We adopt an African orphan

Having honed our parenting skills on raising two boys to manhood, we decided to adopt a girl. Adopting African orphans is all the rage among the luminaria. This places us in the company of Angelina Jolie and Madonna. But as our friends can attest, we’ve always been quick to latch onto a trend.

First, though, she had to be retrieved from the well into which she had fallen. I think allowing your child to fall into a well displays an over-casual attitude toward parenting. Her birth mother couldn’t get her out, so she was forced to leave her there for some passersby to retrieve.

Finding childcare in Kenya is surprisingly easy and affordable. Naipoki, as she came to be known, has round-the clock care from a large staff of attendants. She was sent to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust when she was only three months old. We adopted her for about $50 American, and we go there to visit her once a month. So we are the proud adoptive parents of a healthy, one-year-old, bouncing baby elephant.

Naipoki