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Because every family deserves the blessing of a child with Down Syndrome... |
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These families are in the process of completing their HOME STUDY, and still very much need your financial support!
Thank you for your generous gift of life and love!
Sponsor one or more families to help with the financial burden of their adoption journey.
Stephani has always wanted to be a mother. Since she was a little girl, she knew she would have a big family and at least some of her children would arrive through adoption. She thought her family was going to be starting in 2009, when she found out she was pregnant. Sadly, God had other plans and her daughter Emma was stillborn.
Stephani found Reece’s Rainbow in 2011, through a friend that was adopting, She would spend hours looking at the children, reading their stories, hoping that soon, the time would be right to adopt. When a friend posted about “Zola”, Stephani knew instantly that hits little girl was meant to be her daughter.
Stephani was raised by a single parent and understands the struggles that lie ahead but knows that with God’s blessing and the love and support of her family, she is ready to provide “Zola” with a bright and happy future.
A sincere thank you to everyone for your prayers and financial support.
11/1/13—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at snowandhotcocoa.blogspot.com
Called to Adoption: An Invisible Red Thread
There’s an old Chinese proverb that says, “An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle but will never break.” The Kingma family is connected by many red threads, woven together carefully by God and joined together to create a family.
Henry and Liz have always shared a strong sense of calling to be adoptive parents. Adoption is part of the Kingma family’s response to the gift of salvation they have received from God. Their adoption into God’s family compels them to look at the world differently and to find ways to live out their gratitude. Jesus spent his entire ministry reaching out to those on the margins, including orphans. It is estimated today that there are over 150 million orphans worldwide! So how do you make a difference when there are so many? You do it like Jesus often did, one person at a time.
After Henry and Liz had been married for seven years, they began the process to adopt a child with special needs from China. A year later, they met and brought home their daughter Meili. She was born with a cleft lip and palate and she was a little bundle of energy and joy! Two years later, they began the process to adopt another child with special needs from China. The following year, they welcomed their son Willem home. He was also born with a cleft lip and palate and experienced many developmental delays – partly due to illness and diet, partly because of his environment. Since coming home, he has overcome many developmental obstacles, endured many surgeries and continues to grow and thrive! Meili was delighted to be a big sister and proved to be a very good one for Willem!
At this point, Henry and Liz thought that they were done with adoption. They had completed two adoptions, had accumulated a second mortgage on their home and had lots of debt from travel expenses, adoption fees and their kids’ medical needs However, this past winter, Henry and Liz felt a strong sense of calling to begin the adoption process again. This time the calling was harder for them to comprehend. Financially, they had exhausted all of their resources and didn’t know how they could make it happen again. However, they were encouraged by friends, family and the adoptive community at their church and were reminded that when we trust God to provide, we allow him to work miracles. It was because of all the support that they began the process to adopt again, this time a child with special needs from Hong Kong. They have received Matching Approval for a little one-year-old boy with Downs Syndrome from Hong Kong. They cannot wait to meet him and bring him home!
1/22/14—COMPILING DOSSIER
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at invisible-thread.blogspot.com
Seth and Ashley Montgomery live in Western Pennsylvania and have been married for seven years. They have three biological daughters; Ava-7, Evelynn-5 and Adaline-4. Ashley and Seth always planned on having a large family. They were once again considering on growing their family when Ashley “stumbled” upon Reece’s Rainbow. From that moment on they were both in agreement that God was calling the continual growth of their family to be through adoption-specifically special needs adoption. Together they have decided to say “YES” to however many children God directs them to make part of the Montgomery Family. Seth and Ashley feel privileged that God has called them for such a special mission and are very humbled that it will only be possible with God’s provision.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
5/29/13—HOMESTUDY UPDATE in PROCESS
It’s only been 9 months since Angie and Jason brought their first daughter, Claudia, home after finding her on Reece’s Rainbow, but once again, they feel God calling them to abandon their plans, and to bring their son Chance home. Neither thought that they would be pursuing adoption again so soon after the first, but after seeking God’s will, and with the counsel of their close friends and family, they are ready to once again step out in faith.
