Forever Friends: Adoption Family Reunion

Adoption Reunion.  This was our first Africa adoption family reunion for our agency, America World.  For the past two years, these are the people who prayed, cheered, supported, cried, laughed and encouraged one another through the crazy adoption journey.  We talked online or on the phone, but most of us had never met in real life.  Kindred spirits meeting for the first time.  We are a special group, bonded from the joys and heartaches and challenges of adoption.  We know what it means to Simply Love!  Personally, I could never have made it through the crazy ups and downs without my team of adoption warriors!  There were many families that were not able to make the reunion, but for the group that made it to Branson, MO, we are so grateful.  I want to personally thank Kim Gillman and Kelly Blackwell for all their hard work making the reunion so much fun.  I loved being part of the host team.

The highlight for me was watching the older children seeing their “old” friends again from orphanages and transitional home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  It took my breath away watching the joy in their faces hugging and kissing and speaking Amharic again!  I was deeply touched holding the precious babies, once so tiny and frail, now chubby and happy in the arms of their new families!  There really are no words to express the miracle of adoption.  God’s love and faithfulness was evident in every single child at our event.

If you ever wonder if adoption is something that might work for your family, all you need to do is look at the faces of these amazing children and know with all your heart that God creates forever families one child at a time.