Families Adopting - The Simmons Family adopting from China
In December of 2011, God began stirring in our hearts His desire for us to have a more "radical" faith. We began to pray, asking God how He would have our family serve Him, to further His Kingdom. We agreed that whatever He asked, no matter the cost or sacrifice, our answer to Him would be "YES". Soon after this time, my husband and I both began to feel a call to adoption.
Having supported family members and friends through adoption, both domestic and international, this was not a foreign concept to us. We already had three children: two teenagers and a preschooler, but began to sense that God was not finished growing our family. After sharing this calling with our children and a few close family and friends, we excitedly began to research both domestic and international adoption. However, God would have us wait a year and a half for the child we would adopt.
As we looked at different ways to build our family through adoption, we began to feel impressed that God would lead us not to a specific country or agency, but to the very child we would add to our family. Through the influence of friends who had recently adopted two older boys, and a family in our church who had a precious daughter with Down Syndrome, God began to burden our hearts for older children with special needs.
On April 25, 2013, through the blogs of two adoptive moms, we ended up seeing a precious boy on the Reece's Rainbow website, and we knew immediately that he was our son--the child we had been looking for all this time. He was five years old, had a lower limb difference, and had been confined to a crib in a Chinese orphanage because of his disability. We felt called by God to rescue this boy from his crib--to bring him home as a son and brother, give him the opportunity to walk for the first time, feel the love of a family, and most importantly, have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
We soon found that we didn't meet all of the criteria for adoption from China. This didn't stop us from pursuing our son. We sought out an agency who would help us apply for waivers for the two qualifications we didn't meet. Finally, after months of working with our agency and praying with our friends and church family, we had pre-approval from China to adopt this boy--we would name him Andrew.
We could already see God moving mountains for our Andrew to come home, and we began trusting Him to provide the finances for this adoption, as our resources were few. We started a number of fundraisers, including selling crafts and T-shirts, and had a huge community garage sale; God blessed these efforts and we were able to begin the adoption process.
Even though we couldn't celebrate Andrew's sixth birthday (August 26th) with him, we began to ask God for a birthday miracle for him. We were so concerned about the conditions and lack of care at his poor, rural orphanage, we contacted Love Without Boundaries in China and asked if there was anything they could do to help our son and the other children at his orphanage. They told us they wanted to move him from the orphanage to one of their Healing Homes, but that it would be up to the orphanage director to allow this. We began to fervently pray that God would work in this director's heart, and just before Andrew's birthday, we were notified that he would be moving to a Love Without Boundaries Healing Home! God had granted our birthday prayer for Andrew, and we were overwhelmed with Thanksgiving!
He is now in foster care at the Hidden Treasures Home, a ministry of Loaves and Fishes International. We are so grateful for God's tender loving care for our son. Our family's adoption verse is Ephesians 3:20-21 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." We see our God doing "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" to bring Andrew home, and we are blessed to have a front row seat for miracle after miracle!
There have already been many rewarding parts of our adoption! It's been so exciting to get to know other adoptive parents from around the country and get to follow their journeys as they bring their children home. It's been amazing to see God change and grow our family, and the way our biological children have become involved in the process (like fundraising and learning Mandarin and sign language!). Probably the greatest reward comes from the sense that God is accomplishing something that is so much greater than Andrew and our family. There is a ripple effect as others see God's heart for orphans and the bigger miracle of God adopting us into his family through Jesus Christ.
For families considering adoption, I would say PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! And don't let fear and finances hold you back. What God calls you to start, He will equip you to finish! That goes for fundraising, parenting a child with uncertain needs, and walking your other children through the transition.
For families who do not feel called to adopt, become part of the miracle of adoption by encouraging and supporting an adoptive family, or find out about agencies who care for orphans and or support those ministries. There are so many ways to become involved!
The number one way you can support our family is through prayer; pray that God would prepare us for Andrew and prepare Andrew to be a Simmons. Pray for the ministries that have cared for him in China, that their work would continue and flourish. You can also support us financially in several different ways which are listed on our blog. You can visit our blog to learn more about our family, Andrew, and our adoption process. You can also follow us on our facebook adoption page. We would love for you to follow our journey all the way to bringing Andrew home to Texas!
Thank you Simmons family for sharing your story!
We are sending a shipment of hats to LWB and Bethel!
Thanks to all of you who have bought a hat for your child or grandchild, or have bought a hat directly for an orphan in our LWB collection! We will be sending out some "1 for an orphan" hats soon.
We have been told by both LWB and Bethel, that their children wear hats far into Spring, outdoors and indoors due to lack of heating. They also said that it's important for these children to look cute and feel special, so you are giving them this gift also.
Here are some Sprout Tops hats we are sending to Love Without Boundaries,
and here are some Sprout Tops hats we are sending to Bethel.
Thank you for blessing these children's lives!
Jessica
Families Adopting - The Williams family adopting from China
Thank you Williams family for answering our questions about adoption.
