wilson - At The Kid Table

Adoptee Consciousness Model

Hulu - Black Cake

Adoptee Voices

Meet your hosts, Patrice Martin and Natasha Tripplett, learn about the work of the Faith Collective for Truth and Healing in Adoption, and hear about the exciting content we have in store for you. We are committed to lifting up the voices and perspectives of Christian adoptees and birth mothers in order to foster healing, reclaim our stories, offer support and resources, and advocate for adoption reform in and beyond communities of faith.

Connect with us: Website | Instagram