Wait, What? Those are frequent words in our house. I no longer can remember who started it, but now it is a slogan that brings smiles and giggles. So when you heard the Houston’s are adopting, did you think “Wait, What???” We want to answers the Top 10 Questions we have been asked. God create the desire to adopt in us and now we are chasing after that dream.
10. Why International?
We believe that all types of adoption are God ordained ways to grow families and care for children. We desire to help children whose futures are uncertain. For each person considering adoption God will lead you in where to go.
9. Why Colombia?
My God given personality believes that there are no strangers in this world, just people I have yet to meet. So I met someone at Fareway who had just completed an adoption of a child from Colombia who she met through a program called Kidsave. Colombia has sibling sets, the kids are well cared for by the government, we speak some Spanish and the children are beautiful!
8. Are they sisters?
Yes. Colombia has sibling sets ranging from 2 to 7 and ranging in age from infants to 15 years old.
7. What happened to their parents?
Colombia has orphans due to all the main reasons, abuse, neglect, abandonment, internal conflict or violence in the country, AIDS, and poverty. Our daughters’ history is theirs to share when they are ready. We are waiting to talk about it with them and fill in the gaps of their memories with whatever information we may have when we feel the girls are mature enough.
6. Do they speak English?
We don’t believe that they know much yet? About as much English as Jack and Evan know Spanish! Fortunately Doug and I know enough Spanish to feed them and care for them. We will be asking for help for the big emotional issues pre-adolescent girls have even when not dealing with moving to a new country, learn a new language, eating different foods…
5. Why Older Kids?
We want to parent more, but not forever. Well that is true, but for us our hearts were softened to help the children for whom their hope is reduced. Many children remain without families only because of their age. Children beyond the age of 8 have a much reduced chance of finding a family. I copied the following data from Kidsave.org
The longer children live in institutions or foster homes without a stable, loving adult connection, the bleaker their future becomes.
• 1 in 10 will commit suicide
• Less than half will finish high school
• 1 in 3 will be homeless
• 50% will end up in jail
• 1 in 4 will become parents before the age of 20, and their children will likely end up in orphanages or foster homes
• Many will turn to drug trafficking or prostitution to survive
Many of these children are overlooked for adoption because they are “older” (more than six-years old) and parents believe they don’t want to be, or can’t be adopted. It is not okay.
4. How long will you spend in Colombia?
We will all be travelling to Cali, Colombia together. A day after we get there we will get Rosa and Kimberly and they will stay with us. After the first week together we will have a meeting and it will be decided at that time to start the adoption process that will be finished a few weeks later in Bogota. Doug, Sydney, Jack and Evan will be returning home after a few weeks. My dear friend and college roommate, Whitney, will be joining us for a couple of weeks. It will be great to have her help and company.
3. Does it cost a lot to adopt?
Yes and No. It does look like a lot, but the costs are spread out across the process so it isn’t so overwhelming. Additionally there are adoption grants, loans and tax deductions that help with the expense. We also knew we were going to do this so we cut out vacations, gave up eating out, found entertainment in board games, borrowed books… We also received a gift of frequent flier miles that will bring our girls home. I think it costs more to give up dreams. Our lives will be enriched by bringing Rosa and Kimberly into our family.
2. How did you get African kids from Colombia, South America?
Colombia had a slave population like in North America. From Wikipedia ; “It has been estimated that only 4.4 million Afro-Colombians actively recognize their own black ancestry, while many other African Colombians do not, as a result of inter-racial relations with white and indigenous Colombians.[3] Afro-Colombians may often encounter a noticeable degree of racial discrimination and prejudice, as a socio-cultural leftover from colonial times. They have been historically absent from high level government positions. Many of their long-established settlements around the Pacific coast have remained underdeveloped.[3] In Colombia's ongoing internal conflict, Afro-Colombians are both victims of violence or displacement and members of armed factions, such as the FARC and the AUC.
1. What can I do to help?
We ask for your prayers, specifically for;
For Kimberly and Rosa
Pray for God’s protection of their minds, bodies and spirits! Comfort of the Holy Spirit. Healing from the difficult start in life, of hunger, abandonment, loneliness, abuse, and feelings of rejection, the healing that only Jesus Christ can bring us in grace and justification to find all our worth in Him. For the gift of knowledge to learn English. To understand what adoption and living in a family means. To look forward with anticipation and joy to meet us and move to the USA.
For Syd
For God to always increase her desire to love and Follow Him. To surround her with God loving friends who come from Christian families. To give her strength and knowledge to walk as a child of God in this broken world and to be set aside different as the salt and light of the world. For her to maintain her great academics even while away for a few weeks from school.
For Jack
To understand the great need of orphans in the world and our opportunity to be the body of Christ serving His children. To discern the leading of the Holy Spirit. For Jack to have God loving friends from Christian families. For him to have increase immunity and to protect him from sickness.
For Evan
May God work in Evan to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit guiding him, increasing his desire to learn about God and grow in personal relationship with Him. That Evan is surrounded by God loving friends and teachers.
For Doug and I,
that we remain in unity and agreement as we parent. That we seek the wisdom of the Heavenly Father to guide our children. That His peace surround us in the middle of the chaos we are entering into, in travel, changes in dynamics of our family and marriage, finances, and in all the things we are not able to foresee or understand. Protection from the spiritual battles and plans of the enemy.
Willingness to be obedient. The gift of wisdom and knowledge of Spanish. For discernment of the promptings of the Spirit and to see God at work in our lives. For safe travel and for God to place things in order for us. For the wisdom to use the finances God has provided for us for His glory.
That we get the perfect housing arrangements and are safe and healthy.
That our time in Colombia is full of great memories and we are home without having the expense of having to adjust our tickets unless it is to come home early!
If you would like to help the plight of Orphans support organizations like World Vision or Compassion International.
Encourage an environment that is supportive to adoption.
Make tax deductible gifts to the James 1:27 Foundation that offers grants to Iowa families adopting. You can contact them at james127@partnercom.net or mail a gift to
James 1:27 Foundation ,504 Butler St, Melbourne, IA 50162
Consider hosting an Orphan in your home through the Kidsave program, visit http://kidsave.org/
