Love has no boundaries
When it comes to adoption, many questions come to mind, as well as anxiety, excitement and, more importantly - love.
Inspired by an article in the City Times three years ago, about abandoned babies in Benoni, Mark and Liezl Penrith decided to take the necessary steps to start the process of adoption.
They consulted with a social worker in Springs and, after the meeting, realised that they wanted to adopt a son.
Mark, who is a pastor at the Crystal Park Baptist Church, and Liezl approached the Johannesburg Child Welfare Society and began the process of becoming adoptive parents.
It was a six-month process that involved social worker visits, marriage evaluation, physiological and physical assessments and home visitations.
Mark received a call informing him of a child who had been identified.
“There’s no way to describe how I felt at that moment,” he said.
The Crystal Park residents went to Princess Alice Adoption Home and met their son, Thomas Christopher Penrith (2), for the first time.
“It was so surreal, it’s the most emotional thing,” said Mark.
While waiting for a court to grant them custody, the Penriths visited Thomas every day for three weeks before they took him home.
Mark said: “Each day it became increasingly difficult to leave, we just wanted to take him home.”
Once they were granted custody, the couple took Thomas home in March, 2014.
Their own biological children, Kaitlyn (12) and Kathryn (10), were included in the entire process.
“An adopted child is no different to any other child in your home,” said Liezl.
The adoption process is not expensive when done through the state, although it is time consuming.
According to the Department of Social Development, on average 2 000 children are adopted in South Africa each year.
The process starts with prospective parents contacting a Child Protection Organisation (CPO) or social worker in private practice, who is accredited to render adoption services.
All adoptive parents will be required to present their identification documents, their marriage certificate and proof of their residential address.
During the six to 12-month process, the couple go through all the necessary tests and evaluations that will determine if they are suitable or not.
Based on the social worker’s recommendations, the presiding officer of the Children’s Court will make the final decision on the placement of a child.
For more information on adoption, contact Child Welfare South Africa on 011 452 4110.
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