MINORITY CHILDREN LOOK FOR HOMES HERE

Across Missouri, more than 400 children wait to be adopted, about 65 percent of them minorities. Because of the relatively few families who wish to adopt minorities, many children age in foster care.

Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri hopes to place some of them through a special event planned for Sunday at Southeast Missouri State University. The organization is asking potential adoptive parents representing minorities to attend.

The Make Adoption Your Option event will be from 3:30-5:30 p.m. in the University Center. Prospective parents are invited to learn more about how they can adopt.

Yolanda Rodgers, adoption social worker for Lutheran Family, is helping coordinate the event. She said that the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act of 1995 forbids adoption agencies from discriminating against families who want to adopt children of other races.

However, it may be emotionally difficult for white families to adopt black children.

"It's hard for a family that has never experienced racism to understand it and explain it to their child," Rodgers said. "People think love will be enough, but at some point in time, the difference in race will become an issue."

She plans to make photos and biographies available at Sunday's event for participants to review.

Among the pictures will be one of Ciera, a 3-year-old girl living in St. Louis. She is described as bright and energetic. Terrance, another St. Louis child, is also 3 years old. He is quiet and shy, and he enjoys television commercials and Barney the Dinosaur.

"We want to educate people that there are healthy, beautiful children available," Rodgers said. "Adoption is not expensive. We are looking for loving, stable homes, not wealthy homes."

Members of a St. Louis family who recently adopted a child will speak about their experience at Sunday's event.

For more information on becoming an adoptive parent, call Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri's Cape Girardeau office at (573)-334-5866 or Rodgers at 1-(800)-727-0218.