How and why did you decide to adopt?
I was at a Men's meeting at my brother's church and was introduced to a guy who had adopted a girl from China. Frances and I had always planned on adopting after we had "our own", but God had other ideas. After 16 years of infertility, we got pregnant but lost our twins. There had been many obstacles in the way of adopting, but we eventually started pursuing it at the same time as IVF and decided we would adopt no matter how the IVF turned out. There should have been a year to 18 months between an IVF child and an adoption, but circumstances changed and we ended up having two children within 3 months who were only 6 months apart in age...so we kind of had twins anyway!
Why did you choose to adopt from China?
We really didn't have a lot of options - most countries require both parents to be US citizens - Frances is still only British. I'd heard horror stories from other countries, and then we met that guy in church with his cute Chinese daughter and so it seemed the logical choice. At the same time I also thought the fact that there was no chance of reuniting with a birth family would be easier for everyone overall...10 years later I know better! It also seemed to avoid the horror stories of people adopting only to have the birth parents change their minds and reversing the adoption.
What has been the hardest part about adopting?
The expense for one, all the paper chasing is a real hassle, and for me personally it was becoming a "conspicuous family". I've always preferred being anonymous and not standing out in a crowd. Once we had a Chinese daughter, we pretty much stand out wherever we go...of course God doubled that with us having a child with Down Syndrome as well. So now we really stand out, and will a lot more soon! I'm used to it now, but sometimes it's aggravating because we never go anywhere without standing out and getting stares.
What has been the most rewarding part about adopting?
Well the most obvious answer of course is our beautiful daughter Abigail. But it's also how much we grow personally on the journey. Ultimately it's about changing a child's world and destiny. Hopefully God willing, it's for the better, but that's not entirely in our control, but at least we give them a chance at a better destiny.
Tell us about the two children you are adopting.
We are adopting a 6 year old girl with Poland Syndrome, a syndrome caused by an accident of fetal circulation where she is left with no chest muscle, or breast on one side and finger differences on one hand. She also has a facial palsy so she can't smile normally, and there is a chance she's had a stroke. She is definitely developmentally delayed and possibly intellectually challenged.
We are also adopting an 11 year old boy who is listed as having "dyskenesia of lower limbs" which just means his legs are weak so he walks with a limp and has balance issues? In both cases the medical charts are sketchy so who really knows?
We have videos and pictures of both, which are both reassuring, and also alarming at points too.
What advice would you give someone thinking about adoption?
I would say adoption is not for everyone, not for the faint hearted, especially when talking about adopting an older child. You are also talking about taking on a child's life, a most precious gift that cannot be squandered. The decisions you make WILL change your life, the childs life, and by extension everyone else's life that knows you. This is a very serious decision when you already have other children because it changes everything. Nothing will ever be the same again. Not everyone is cut out to make that transition, so you must be very careful thinking through the impact on everyone. Friends and family will not always be helpful, and I’ve known people who have literally been rejected by their extended families. Some of our family was not very involved before, and have shown no interest in our latest adoption. That's something you have to consider - eventually your adopted children will grow up old enough to understand that they may well be rejected by your extended family. There are so many issues to think about and prepare for. So you MUST read as much as possible, dont stick your head in the sand, but research as much as you possibly can before you commit to anything, or start spending the thousands it will cost. Get involved with Yahoo and Facebook groups, and get to know people who have adopted before. Listen to their stories, good and bad. READ, READ, READ, pray, pray and pray - and discuss. And don't proceed unless you as a couple are totally committed and in agreement. Expect doubt...but know if God wants you to do this He will work it all out. Don't do it unless you are certain and then once you commit, stay committed no matter what.
One thing to remember, it's no different to having a biological child. Most people would never dream of not dealing with whatever a biological child has or develops. Adoption is pretty much the same except the child comes with baggage, sometimes very negative baggage.
What advice would you give someone who can't adopt, but would like to help orphans?
Get involved by praying for orphans, and advocating, and advertising the need. Support those who are adopting by offering help in any way you can, helping to fundraise, donating items, or making things to sell if you are craft gifted. Give of your time volunteering whether for a charity like Love Without Boundaries or helping an adoptive family. Donating money is a very practical way to help, as adopting is very expensive and most people don’t have the resources to adopt without help.
How can we help you? Pray for us, pray that God supplies all of our needs, and prepares us and our children for the children we are adding, and also that God prepares their hearts to live with us.
We also need financial help. On our blog there are 2 methods to donate to us. We have a 'you caring' website where people can donate directly to us. Alternatively, there is an address to send donations directly to our agency, and these donations can be tax deductible. There is also currently a fundraiser being done for us through facebook friends.
Families Adopting - The Kamplain Family Adopting from China
How and why did you decide to adopt?
What has been the most rewarding thing about the process so far?
Tell us about your girls and how you found them.
What are some things you are worried about?
What are you excited about?
What advice would you give someone thinking about adoption?
