VA – Reece's Rainbow

TASHA SUE for the Wood family — VA

Greetings from the Wood Family! We are Brian, Kristen, Graysen, Emma Rae, and Blake and coming soon, a new daughter to be named Kate! We have been married for 10 wonderful years, and we have 3 amazing children. Brian is a student pastor at Point Harbor Church and Kristen is a Registered Nurse working in an elementary school.

Shortly after being married, we started talking about adoption and really felt a tug in our hearts early on specifically for China. About 4 years into our marriage, some friends of ours adopted their sweet girl from China and that started a ripple effect and we soon were surrounded with so many friends who said “YES” to their children in China. This only fueled our hearts more for China.

After we moved to VA, we were introduced to another family who has adopted 3 babies with Down Syndrome from China. Down Syndrome had never been on our radar, however, we fell absolutely in love with these amazing children. Although we always had a peace about China, God began to break our hearts specifically for children with Down Syndrome.

We were “introduced” to our daughter on Reece’s Rainbow site. Kate has Down Syndrome, CHD, and repaired VSD and PFO. She is an absolute doll and we cannot wait to have her in our arms. Kate will be 2 years old in July and we want to have her home as soon as we can. She has 3 siblings who are over the moon for her already and are so ready to have their sister home.

Please help our family to bring our daughter home! We plan to travel with our two oldest children, who are 11 and 9 yrs old. We greatly appreciate all prayers and financial support as we continue our adoption journey to complete our family!

6/28/2019 — HOMESTUDY COMPLETE; OFFICIALLY MATCHED

$1,143.63 has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

June 11, 2019/by Michelle Zoromski

JAXON for the Berckmueller family — VA

Hugh and Janet Berckmueller were college sweethearts and have been married for 26 years. Hugh and Janet always knew they wanted a big family, and they were blessed with six biological children. Their sixth pregnancy was medically complicated, and after his birth, it was determined that little George had Down syndrome. He spent two months in the NICU, but since that time, he has grown to be a healthy and energetic little boy, and a very special addition to the Berckmueller family! George’s diagnosis opened up their view to the plight of children around the world who are abandoned because of Down syndrome. In August 2016, the Berckmuellers brought home sweet little Elsa from Asia, who also has Down syndrome. Watching her bloom and grow with the love of a family over the 2 1/2 years since she has been home has been truly amazing. After seeing firsthand the conditions of children in orphanages, particularly children with special needs, and seeing what the love and care of family can do for a child, it made Hugh and Janet want to pursue adopting again. They decided they had a little more room, a lot of love to share, and the heart to add another child to their family. Jaxon is living in the same orphanage where Elsa grew up, so they already feel a special connection to him. The Berckmueller family is so excited to welcome home this precious little boy!

4/19/2019 — AWAITING USCIS APPROVAL

$82.45 has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

April 19, 2019/by Michelle Zoromski

Already Home - 2019

PERRY for the Peckham family — VA

China

April 1, 2019/by Michelle Zoromski

Compiling Dossier

TESSA for the Mills family — VA

Meet the Mills Family: David, Kerry, Luke, Braeden, Esther, and coming soon … Mia who is called “Tessa” on Reese’s Rainbow. The Mills family views life as a great adventure, and have lived all over the world with David’s Air Force career. By faith, they adopted Esther in 2016, and they are ecstatic to expand their family once again through adoption.

Mia is a medically fragile, 13-year-old girl, and the Mills are working quickly on an expedited adoption process–cramming what is normally a long process into just a few months. Mia has several diagnoses, and renal failure is the most pressing problem. She is on dialysis every other day and receives blood transfusions twice a month. In Mia’s medical file, her orphanage director submitted a letter begging for Mia to be adopted because there is nothing else medically they can do for her in her country. The Mills have a wonderful Nephrology team queued up and ready to treat Mia the day she arrives in the states.

Please help the Mills family! All five plan to travel to welcome Mia into their family. They would greatly appreciate your prayers and welcome any financial support as they work hard to bring their daughter home as quickly as possible.

Their adoption motto: “Our ‘NO’ will be much more difficult on her then our “YES’ will ever be on us.”

2/20/2019 — HOMESTUDY COMPLETE on 2/4

$814.80 has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

February 20, 2019/by Michelle Zoromski

Almost There, Matching Grant

BODEY for the Mendez family — VA

Edgar and Rachael Mendez met and fell in love at work when they both worked for the same Pest Control Company. Rachael was an insect specialist and Edgar was the Branch Service Manager. Their shared love of insects is what bonded them and allowed them to spend a lot of time together on problem accounts. Two years later, in July of 2009, the priest that married them told their friends and family he had never before had anyone fall in love because of bugs! Theirs is a happy marriage filled with similar values and a desire to build a family despite their cultural differences.

It was not until three years later, that Rachael found out she was pregnant. On Valentine’s Day, Rachael went into early labor and delivered a 2- pound baby boy. Although he was tiny and fragile and stayed in the hospital for 105 days, there was a fighting spirit in him, and he soon became the center of the universe for the Mendez Family. Two weeks after his birth, this tiny boy was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. So, Edgar and Rachael immediately started reading and preparing for how to bring home a special needs micro-preemie. Now six years old, Nicholas loves Mickey Mouse, horseback riding, swimming and basketball, and with a lot of extra tutoring is very advanced with reading. And what a personality!

