From India to Our Hearts
After adopting from China, we quickly knew we wanted to adopt again. I
began researching countries that would allow us to adopt the youngest child
possible. With Randy being 9 years older than me, it was a challenge. Most countries won't allow older parents to adopt toddlers. God allowed me to find a small agency who would allow parents to adopt a child under 2 with minor special needs. After learning that in India, girls are unwanted and often killed, we quickly sent in our paperwork and the process began.
Within a month, we were sent a picture of a very sad looking little 8 month old named "Angel" who was in the PEACE home. We were told she had a seizure from a high fever when she was a week old and had not had one since, this put her in the "special needs" category.
There was no question, this was the child God had chosen for us. We thought we would have her home within 4 months... Thankfully, our good friends, Dave and Susan Habbick are adopting a little girl from the same orphanage. Sadly, the orphanage lost its license and we were unsure we would be able to adopt her.
One day received a phone call from Katherina. She is from the USA and went to India to meet her soon to be adopted daughter in June of 2011, thinking she
would only be in country for a month... well, it took over a year and a half to get her daughter home. Katherina and her husband contacted the families who had
babies in the PEACE home trying to get a petition for a court order for the adoptions that were in progress. Katherina was an advocate for the children and
spent countless hours meeting with officials on behalf our of daughter and the other orphans. Finally, progress was made but the children had to be moved to different orphanages across India in order to proceed with the adoptions. Angel was moved to a Catholic baby's home in Chennai and our friend's daughter,
Nikita, was moved about 3 hours further away. God allowed Angel's case to quickly move through the courts (a miracle!!).
On December 5, we received an email saying we could travel to pick her up! Well, we had to get Kailee's wedding behind us before we could make travel arrangements. Finally, 19 months from when we first saw little Angel's photo, we are going to meet her for the first time! We are excited and sad she has to get moved once again but this time it is into her forever home!! Her status will be changed on Wednesday, January 9th & she will no longer be an orphan! Praise the Lord!! Thank you for your prayers throughout our journey!!
Blessings, Stephanie
began researching countries that would allow us to adopt the youngest child
possible. With Randy being 9 years older than me, it was a challenge. Most countries won't allow older parents to adopt toddlers. God allowed me to find a small agency who would allow parents to adopt a child under 2 with minor special needs. After learning that in India, girls are unwanted and often killed, we quickly sent in our paperwork and the process began.
Within a month, we were sent a picture of a very sad looking little 8 month old named "Angel" who was in the PEACE home. We were told she had a seizure from a high fever when she was a week old and had not had one since, this put her in the "special needs" category.
There was no question, this was the child God had chosen for us. We thought we would have her home within 4 months... Thankfully, our good friends, Dave and Susan Habbick are adopting a little girl from the same orphanage. Sadly, the orphanage lost its license and we were unsure we would be able to adopt her.
One day received a phone call from Katherina. She is from the USA and went to India to meet her soon to be adopted daughter in June of 2011, thinking she
would only be in country for a month... well, it took over a year and a half to get her daughter home. Katherina and her husband contacted the families who had
babies in the PEACE home trying to get a petition for a court order for the adoptions that were in progress. Katherina was an advocate for the children and
spent countless hours meeting with officials on behalf our of daughter and the other orphans. Finally, progress was made but the children had to be moved to different orphanages across India in order to proceed with the adoptions. Angel was moved to a Catholic baby's home in Chennai and our friend's daughter,
Nikita, was moved about 3 hours further away. God allowed Angel's case to quickly move through the courts (a miracle!!).
On December 5, we received an email saying we could travel to pick her up! Well, we had to get Kailee's wedding behind us before we could make travel arrangements. Finally, 19 months from when we first saw little Angel's photo, we are going to meet her for the first time! We are excited and sad she has to get moved once again but this time it is into her forever home!! Her status will be changed on Wednesday, January 9th & she will no longer be an orphan! Praise the Lord!! Thank you for your prayers throughout our journey!!
Blessings, Stephanie