What advice would you give someone who can't adopt but would like to help orphans?
How can we help you?
You can follow the Kamplain family here.
Helping Orphans Feel Special
In some parts of China, children born with facial deformities are treated differently due to cultural stereotypes.Love Without Boundaries is preparing a week-long trip in which dozens of children will receive life-changing surgeries to repair cleft lip or palate. We have partnered with Love Without Boundaries to make it easy and inexpensive for people to donate our hats to these sweet children. You can purchase a hat at 50% off as a gift to an orphan. LWB will hand deliver your hat to one of the children after their surgery. We hope they will feel special and comforted by our hats.
photo courtesy of Love Without Boundaries. This is a photo of some babies after their surgeries on one of LWB's past trips.
There are also other ways to help. Do you know that many times in other countries pain relief is not readily available for children after surgeries? A $10 donation can help a child heal faster and have less pain after their surgery. A $20 donation will provide formula and Pedialyte for good nutrition and hydration for a child after surgery. They are also looking for colorful handmade bibs! So many ways to help these precious children. Here are the details.
We thank Love Without Boundaries for the amazing work they do every day to help orphans all over China.
Families Adopting - The Campbell Family adopting from South Africa
The Campbell family will be traveling to South Africa very soon to adopt their 7 year old son, Naso.
How and why did you decide to adopt?
We have been looking for a way to make a difference in the world. Because we have friends and family who have adopted, it seemed a natural place for us to start.
Why did you choose to adopt from South Africa?
I lived in South Africa and have always loved the people and culture there. We had talked about living there for a period of time with our children, long before the idea of adoption entered our minds, so it was very natural to begin the adoption process with South Africa when the news release stated that US families would now be able to adopt.
What has been the hardest part about the process so far?
As tough as the paperwork and the many obstacles that come with international adoption has been, waiting is the toughest.
What has been the most rewarding thing about the process so far?
Imagining and day-dreaming about Naso fitting into our family and him changing us.
What are some things you are worried about?
We worry because we know that he will grieve - for his mother he knew, for the friends he made during his time in the group foster home, and for the impact that the first 6-7 years of his rough little life has had on him. Will we be what he needs?
What are you excited about?
We are excited to make him a part of our family and see how much we will learn and grow and love as we make this transition.
What advice would you give someone thinking about adoption?
Follow your heart. Because this idea "snuck up" on us, we did not have the thousands it takes to adopt internationally. But because we have followed our heart, miracles have come and we take great comfort that we are following the path we feel compelled to take.
What advice would you give someone who can't adopt but would like to help orphans? Even if adoption is not in the future for your family, there are so many ways you can help orphans. I'm amazed at all those who advocate for these children all over the world. If your heart is in the U.S., then focus there. I have a strong belief that just beginning to think about doing good will turn into researching how, which will turn into discovery, which will turn into action. Never think you are too small to make a difference.
How can we help you?
We are raising money for the last of Naso's medical expenses and some remaining travel expenses at GoFundMe.
You can follow the rest of the Campbell's Adoption journey here. They are just waiting for their court date right now, and will be traveling very soon!
Thank you Campbell family for sharing your story!
People Helping Orphans - Robert Molloy
Robert with some children at Eagle's Wings Foster HomeHow did you get started helping orphans?
Robert's first trip to China in 2011, photo by Kristen ChaseI actually just got back from my 4th trip and was able to visit some kids I met on my very first trip in 2011 and have seen every trip since. Now that is awesome! With lots of help from some friends, I advocated for the first orphan I ever worked with! This was an amazing experience! Then the next year I started advocating for some more kids I had met, and found families for 3 of those kids, and since then many more. Each time a family says YES to making a child their own feels just like that very first time over again. God has given me a big heart for this work and I am now the advocacy coordinator for Bring Me Hope, a great privilege.
What in your life prepared you for this?
What is your favorite thing about it?
Robert with a little girl he loves very much and is trying to find a family for.What is one of the hardest things about it?
Robert with one of his favorite buddies, who wants a family of his very own.What would you tell someone who wants to help?
Please consider being part of that and seeing some amazing children who wait for their own families at Defend.
Sprout Tops Fan - Kyle
This guy loves his monster hat !
His mom told me that his 24 yr old sister and 16 yr old cousin wanted to steal it from him!They said it's the most comfortable hat ever! Needless to say...he won the fight :)
Thank you for sharing your photo, Kyle!
People Helping Orphans - Chloe Banks at Bethel
Why did you start working at Bethel China / with visually impaired children?
What is your favorite thing about working at Bethel?
• Getting to know parents who are waiting to come and get their kids who they are adopting from China. They have so much love and commitment to their sons and daughters who they haven't met yet. They just know they are a part of their family already.
There are plenty of difficult decisions and hard things to witness sometimes too, but there is so much hope, goodness and kindness around. I can't help but be encouraged that things will improve when we work together with purpose on behalf of these kids.
Thank you so much Chloe for helping to change the world!
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