But Edgar and Rachael knew in their hearts that their family was not complete. After two miscarriages, one of which almost took Rachael’s life, and giving birth to a stillborn baby girl, the Mendez’s decided to turn to adoption. One night, Rachael stumbled across Reese’s Rainbows and discovered the plight that special needs orphans face abroad. Picturing their own son in this predicament, they suddenly felt called to do something. After clicking on the list of waiting boys, Rachael discovered Bodey and instantly felt the connection. His little baby photo, showed him sitting with his little hand fanned out beside him the same way their own son used to sit as an infant. Abandoned at 3 months old and sitting quietly in an orphanage with no one interested, Bodey needed a family to call his own. Yes, he needed to come home! After requesting his file, the Mendez family found more and more similarities between their two boys, especially with their shared love of basketball. Additionally, a friend of the family is from the same area and has toured the orphanage Bodey is living inside. It is the dream that these two little boys will grow up together in such a loving household, so now the Mendez’s are trying to prepare financially to take the leap and bring their son home. The cost of adoption will stretch them very much, but they could not leave Bodey behind. Please keep Bodey and the Mendez Family in your thoughts and prayers. Any contributions to bring Bodey home faster would be greatly appreciated.

8/6/2019 — LOA RECEIVED

The Mendez family family has a matching grant of $5000 from RODS Racing! When their FSP total reaches $5,209 they’ll receive an additional $5000!

$7,272.13 has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

February 8, 2019/by Michelle Zoromski

Almost There

CRAIG for the Rega-Bretz Family — VA

“Be strong and courageous, do not fear. The Lord your God is with you…wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

This verse was chosen for our beloved baby, Joshua Eric. We were very happily surprised to find out we were expecting in the summer of 2017. We have a beautiful blended family, and were thrilled to welcome our first-born son together. In the early Fall of 2017, a routine ultrasound showed our baby had a severe congenital heart defect and likely, Down syndrome. We realized that God had a different plan for our family. Plans were made for our son to undergo open heart surgery around the age of four months. During the remainder of Alycia’s pregnancy, medical plans were made and they learned all they could about Down syndrome and the amazing community they were welcomed into locally and throughout social media. Joshua’s siblings, extended family and friends were so excited and eager to welcome Joshua into our family.

When Joshua was born we knew Down syndrome was nothing to be feared and quite possibly one of our favorite things about him. He was beautiful and perfect in every way. He underwent his first heart surgery at one week old and made a steady recovery. His sweet little soul won the hearts of all who loved him…his nurses, doctors, extended friends and most of all his siblings and parents. However, as the weeks in the hospital progressed, Joshua went into early heart and lung failure. He had to undergo several open heart surgeries to repair his heart…much younger than expected. Very tragically, Joshua passed away from complications post- surgery at the age of 6 weeks and one day old. As painful as it has been to walk this grief journey and loss of their son, they feel they were given the beautiful gift to have their own hearts and minds opened to the beauty of special needs.

Alycia has always considered adoption a very real calling on her heart. However, it always seemed elusive. Too far out of reach to be able to. After Joshua passed, she began bringing the idea of possibly adopting a child with Down syndrome up to Eric. Their family thought and prayed about this, feeling as time went on, the tugging on their hearts and souls was for such a time as this. They talked with their older kids and everyone was wholeheartedly supportive. They experienced true, unconditional selfless love for their special needs infant and their hearts were cracked wide open to the needs of other babies who are orphaned. They realized that Joshua could have been born in any other country, or at any other time in history and not experienced the amount of care and love he received.

Knowing our family has an immense amount of enduring love to give an orphan, we have committed to the adoption of a baby boy who also has Down syndrome. We feel incredibly blessed to be entrusted with this calling. In the midst of much devastation with the loss of our first son, God has been doing something. In His way and in His timing, new hope has begun to grow. We know only God knows the full story and He is doing what only He can do. We believe that God is picking us to personally live out one of His promises… “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.” John 14:18

We ask for your continued prayers as we move forward with paperwork, towards funding our adoption and eagerly awaiting the time we can bring our baby boy home to the safety of our arms. We know God is right here with us. We cling to this hope. Believe this hope. Live out this hope as He creates beauty from ashes. Fully. Completely. Perfectly. With Him.

7/19/2019 — DOSSIER SUBMITTED; AWAITING TRAVEL DATES

$19,037.24 has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

December 27, 2018/by Michelle Zoromski

Traveling Now

Lil Rose Bud for the Snyder family — VA

A little about the Snyder family. The fairy tale began twelve years ago when two hearts came together as one. A leap of faith for love and family. The special part of this was Lonnie wasn’t just taking Michelle as his wife, he was also taking Kaiyla and Kyle as his own. As the family journey continued they shared a desire and passion to grow their family by opening their hearts and home to a special child through the means of adoption.

Little did they know how their very desire for a special little one would forever change their world. Fall 2015 a little face and that fluffy hair caught Michelle’s eye as she read through a Rainbow Kids email and had that feeling. This is to be their son! Fast forward to today as they celebrate 20 months home! Blessed far beyond measure to have the title of Miles parents and share the journey of life with him. He has forever changed their world and they cannot imagine life without him in it.

The current Snyder family status… Growing by adoption of one special ‘lil rose bud! They are blessed to have the opportunity of being on the journey to bringing home a little sister for Miles to grow up with and share the adventures of life. Two little ones with two different starts of life yet so many similarities. Both Miles and ‘lil rose bud are special in the fact that they have an extra chromosome, also known as trisomy 21. They also share the fact they were born half way around the world in Taiwan. The most special similarity… they are their children! Handpicked by God for the Snyder family!

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a FUTURE.

I Samual 1:27
For this child I have prayed and the Lord has granted the desires of my heart.

The Snyders are humbled and blessed far beyond measure that of all the families in the world God handpicked them to treasure ‘lil rose bud as their own. Join them on this journey by sharing their journey with others, lots of prayer and when felt lead the generosity of donation as they take the leap of faith for love and family as their family grows.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,
Lonnie, Michelle, Kaiyla, Kyle, Miles and ‘lil rose bud

8/8/2019 — AWAITING FINAL TRIP

$4,672.72 has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!