12/10/13—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at followingourcallingdaily.blogspot.com
Wendy is a single mom of four amazing kids, all adopted. These kids have been wanting a sibling FOREVER! Mom finally came on board a few years ago. For three years they gave up vacations and donated their allowances in order to save up the money to adopt a sibling from China. Last summer their family received approval to bring home a four-year old little boy from China. In the middle of completing the paperwork for his adoption, they learned about Merry and unanimously voted to include her in the family as well. They’ve received preliminary approval for Merry’s adoption, and hope to travel by summer and bring home TWO new family members.
1/16/14—COMPILING DOSSIER
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at lifewithducks.blogspot.com
Alison is a single Registered Nurse. She has always dreamed of having children, but has not been so blessed. Alison has worked with children and adults with special needs in the past, including Down syndrome, and has always enjoyed it. One night, she had a dream that she and her sister were looking at a website of children for adoption with Down syndrome. When she woke, she did a search on her computer, and found Reece’s Rainbow. After years of looking at the site, and much encouragement from family and friends, she decided to give it a try! There have been many roadblocks in the process, but she has finally fallen in love with the little girl she feels was meant to be her daughter!
12/29/13—HOME STUDY UPDATE in PROGRESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at achildforali.blogspot.com
Michael & Amber met in a choir class at the University of New Mexico Institute of Religion way back in 1998. They have been married just shy of 14 years. They have three bio children, Seth who is almost 13, Evie who is almost 10, and Gillian who just turned 4. They decided they would have a large family, probably six children, and then, when those children were grown, they would start a new wave of children through adoption. As it turned out, biology made that initial plan impossible. Instead of mourning, they moved up their adoption plans! They are certified foster & adoptive parents through their state, but were unable to secure a permanent placement.
They came to Reece’s Rainbow, not to seek international adoption, but because a friend posted a link on FB that spoke of a third friend’s adoption. The Anderson’s viewed international adoption as ‘something rich people did’ and didn’t plan for it to be part of their future. However, once Amber discovered Reece’s Rainbow, she began to research the terrible conditions in foreign orphanages and their hearts were softened that international adoption wasn’t for ‘someday’ when they had more money but that, as MLK said, “The time is always right to do what is right.”
They found their son, Danny, in a large Asian country. Sometimes orphanage conditions are better in his country, sometimes they’re not. But Danny has a special need, which means, no matter what, his future in his home country is grim. His personality is dynamic and fun and he’d be perfect in a large, crazy family like the Anderson’s. He deserves a chance based on his potential, not his ability to move, and the Andersons are so excited to be a part of his future. They hope to add a second child before travelling, but pick children based on just the right feeling and have not discovered their second child yet.
They believe that Frederick Douglass was so very right when he said, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men”, and they hope you will join with them on their journey to build strong children in the arms of their crazy, loud, togetherness seeking, wacky joke telling, hug giving, game playing, trip taking, knowledge seeking, and very, very loving family.
