China recently announced an end to its international adoption program, stopping all pending cases at any stage, and many prospective families are now in limbo.
"This is a tragic turn of events," Jedd Medefind, president of The Christian Alliance for Orphans, told CBN News.
Over the last three decades, more than 160,000 Chinese children have been adopted abroad.
Medefind said China's move to ban foreign adoptions leaves hundreds of American parents heartbroken.
"There are many folks out there, including some dear friends of our families who have walked that road for many years," explained Medefind. "They have actually been matched with a precious child and have been anticipating traveling to bring her home. And at this point it looks like that will never happen."
China's foreign ministry spokesperson said in a recent press conference, "We are grateful for the desire and love of the governments and adoptive families of relevant countries to adopt Chinese children...the only exception will be for families who are adopting the children or stepchildren of blood relatives in China."
The U.S. State Department is still seeking clarity on how this change will impact those families already in the adoption process.
China's government began allowing international adoptions in 1992, out of concerns of overpopulation. Its one-child policy often forced families to abandon children, especially baby girls and those born with disabilities.
Now faced with one of the world's lowest birthrates, the country is reversing course, joining a global trend that includes countries such as Demark, Russia and Norway.
Medefind still worries about the children affected by the decision.
"Even though they've closed the door to inter-country adoption, these children aren't being welcomed into families. They're growing up in institutions, they're growing up on the streets. And so that is really the profound challenge," he said.
Some have taken to social media to express disapproval of the news.
Jackson Acuri commented on Instagram, "As a person who was adopted from China by an American family, this is truly heartbreaking. I cannot imagine a life without my loving family."
It is a gap Medefind hopes the Christians in China can fill.
"My earnest prayer is that the church in China, which is substantive and continues to grow, will really step up for these children in China that they will be willing to consider the very counter-cultural choice to welcome a child that has special needs, that is an older orphan, that may come from a sibling group," said Medefind.
That is a prayer believers hope to see answered for so many children in need around the world.
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