It has received negative publicity as a contributing factor in child trafficking. Many would-be parents are also put off because it is a complicated process. But these families braved it all and can now speak of the joy their adopted children have brought them.

Rayola and Georgeanne Osanya-Nyynéque’s recent celebration of their 10th anniversary was special because they were also celebrating the finalisation of the legal process of adopting their son, Paul Michael Rambo Rayola, three, and the abundance of love he has brought to their home.

“When I compare our situation now and what it was in the first eight years of our marriage, there is a big difference. Paul has brought a lot of love and happiness to our home,” says Rayola.

They met Paul in 2003 when they accompanied a friend who was going to meet another child at the [New Life Children’s Home]. They had first thought of adopting a child when they worked in Rwanda, where they had met many orphans.

Adoption was not strange to the couple. Georgeanne’s younger sister had adopted a child while Rayola’s father had brought up several children as his own. After Georgeanne had two miscarriages and difficulty in conceiving, adoption seemed like a good idea, and one their parents supported.

They were counseled before adopting and told family, friends, neighbours and fellow worshippers in church about their plan, and soon they took Paul home to live with them as they awaited the completion of the legal process.

Will they tell Paul that he is adopted?

“Absolutely! We will tell him because if we don’t he will hear it from someone else. We want to be the ones to tell him the truth and we strongly believe that he should know,” says Georgeanne.

“There is nothing to lose but everything to gain by letting your adopted child, at the right time, know the truth and if possible meet the biological parents. This is what we belive,” says Rayola.

And he feels like sometimes people stigmatize themselves by not being open to the fact that they adopted. “It is healthier not to be secretive about it. I have been encouraged by the bible – some great men there were not raised by their biological parents, including Moses, Samuel and Jesus,” he says.;

His wife adds: “You are the parents they know and if you love them there is nothing to fear even when they finally meet their biological parents.”

And there is no reason to fear the process of adoption, they advise, because you get to stay with the child as the legal process goes on. Apart from the lawyer’s legal fee and some fees and some fees paid to the Child Welfare Society, there are no extra expenses.

“Financially, adoption should be prepared for the same way parents prepare for the birth of a child. Get a lawyer and support from family and friends to help make the process smooth.”

Sine the couple adopted their son, three other families they know have been encouraged to do the same and are currently fostering with the aim of adopting. “That makes me very happy,” says Rayola.