12/27/13—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at whereyouwantmetogo.blogspot.com
Adam and Karen LaDuke met in college where they became fast friends. A college professor paired them up to share a painting studio assuring Karen, “Adam will be a great influence on you.” Though the professor was speaking in artistic terms, his statement proved to be much more true than he ever imagined. Karen and Adam were married in 1999 and their birth daughter, Naomi, was born to them four years later. Parenting rocked! They loved every bit of it and enjoyed their time with their sweet, sensitive, and imaginative Naomi at home. A week before Naomi turned three, she came to her parents and announced that they were to have another baby. “Her name is Sally and she doesn’t have a Mommy or a Daddy. Mommy will be the Mommy and Daddy will be her Daddy.” This was a remarkable statement for any nearly three year old, but it was especially breathtaking because Adam and Karen had been praying for about adding to their family. Having discussed future plans for adoption before they were even married, they weren’t sure if their next child should be biological or adopted. Their discussions had all taken place after bedtime and out of earshot of Naomi’s room, so they felt stunned by her “proclamation”. They were particularly shocked to find a little girl from China three weeks later on a waiting child website with the name “Sally”. When Karen called and asked for information concerning Sally’s special needs and found out that Sally had the same medical issues that Karen herself had dealt with as a child! Continuing to pray privately as they collected information, Adam and Karen needed to make a decision about adopting. No one had mentioned Sally to Naomi during this time, but praying with Naomi a month after her announcement, Karen asked God to send her just the right brother or sister at just the right time. Naomi, now three, interrupted to interject, “Yeah, God… Send us Sally.” Sally came home one year later and the two have been extremely close since Day 1. Six years have now passed and Adam and Karen felt God nudging them toward adoption again. This time, Karen saw “Ava and Mia” on Reece’s Rainbow and immediately saw the kind of loving relationship between them that Naomi and Sally share. The age difference between the two girls was the same as well. Upon seeing the girls’ picture, Adam immediately felt God calling him to say “Yes!” When the girls’ picture was switched from the “Newly Listed Children” category to the “My Family Found Me” category, Naomi cried tears of joy and Sally screamed and did cartwheels. GOD IS GOOD! Please join with Adam and Karen as they pray for “Ava and Mia” in Africa and await for the girls to unite with them as their forever family.
9/19/13—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
Five years ago, our family was blessed with our son, Gabriel. He was born with Down syndrome, along with vision, hearing, digestive and other issues. From the onset, our challenges as a family have been many but it didn’t take us long to realize something in the process: the love we have received from our son has far exceeded any obstacle his challenges have brought. Instead, Gabriel has taught us to be more patient, less selfish and most of all, to have more fun! If that wasn’t enough, Gabriel’s unconditional love and Godly spirit has helped our family grow closer in love than we ever knew was possible.
Over the last three years, our family has considered adopting another child with DS, primarily because of our desire to become parents again but realizing both Gabriel and our new child would aid each other in so many levels: emotionally, intellectually, socially and physically. After much discussion and prayer, we have decided to take a leap of faith. Her name is Darla and she is in China. This sweet 1 1/2 year old has already endured heart surgery but has recovered well and is healthy. We understand she responds to her name, makes eye contact and is very alert. Darla is even starting to walk with help!
It is common knowledge that many countries, including developed nations such as China, still do not regard those with special needs as our country does. Special needs orphans, if not adopted young, are routinely released to the streets by their sixteenth birthday. It is a heartbreaking crisis as these physically or mentally delayed individuals have no means of survival. They are often abused and die of starvation. My heart literally breaks at the thought of a precious soul suffering in this manner, all because they are not considered “normal.” As a family, we realize we can’t right this travesty ourselves, but we can save this one little “starfish.”
As we’ve witnessed from many who have traveled this road before, the international adoption process is complicated, lengthy and financially draining. Our family is not rich, and while this process could prove to be taxing in more ways than one, we’re not about to give up just because of the challenges we will face. Our precious Gabriel has taught us that.
That is why we are asking for your help. We understand our economy is just beginning to rebound, and like us, you may feel the financial pinch or even live “paycheck to paycheck.” But whatever your financial situation is, we humbly ask you to consider helping us rescue Darla. No donation is too small to help, and the rewards your heart will feel will be worth its weight in gold!
Thank you for reading this, and for forwarding this link to as many people as possible. Most of all, thank you for your consideration in helping us assure Darla doesn’t end up like so many other precious souls. With your help, we’ll bring our little starfish home very soon!
12/19/13—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at bringdarlahome.com
David and Melissa have been married for 9 years and have two amazing boys, Ryan (8) and Mykhaylo (4). Their hearts were full with love after the adoption of their youngest son Mykhaylo (aka Misha or Aaron on RR) and they felt their family was complete with their two boys. However, after a year of being home with Misha, David and Melissa began talking about expanding their family once more with a third child (hoping for a girl), but were not excited about the road to having another baby after dealing with secondary infertility and failed fertility treatments prior to adopting Misha. Melissa had always browsed the Reece’s Rainbow website just to stay in touch with the adoption world and thought maybe one day they’d adopt again…It wasn’t until Melissa saw the picture of precious Chava and immediately knew that the day had come sooner than later that they would adopt again. Once Melissa showed David Chava’s picture, he agreed that they needed to bring her home. David, Melissa and the boys are excited to welcome a daughter/little sister into their family and are looking forward to the added touches of pink and purple she will bring to their family!!
