'Profit Culture' Mars Kenya Adoptions

'Miracle Babies' Lead to Strict Laws

Kenya's international adoption laws, once considered lax, are now quite strict. The latest Children's Act was implemented last year as a response to a scandal in 2004 in which a pastor and his wife claimed to produce "miracle babies" for couples in the United Kingdom who could not have children.

The babies turned out not to be "miracles," but part of a ring involving the pastor, his wife and a maternity hospital where nurses would tell new parents their babies had died, only to sell the newborns to the pastor and his wife. At that time the laws were such that according to media reports, Millie Odhiambo of The Cradle said that "Kenya is actually a country where you can buy babies."

That may no longer be true, but Odero says that with adoption societies essentially regulating themselves, "it's the children who suffer."

The Nelsons say they suffered too. After they were refused Mercy they decided, reluctantly, to continue the adoption process in Kenya. A baby girl named Josie was placed with them. Nearly a year, and $40,000 later the process was finalized and the Nelson's were able to take their new baby girl home to Indiana. They kept a blog chronicling the entire experience, and while they say they feel "blessed" to have Josie, they continue to ask people to "pray for Mercy."

Despite being told more than a year ago that she was being adopted by a local family, the child remains in an orphanage.

"We still have a picture of Mercy hanging on our refrigerator," says Mary Nelson, "That's the hardest part. There she sits, never knowing our love for her."

Wilfred Wambura contributed to this report.