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Thanks to the generous donations of our supporters, Sea of Faces has been able to award grants to all these wonderful families. Please read their stories and get a small glimpse of how God is moving. We are blessed to be a part of these amazing journeys. After each name you'll see the country of adoption, how many biological children the family has and how many children they've adopted prior to this adoption. |
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Douglas and Amanda Hostetler (China/3/5) - We are honored
to help the Hostetlers complete their fifth adoption from China. All of
their previous adoptions were of children with special medical needs. Wu
Shui Ling is no different, battling kidney disease. The Hostetlers are
changing the minds of those around them. "No longer are children with
special needs considered unfortunate or unlucky. They're now seen as
blessed and loved," says Amanda. The Hostetlers hope to have Wu Shui Ling home by September. |
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Cameron and Heather O'Neill (Ethiopia/3/1) - The O'Neills adopted their first child from Ethiopia in early 2010. He was severely malnourished and HIV+ They have since developed a passion for HIV adoption and sought to adopt another child living with HIV. After lengthy court battles and paperwork frustrations, they are currently traveling to visit their second adopted son who is just 3 years old. They hope to make their second trip to Ethiopia in early September to bring him home. |
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Clint and Sung McClure (China/1/0) - The McClures are adopting this precious little girl who is suffering from a very serious heart condition. As missionaries, their income is meager, but they are acting out their faith by brining Isabel Anne home and giving her the much needed care she needs. The adoption and surgery will cost more than $35,000, so the news of being selected for a grant was a great encouragement. Please keep Isabel and the McClures in your prayers as they anticipate being forever united in June. |
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Larry and Krista Lain (Ethiopia/1/1) - Soon after experiencing the miracle of adopting their son, Eli Hien, from Vietnam, the Lains felt a strong desire to adopt again. After arriving in Mongolia as missionaries in 2008, they began to pray for God's perfect timing to welcome another child into their forever family. God opened their eyes and hearts to the many orphaned children in Ethiopia. Soon they'll bring home an older girl who was abandoned almost a year ago. Because the Lains are missionaries, they rely on support for their living allowance and cannot incur any debt. Sea of Faces is honored to help them in this tremendous financial hurdle. |
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Joel and Sara Mullen (Ethiopia/0/0) - For the past 11 years, the Mullens have lived in Italy as missionaries. In 2006, they applied to adopt a baby girl from China. Four years later, they are still waiting for a referral with an estimated wait of another one to two more years. Because they had always intended to have more than one child, in Dec 09 they stepped out in faith and began the process of a second adoption. They braced for another long journey, but much to their surprise received the news of their son just nine months later. Four-month-old Levi will be home in February. |
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David and Tammi Yost (China/2/0) - The Yosts live in China where David teaches theology at the Chengdu International School. Their annual income is just slightly more than the cost of this adoption. While in China, they've opened their home to foster children in need of post-operative rehabilitation. "Our presence in China feels like a calling from the book of Ester, where we are put here 'for such a time as this,'" says Tammi. Their daughter, Ha Beibei, has a cleft palate which will require more surgeries, dental work and speech therapy. After she comes home in October, they desire to begin the process again. |
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Douglas and Amanda Hostetler (China/3/2) - This amazing family left everything they knew in 2008 to teach English in China. With three biological and two adopted children, they were at peace and their hands and hearts were full. However, in late 2009, they felt God calling them to adopt again. They'll soon add two 2-yr-old boys with special needs who are from an orphanage located in the city they serve. Their desires to change lives doesn't stop here. The Hostetlers are working toward opening an orphanage in their province for older children at risk of not being adopted. "We desire to show there is intrinsic value in every child, and that parenting them is a magnificent blessing," said Amanda. |
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Matthew and Brooke Lukowitz (Ethiopia/0/0) - Matthew is pastor of a small church he and Brooke planted in 2005. Brooke founded and runs a non-profit that provides food, clothing and hygiene items to families at no cost. They have been married for almost nine years and have always looked forward to raising children. However, after years of struggling with infertility, God turned their hearts to focus solely on adoption as the way to build their family. They were drawn to Ethiopia and it’s more than four million orphans. The dire poverty results in a staggering infant mortality rate, with one in ten children dying before their first birthday. Their daughter, Anne Belen, will be just seven months old when she comes home. The Lukowitz' hope to travel in February to welcome their daughter into her new family. |
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Landon and Laura Jones (Russia/0/0) - The desire to adopt has been a seed watered through life experiences and as a nanny to two adopted children. After three years of trying to conceive, Landon and Laura both felt God's leading to proceed with growing their family through adoption. What a joy to contact the Jones' the day before they left Russia to bring Liam home. God's timing is perfect. Liam has been in an orphanage 14 of his 17 months and is severely developmentally delayed. He cannot crawl, stand, or walk. However, he is expected to make great strides once home in a wonderful, loving environment. |
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Eric and Diane Frantz (Ethiopia/3/0) - The desire for more children weighed on Eric and Diane, but many risk factors discouraged another biological child. Their youngest, at eleven, was born premature with cerebral palsy-spastic quad and has been wheelchair bound his entire life. But with the encouragement of all their sons, the Frantz' began their journey and kept their eyes open for God's leading. In July 2009, they accepted the referral for three sibling sisters from Ethiopia, two of which have been diagnosed with Hepatitis B. Eric and Diane hope to pass court in November and welcome their daughters home by Christmas. |
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Troy and Jennifer Friesen (China/3/0) - Both joy and sorrow shaped Troy and Jennifer Friesen’s trust and faith in God’s plan for their family. Amidst the birth of three healthy children, one child was stillborn, another miscarried and a 3-month-old succumbed to heart disease. It was through the grief of these losses, combined with their love of parenting, they began to consider adoption. Their long journey began in January 2006. Just when they thought they could no longer afford the continual, expensive renewal of all their paperwork, God moved. “Over the lengthened time, God softened our hearts to consider an older child with special needs,” said Jennifer. Their daughter, Olivia, who came home in August 2009, suffers from congenital scoliosis and will require several surgeries to provide room for her growing organs. The Friesens’ perseverance though unbelievable heartache brings glory to God. |
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Bryan and
Paula Foster (China/0/1) - The Fosters are not strangers to adoption. After
struggling with infertility, they felt called to adopt one of the many children
needing a family. They brought home their daughter, now 3 years old, from China
in 2006. Still feeling |
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Daniel and
Elizabeth Kulp (China/0/1) - The Kulps are once again expanding their family
through adoption. They received a grant from Sea of Faces in 2007 with the
adoption of their son, Simon. He was the first Down’s Syndrome child to be
adopted from China. The Kulps are now in process to adopt a 6-yr-old little girl
with Down’s, also from China. She was abandoned three years ago and is currently
very small and underweight for her age. She will need extensive therapy once she
is home. The Kulps plan to travel mid-summer to meet their precious daughter for
the first time. Please keep them in your prayers as they prepare for her |
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Financing Adoption |
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| It's no secret that the cost of international adoption is staggering. Once you've seen pictures of waiting children or accept the referral of a child, it's almost impossible to "patiently wait." This journey is emotionally draining enough without the added concern of where the extra thousands of dollars will come from. If you feel God has called you to adoption, we're confident He will provide a way. Pray fervently for His wisdom and guidance with each step you take. If you're just considering adoption or are early in the process, we encourage you to gather as much funding as possible before you proceed. Fundraisers can be very beneficial. Click here to learn about a fundraising opportunity offered by the executive director for Sea of Faces. | |
