New Commitments
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Because every family deserves the blessing of a child with Down Syndrome... |
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HARLEY for the Steinhoff family — WI
Yeah know, Its never easy when God closes doors.But I have learned over the years that His will is always BEST.We have had a few doors close when it comes to adoption…Gods peace was always there,and I knew God would reveal the child He has chosen for our family .I am NOT a patient person and quite often infact I speed ahead of God and THINK I know who that child is.Now you would think I would know better,because we have traveled this road many times,knowing we were called to adopt again,feeling it in our hearts and hearing Gods voice clearly every time.Once I KNOW that..Im all over finding THAT child..hehehe…Oh how God must grow weary dealing with me and my crazy heart for orphans! With all that said..Here we go again..Clearly we have heard Gods call once again and we are honored and in awe of who God is bringing into our family!! Sweet precious Harley,you have waited so long,I cannot wait to wrap my arms all around you .To look into your beautiful precious brown eyes and tell you that you matter and that you were created in the very image of Jesus! What a treasured,blessing you are sweet girl! We are working fast,to get all the paperwork going and we pray Harleys 15th Birthday will be with us in June.We covet all prayers,and help to get our girl home.
P.S. Oh yea,we are the Steinhoff family.We have adopted children from Ethiopia,China and from foster care.We LOVE how God builds families !!!
1/30/15—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at steinhofffamily22.blogspot.com
GRADY for the Hartman family — WA
Ben and Melanie have been together for close to 10 years, having met on a blind date. In that time we have been down some crazy roads that have grown us, stretched us, and bent our hearts more and more toward a life of surrender to the Lord. Early in our marriage we both shared our hearts toward adoption with one another, having no clue what the future would hold. In the last 8 years we have grown our family from 2 children to 6. In the fall of 2010 we first heard of Reece’s Rainbow. It wasn’t long before God broke our hearts for a little boy across the ocean with Down syndrome living in a mental institution. In the Summer of 2011 we were able to bring that little rascal home and it has been an amazing and wild ride ever since. He was known as Brady on RR and is now our beloved Judd. While we were visiting Judd in his institution we met another boy. We have prayed about him for the last 3 1/2 years and have told anyone that would listen about him. Just recently God began to make it very clear to us that we needed to go back for the one we left behind. His name is Grady on RR and we are committed to doing everything in our power to bring that boy home before his chances at a family are lost forever. Please pray for us and if God pricks your heart, help us. Thank You.
1/26/15—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
FOREST for Brian and Kathryn — OK
Brian and Kathryn met as 6th graders and began dating their senior year of high school after many years of friendship. They tied the knot a few years later, and have been happily married for 14 years.
They have a shared desire for a larger family, and hoped to grow their family through birth and adoption. The couple was blessed with four biological children before they started looking into special needs, international adoption programs. Because Kathryn’s brother has Down syndrome, they felt this was a need they could handle.
In October 2012 they fell in love with a little girl in China who has Down syndrome. She faced some serious health issues while living in her orphanage, leaving the family racing the clock to bring her home. August 2013, Meghan was placed in her mother’s arms and forever welcomed into the family. Though her needs were great and at times overwhelming, this precious girl has absolutely thrived since adoption. She has an army of people who wholly love and treasure her, and see her for the blessing that she is.
Adoption changed the family forever, and Meghan’s older siblings frequently talk about how smart Meghan is, how wonderful she is, and how thankful they are that she is a part of the family.
Because of the impact of their adoption trip, and especially seeing firsthand innumerable children in orphanages, Kathryn began advocating for waiting-children, especially those with Down syndrome. It was on an advocating website in Fall of 2014 that she first saw Forest. The family requested his file, and began praying and talking about how to proceed.
On Christmas Day 2014, the family was granted pre-approval for this precious 4 year old boy. Forest has a different history and different needs than Meghan, but the family is completely committed to bringing him home. They can’t wait to show Forest what a family is. They can’t wait to show him what unconditional love means. They can’t wait for him to see how treasured he is, and they look forward to the day they are forever his.
1/26/15—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at notthecrazyone.com
JONATHON for the Turner family — VA
We are Richard and Judy Turner. We have been married for 22 years and have 3 children- Michael, 21 (almost 22), Beth, 20, and Alicia 16. We met while we were both in the Navy. I became a sty at home mom for a while and Rich retired after 21 1/2 years in the Navy. We live in Virginia Beach and spend a lot of our free time volunteering at our church and in the community. Our daughter Alicia and I traveled to Eastern Europe last summer and spent time helping run a 4-day Bible camp at a Level III-IV orphanage. Rich and I were not planning on adopting, but there was something about this young man that I couldn’t shake. As our group traveled back to Kiev, I just knew that had I to know more- God was not letting me forget THIS child! When Alicia and I came home, we had already shared this desire with my husband. He was a bit reluctant, but quickly agreed that we had to go for it! All the kids were excited and ready to take the plunge into the world of adoption! Now, we eagerly await the next step and the day we get to fly over and make this a reality for us, but more importantly for him.