2/10/14—HOMESTUDY STILL in PROCESS
Follow the Chellson family’s adoption journey on their blog at chellsonfamilyadventures.blogspot.com
Kevin and Monica Gerber met in college at Liberty University and have been married for over thirteen years. They have 2 biological girls and 1 adopted son from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and have been amazed how God has grafted their son seamlessly into their family. God has used a simple act of obedience to love an orphan for his glory and they have watched with joy as countless others have had their hearts softened toward the plight of the orphans around the world.
They and their children are thrilled to be claiming York (Kennedy) and Flora (Ruthie) as their own from Asia. Kennedy is unable to walk due to post-operative hydrocephalus and Ruthie has Down syndrome. It is their sincerest hope that the gospel and God’s love for the fatherless would be made famous and multiplied. They would be so thankful for your prayers and financial support.
10/16/13—HOMESTUDY in PROGRESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at www.facebook.com/gerber.family.adoption
For a long time the Kings felt God pulling their hearts toward “the least of these”. After being blessed with a vibrant young family of their own, they found it heartwrenching to know that there were other little children of God, no different than their own, langishing away in institutions all over the world. Wanting no more or no less than to do what was right, they prayed. After coming to terms with the fact that they are the hands and feet of God, the decision seemed obvious. God is not dead, He is alive inside of us. We are are His hands, we are His feet. Those are His children.
1/14/13—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
FULLY FUNDED!!!
The Christofferson family is working on bringing home their son, Bo. Bo is 5 years old, and he rocks his extra chromosome. The Christofferson’s met Bo when they were in China last year adopting their two daugthers Ell and Mae. Bo stole their hearts, and they couldn’t stop thinking about him. Down syndrome is a passion in this family! On May 31, 2006, Carsten Douglas entered their world, and changed it forever. Shortly after his birth, Matt and Meg found out that Carsten had Down syndrome. They have spent the last 7 years not only fighting for the world to hear Carsten’s voice, but all of the individuals with Down syndrome in central Iowa. Megan is the founder of GiGi’s Playhouse Des Moines, which services over 300 families touched by Down syndrome in central Iowa. While fighting for people to hear the voice of individuals with Ds, they realized they weren’t listening to Bo’s voice or their hearts. They started the process to adopt Bo after seeing his picture on Project 143′s hosting website. Seeing his face again set their hearts on fire, and they can’t wait to bring him home… where he belongs. Please help them on their journey to their son!
1/18/14—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at myimperfectextraordinarylife.com
Andrew and Kristin have been married for 10 years and have 3 biological boys! In the spring of 2013, God began to open their eyes to the needs of children around the world who are without families. Seeing how much they have been blessed by God with a loving family, faith, and a warm, cozy house, the Shogers felt God calling them to open their arms to another child. They began to have a strong desire to give a child in need a family, love, security and the chance to know and love Jesus. As they prayed about adoption, the Lord began showing them over and over again children with down syndrome and other special needs. As their eyes were opened to the life that awaits children with down syndrome in Eastern Europe, they decided to follow their hearts and pursue the adoption of a special little one with an extra chromosome. They hope to add a little pink to all the blue that’s currently in their home! Though they don’t know her name and have never seen her face, they know without a doubt that God has knit this special little one together in her mother’s womb and, even now, is knitting her together in their hearts!
Please join the Shoger’s on their journey of faith by following their blog. They covet your prayers, your support and your love as they embark on this exciting and life changing journey!
