If you peruse the Internet in search for an adoption agency in Arkansas, you will probably pull up several names. However, according to Angel’s Choice Adoption Agency Owner, Michelle Oglesby, there is a need for more.
“When I went to the board I even said, we do not have enough agencies in, Arkansas. There are several agencies that list local numbers, but when the birth mom call, they realize they’re in Texas, Iowa, Utah, and if there’s more local adoption agencies, that can help fight against abortion, then I think the decision of having an abortion would change,” said Oglesby.
According to a report, recently obtained by Oglesby, in 2013, there were 1,233 abortions performed at one abortion clinic in,Little Rock. Statistic showed these women had abortions performed at 7 weeks of pregnancy. 64 abortions were performed when the women were 20 weeks pregnant.
In 2012, the same clinic performed 3,782 abortions. 421 of those abortions were done on women who traveled from out of state.
Oglesby notes that one of the main requirements to qualify to become adoptive parents is passing a, Home Study. “A Home Study consist of several factors that are equally important,” said Oglesby.
The Home Study is usually performed by a local Social Worker and includes a criminal background check, child maltreatment check, training, physicals, references, and a house inspection to ensure there is adequate space in the home. According to Oglesby the study can take anywhere from three to six months.
Oglesby says the birth mother also undergoes testing to ensure that the baby is healthy. “The agency makes sure that the mom goes to the doctors and get her pre-natal care so that the baby can be as healthy as possible,” she said.
Oglesby says Angel’s Choice Adoption has been very successful in their three years of operation because their focus is the birth mother. She says she considers her adoption agency more of a ministry rather than a business.
“God has really blessed us in finding good homes. And then, these moms being courageous enough to decide that this is the best decision that they can make, an unselfish decision on their part, to place their babies in loving homes,” she said.
Oglesby says she and and her twin brother were adopted. However, she says since then she has seen significant changes over the years.
“Everything was sealed and closed when I was adopted, even back, when I turned 19 in the 70’s. Then after that, in around the 80’s they started opening up, allowing moms to make a choice of, Open Adoption, Semi-Open, and Closed Adoption. And now, within the last five, six years they have an Adoption Registry, and when they are 18 years old they can go into this registry and find their birth mothers,” said Oglesby.
Oglesby, says she uses several social media platforms to convey information to the public. However, she uses FaceBook as her primary source.