Making a cultural connection across the Pacific wasn't exactly what Eugene Scott had in mind. But far away on the islands of Fiji, a mission to aid an indigenous community developed into a journey of true discovery. Black Pacific Islanders boast proudly of their African ancestry, and the kinship they offer is more than skin deep.

Bring up race and adoption, and watch people squirm. But the reality remains that African-American children remain on the bottom rung of the adoption ladder.