An adoption photo-story, shared on the occasion of Orphan Sunday 2020,
in celebration of the transforming power of grace. #gracegives
Our story starts like any other, at a summer camp back in 2014. My husband and I were leaders on a team, and one cute little boy especially stuck out to us because of his innocence. As he was supposed to be listening to the lesson, he was busily constructing a paper airplane and flying it around through the air.
It wasn’t your typical camp, these kids were living (and most of them still are) in state-run homes in Bucharest.
We had the chance to see Gabriel again that November when one of the volunteers brought him to our church. I happened to be teaching the children’s lesson that week. As I was teaching the kids about prayer I said, “Did you know you could talk to God at any time about anything, and He hears you?” And Gabriel replied, “I know! I ask God all the time to bring a family to come take me home with them.” I was left speechless.
Later that day I asked my husband if we could take Gabriel for Christmas. Of course he agreed, and a few days ended up being 2 weeks, and weekend after weekend after that, until the day he came to live with us. Gabriel was 9 years old then, and because we went the fostering route it took many years, but the adoption finally happened when he turned 12.
This story of ours is not a perfect one, but a messy story of adoption, a lot of mistakes, confusion, uncertainty, but one thing is for sure -- through it all God's grace has been sufficient for us, and His power has been made perfect in our weakness.
We have learned more of God's patience with us through this process, His grace, and His forgiveness. Gabi is our son now, and nothing and no one can change that. Life isn’t perfect, but we are thankful we got to bring a child into our home and teach Him about what family means and God’s love.
Life is a roller coaster; there’s no romanticised adoption story-- they come with messy pasts and unpredictability but the need is great in the country of Romania, and though we may not make a difference in all the children here, we hope to in the life of this one.