1/26/15—HOMESTUDY COMPLETE
RANIA for the Centrella family — NJ
Margaret and Danny have volunteered and worked with people with special needs since their high school and college years. They met 29 years ago while volunteering at the Special Olympics. After they married, Margaret took time off while they raised their 4 children. Benny and Sammy are working and living on their own. Helen is a sophomore in college and Harry is in middle school. Margaret and Danny talked about and looked into adopting a child with special needs. Their search started and ended with Reece’s Rainbow when one beautiful smile from Rania captured their hearts! The whole family is very enthusiastic and excited about adopting Rania and their children are looking forward to having a new sister!
1/23/15—HOMESTUDY IN PROCESS
LIZZY for the Neville Family — NC
William and Danya, along with their 7 children are so excited to be bringhing little Lizzy Love home. They knew they woul adopt one day, but not sure when or where, until Danya’s sister brought home not one but tow little princesses from China. First home was Yixi, a sweet, very little girl with Down syndrome. Yixi can bring a smile to anyone at anytime. Their hearts melted as they fell in love wtih their new little niece. As they began to feel God was calling them to a Chinese princess of their own, Danya’s siter adopted another girl from China with Down syndrome, Amy Joy. To say that Amy brings Joy to everyone she meets would be an understatement. Being around these girls would make your cheeks hurt from smiling so much. Soon after Amy Joy came home the Nevilles found out that Amy’s best friend in China had her paperwork ready to be adopted. They immediately found Lizzy Love’s paperwork and began their adoption journey.
They truly thank you for your prayers and support. They are praying for their story to reach those in a position to give and help little Lizzy Love to come home to her forever family.
1/21/15—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
NATHANIEL for the Chaves family — VT
Ernest and Ruth Chaves have eleven children. Four of these children are biological children who are grown and on their own. Seven of their children joined them through the gift of adoption and reside with them in their home. Ruth and Ernie felt early in their marriage a desire to adopt. However when they first began to pursue their desire they found they were expecting their first child and decided to wait. Four children later the urge still present they started to talk and look for ways to adopt.
In 1997 they received a ministry letter from dear friends who lived and ministered in Haiti at Maranatha Children’s Home. In this letter were pictures of beautiful children who were in need of forever families.
And so it began. Calls made, papers gathered, money raised, and after just over a years time they brought two beautiful little girls home from Haiti. And the wonderful story of love and family in adoption began. Since that time they have brought home 5 other children, from the countries of Haiti, Vietnam and China. Each addition brought deeper joy to their hearts and home.
And again love has gripped their hearts and they have heard the cry of a sweet little boy known as Nathaniel on RR but to them Zebadiah Brighton and the process begins again. The process to bring home a little boy who will add joy and laughter to their home and hearts. This precious little boy has touched the heart of many in his four years of life and much prayer has gone before him. It is time he comes home to join his family, forever his. Please continue to pray and stand behind this family as they seek to make this child their own.
1/21/15—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
TRUE for the Wallace family — MO
Ben and Nicole were married in March 2008. Prior to starting a family, they both agreed adoption would be part of their story. Before their second daughter was born in September 2011, adopting a child with special needs had never crossed their minds. After Reese came along, they knew adopting a child with Down syndrome was the only way to go.
Ben & Nicole have been blessed with three amazing biological daughters (ages 5, 3 & 21 months) and are currently in the process of adopting a three year old girl with Down syndrome, True, from China. Soon they will have four girls, all five and under, running around the house and they can’t wait. Their already chaotic life is about to get a little crazier!
As stated above, adopting a child with Down syndrome has been their goal since their middle daughter was born. Reese was diagnosed with Down syndrome and an AV canal heart defect on her birthday & underwent open heart surgery when she was seven months old. Although True has no diagnosed heart issues, Ben & Nicole feel prepared & confident in parenting a child with special needs and in navigating the world of therapists, specialists and IEPs. They have a wonderful support system in place who are all desperate to bring True home.
1/15/15—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at babyreesereport.blogspot.com
ELOISE for the Baerbock family — MN
Matt & Sara met in college and have been married for nearly 13 years. They have 5 biological children ranging in ages from 11 down to a newborn, 3 girls and 2 boys. They had discussed the possibility of adoption in the past, but thought it was a long time away, someday after they were done having children of their own – and then domestically.
A few weeks after their son was born, a friend happened to post a picture of Eloise. Sara passed it along to Matt, praying hard and hoping against hope that he’d feel what she felt – a strong bond & connection. Surprisingly to both of them, he did! It was completely out of the blue, and they had no inkling God was about to add to their family again so soon and in this way, which is why they decided to pursue adopting Eloise.
The kids are very excited to have another sister and have been asking tons of questions. The whole family is excited to meet Eloise and bring her home where she belongs as quickly as possible before she is transferred out of the orphanage and no longer available for adoption. That is a very real possibility as it sounds like she is the oldest there.
Please pray as Matt, Sara, and family take up this journey for a child in need. Your support and prayers are appreciated!
1/13/15—HOMESTUDY in PROCESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at postzero.com/adoption_journey/
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