All I have to say is that it's amazing how many people here don't have homes, food, or medical attention.

Right here in the ol' US of A. No reason to go to a different country to find the needy.

Are we so arrogant to think only the needy are from other countries, or do our needy have themselves to blame and subsequently themselves to lift them back up?

Not for nothing, I think it's great people like the Johnstons help. My grandmother raised foster children for 30 years. There were all from the good ol' US of A.

When asked why she didn't adopt a foreign child and bring them to America she would respond, "we haven't helped our children yet."

While it's worse in India, child labor camps are nearly one in the same with major soccer ball manufacturers in north African countries. Pakistan employs child labor as well.

At the risk of sounding like a jerk, I wonder if he knew any kids who used to make those soccer balls.

In a Real Sports segment, Gumble et al infiltrated many of these child labor camps. Yet Wal-Mart has these very balls, made by children, possibly friends of young Williams, on their shelves. You'll note they are labeled with, "free of child labour." I've seen them and my guess if you pay attention, you'll see them too.

Meanwhile, your government officials (US Dept. of Labor) claim to be, "shocked" "appalled," and "outraged." They also claim they've never found any wrongdoing since they began the "FoulBall" campaign in 1996.

Meanwhile lil' ol' Real Sports managed to not only find these labor camps, they filmed them.

So as not to perpetuate the, "theorist" label, I'll leave it at that.

What's worse, living in a country where you have to make the balls or living in a country where it's okay to buy them?

When asked what they would like to do in life (not just tomorrow or the next day - IN LIFE), the children said they hoped to one day be able to play with the balls they are making.

I guess young Williams is living the dream for some of those children.

I should say along with all of my comments above that while he is here, I will welcome young Williams as my brother.

I wish him the best!

I have a friend who has adopted two children from Russia. One reason many people go for international adoption is because it is much easier than the hoops you have to jump through to adopt here in America! The adoption laws in this country often make it a very difficult and long term ordeal whereas in other countries it is much easier.

So we can't wait for our own children?

Being an adoptive mother myself, I know the decision to adopt from the US or another country is made by families for different reasons. I think the argument that people should only adopt from here and not internationally so we can "help our own" is ridiculous. Just because there is an ocean between us and those in other countries does that make that child any less worthy of having a family? I think it should be celebrated that families are drawn to adopt one of the 148 million orphans in this world no matter where they adopt their child from.

I thank this family for sharing their story. Williams is a sweet boy. I feel bad that others find it necessary to use the opportunity to question why the Johnsons adopted from where they did. I applaud them for having the courage to research and find a child that needed a home in a place in which there are so many orphans and not for being narrow minded and feeling that we should only help others that look like us or are from the same place.

I wish the Johnsons only the best and hope that their story inspires others to adopt a child that needs a family whether that child be from the US or from another country- because a child is a child.

It is more important to celebrate adoption because one more child has a mother and a father tonight because this family opened their hearts and home.

Narrow minded? Hardly. I'm simply opening up a different point a view for discussion.

I clearly admitted that folks like the Johnsons help make the world go around.

I just wonder why, as American, we have a tendency to look abroad for solutions instead of looking in our own backyard. Young Williams was not short a mother, but a mother who could adequately care for him.

I wish more folks would adopt as opposed to giving birth, if possible. I understand it's a tough road, but I would hope we could help ourselves out first, and then try to help as many others as possible.

Again, at the risk of sounding like a jerk, I simply wish our own children in need were as precious a commodity as apparently foreign children in need are. We have quite the situation at home, so I am curious why we go abroad to find other children who fall into the same category as our own. It's no secret that foreign adoptions have become quite popular, for the very same reasons that were commented on above, most likely.

Consider my comments food for thought as opposed to criticism. At the root of the topic, I'm glad any child was helped at all.

Maybe there needs to be change in American adoption laws. It seems our system does not want to help the children as much as these other countries do. Seems they make it possible whereas in America is is very, very difficult. You wait forever even if you don't just want an infant. Then there are the instances where the birth parents have so much time to change thier minds and can come take the child away. It is crazy. I wish we could help our own children first but our laws are not favorable for that. At least today there is one more child in the world who has a loving family. I am glad this family followed their hearts and opened their family and their doors to this child. Congratulations and Welcome to America Williams.

Most families spend a great deal of time trying to decide the best situation for their THEM, whether that be domestic, foster to adopt, or international adoption. There is high demand for domestic infants, making the wait time for a placement years, not months. Foster to adopt is not an easy option either. Again, there is a high demand for young children within the system, and those children are often adopted by their foster parents. Perhaps this is an option for some, but it is an emotionally grueling experience to bring a child into your home, believe with your heart that they will become a part of your family, only to be lied to by social workers that return that child into the same abusive, manipulative home they came from.

My family waited and waited for a match within our state system, only to be offered children with such severe behavior and cognitive delays that we could not accept them. Our goal was to have a child, be parents, not "save" a child. So adopting a child that would never function on the spectrum of normal was not an option for us.

Many of the families that adopt also view the orphan crisis from a religious perspective and feel that they have been called to adopt. They view the world through Christian, Muslim, or Jewish eyes, not eyes that only see national boarders. Some families feel a deep connection for a specific country, perhaps because they have traveled there themselves, perhaps because a loved one lived in the country, perhaps they have roots in that country. Suffice it to say that there are many reasons a family might choose to adopt from a country other than their own.