1/17/14—HOMESTUDY IN PROCESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at www.copycatrat.blogspot.com
Gary and Teresa have been married for 11 years and have 5 beautiful children. They have 1 boy and 4 girls ranging from 10 down to 3. In 2009 their daughter Hope was born and unexpectedly diagnosed with Down syndrome. This has been the biggest turning point in their lives. It changed the way they look at everything. She became everything they never knew they always needed. She brings so much love and joy to everyone around her. She is nothing short of perfection in their eyes. This led them to adopting #5 from Russia in 2012. Mila is 4 weeks younger than Hope and also has Down syndrome. In a lot of the Eastern European countries a diagnosis of Down syndrome is shunned and at birth these mothers are told that it is best to leave them at the hospital where they are soon transferred to the orphanage, where they will stay until they turn 4-6 years old, where they are then transferred to a mental institution.
They know that they cannot “Change the world” BUT, they CAN make sure that the world does not change them. They CAN make a difference to someone’s life…an Earthly, and Eternal difference. They have the most accepting and wonderful children. They accepted Mila immediately as if she were always theirs.
They have fallen in love with a little boy with Ds, who needs a family. He is such a happy little boy despite his living arrangements, and never having a mother to kiss and hug him. He came so unexpectedly, but the love was undeniable. They cannot wait (especially their oldest son, Van) to bring home a sweet, little boy and always make him feel wanted. They know that they will learn as much from him as he will from them… together… as a Forever Family.
10/12/13—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at gatheringoursunshine.blogspot.com
Jason and Emily have been married for 19 years. They have 4 children who make them very proud: Hannah (18) Julia (16) Noah (12) and Gracie (5). Jason has a heart for ministry and Emily is a stay-at-home mom. (i.e., she homeschools the kids and shows them love by taking them all over the world and back for the sake of their growth through various activities). While Jason and Emily had talked about adoption before they were married, it wasn’t until recently that they were confident that it was now time.
Jason and Emily ask that you would join them in prayer as they walk this journey to bring home the children God has for them. They also thank you for prayerfully considering supporting them through this process.
11/26/13—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
Follow the Smith family’s adoption journey on their blog at somewherebeyondallthis.blogspot.com
Keely and Nick began discussing adoption when they were first married and starting their family. They were both drawn to opening their family to children and talked about fostering children in need as well as domestic adoption. Nick was finishing his schooling at the time and they decided that they needed to wait until they were in a more permanent position. In the meantime they had three children and moved multiple times. In 2005 Nick found a permanent, tenure-track position at Florida State University. they began discussing adoption again and Keely found, by chance, the local community of adopted Asian children. One of her good friends had adopted two girls and were in the middle of adopting a third, older child. They watched this process and were amazed at this family. They spent a lot of time discussing this with their children and began the process of adoption through Russia since Nick’s family background is Russian. They had done their homestudy when Russia closed the adoptions so they put their plans on hold. They started again about 6 months later and had not gotten far when they closed the adoptions again. They took this as an indication that they were NOT meant to adopt through Russia!
They began looking at China and things went very smoothly. They adopted their 9 year old girl last September and it has been one of the most amazing journeys of their family. It has gone very well and has only drawn them further towards blending their family. There are several reasons why they are going back to adopt. Their family is already conspicuous, but their adopted daughter is ‘more’ conspicuous both because she is Chinese and because of her special needs. Their family would have more balance and would be more integrated by adopting again. Additionally, their children are even more aware of the impact that adoption has on the children they bring home than they were before (Karwen has the most unique perspective or us all). Each and every one of them feels strongly that their family would be completed and that the impact on the little boys that they are adopting would be unimaginable.
This brings us to the children that they are adopting. There are two boys aged 9 and 5, both with special needs. The older has mild CP and has recently been moved into an institute for older children that has a questionable reputation. they first saw his file when they were adopting their daughter. There was a month long period when they did not think she would come home with them, and his file was the one they were going to move forward on. The younger boy is diagnosed with Arthrogryposis, which is the same diagnosis as their adopted daughter. They feel that bringing a child younger than all their children is an important part of the balance of their family.
They quite proud of their family. They homeschool and do many, many things together- from travels, to games, to chores. The most important quality that they impart on their children is teamwork. It is never Mom and Dad against the kids with respect to chores, but ALWAYS the family against the chores. The kids are ALWAYS on the same side.
1/30/14—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at