And I disagree with your premise that we need to help "our own" children before considering any other child. Some within our country have this idea of “me first” and it is clearly not working for the US. We live in a time of globalization. Economies, environments, populations and poverty are interlinked with the other countries that we share this globe with. It is absurd to think that I should only be concerned about helping the endangered animals within the US boarders, or that I should only worry about manufacturing practices within the US boarders. And it is just as absurd to think that I shouldn’t take any ownership in the orphan crisis that is affecting many third world nations.
To be continued

This idea of “US first” is especially problematic when you do a little research. The US corporations such as Hershey’s chocolate and Firestone tires have contributed to the poverty that creates many of those orphans. Both of those companies engage in modern day slavery, their workers work in horrible conditions and don’t make fair wages, so they can’t provide for their children. Why? So that Americans can enjoy that candy bar or hot chocolate for less than a dollar, so that Americans can put tires on that big SUV at a reasonable price. So if we contribute to the problem, why in the world shouldn’t we help solve the problem?

I’d also like to speak to the notion that there is just as much poverty in the US as there is abroad. There isn’t. I’ve traveled to the three biggest cities in the US. I’ve been a case worker for an organization that works with impoverished families in a large US city. And I’ve been to a few third world countries. The level of poverty isn’t the same. It’s not even close to being the same. Not at all. You haven’t seen poverty until you’ve seen thousands and thousands of families living in 4x6 tin shacks, hundreds of people lying in the median between roads, some naked, some dead, most starving, everywhere you go. You haven’t seen poverty until you seen dozens and dozens of children lining the streets, begging for food because they have no money, no family, no hope. Even the poorest families that I worked with would be considered well to do in many African countries. It isn’t the same. Not at all.

I applaud any family that chooses to take action against the orphan crisis, regardless of the family or the child’s national origin. It sounds like you are very passionate about the orphan crisis that affects the US. Perhaps you should look into adoption a child through “our” system.

There are people who talk about changing the world, and there are people who are actually doing it. What a blessing to read about the Johnson Family who is actually doing it! Every orphaned child deserves a family, and I applaud them for giving Sweet Williams a home.

Michael H. you speak quite passionately about helping the children here in the US who need to be adopted. I would like to hear about how you are actually helping them.

how dare these people try and help a child that doesn't have "made in america" stamped on his back? (what's that word i'm looking for... ummm... ah yes, SARCASM!)

I would consider myself passionate about most anything American. I would also suggest you re-think the sarcastic question you asked me.

Should you offer an opinion of your own on an unrelated subject, should I assume you've taken action, physically or otherwise, in earning your right to an opinion on the subject? Hardly...

Anyway, my professional skills and education are in law, history and small business management.

I may not have the answer you seek, but sometimes a solution isn't always the solution. Sometimes simply recognizing the problems can yield their own solutions.

Just as described in comments above, there is so much government intervention with every aspect of Americans lives (because we've asked for it, no less), that it becomes extremely difficult to do something as simple as provide a positive life for a child would otherwise not have it.

Like the rest of our government, we need to at least acknowledge not only the obstacles in our way - but to consider the many more obstacles presented us as we demand more and more government. Only then can you really get an idea of what needs to happen to change it and to prevent the same problems from popping up that were the reason for government intervention in the first place.

It's sort of like this election...

The more people keep voting AGAINST a person (rather than FOR someone the agree with), we'll never get anywhere because we are electing people we do not agree with and then cry foul when they do what we knew they were going to do in the first place.

The only way to fight it is to get a voice.

I may not be shouting from a mountain top, but I hope that in these comments and the many conversations I have with folks in real life, that I can help people understand that asking questions isn't a bad thing.

You say, "why not adopt foreign children?"

I say, "why aren't more American children adopted?"

The problem in this case isn't the foreign children being adopted, it's current legislation that all but prevents that process.

Ninja_Man, if that's what you're getting out of what I said I question your reading or comprehension skills.

As for what poverty means to each individual is about as subjective as it gets. I don't disagree that Americans would do well to tone it down a bit on our lifestyles, but convincing the average American that they don't need two cars or 5 bedrooms can be a frustrating task as most feel they've earned. And who's to tell them they're wrong?

It's not about, "Americans first." It's people first. Unfortunately, the state of our Union is such that we can't afford to help out family members, let alone people from all over the world.

I would never take food out of a child's mouth but the logical part of me thinks that we could better help those abroad if we could effectively help ourselves. Which we've proven we can't.

I've been to 6 different countries on 3 continents. I've seen poverty. Should I be living in a shack before I start to get worried about my country?

Once again, Williams was NOT an orphan.

MichaelH - i never said that my comment was directed towards you.. i'm sorry if you assumed it was. i was simply making a statement to whoever feels that it's wrong to adopt foreign children when we have children here who are needy... and if that's you, then so be it... i think all children need to be helped, in every country. do i have a right to voice my opinion on this subject? why yes, as a matter of fact i do. while i have not had the opportunity to adopt a foreign child, i have volunteered at orphanages and in communities all across south america.. i have seen first hand how much some of these children suffer. their living conditions are horrible compared to ours here in the united states. these children are innocent and deserve a fair shake in life... and if their parents aren't able to do that, why not help?

MichaelH How is he not an orphan? The article says that he was living in an orphanage because his mother could not care for him. An orphan does not have to be a child whose parents are dead, just one who is deprived of parental care as is the case. So, do you suggest that he should not be adopted, that he not deserve to have the life that the Johnson's can give him? At least his mother attempted to get better for him when she realized she couldn't do it.