Brandon & Rachael Auch Family
Children: Seth 13; Hailey 11
Soon to be added to our family: Yerbol (who we are naming Samuel)
Our adoption journey has taken many twists and turns since we began 3 years ago. Although it has a different ending than we anticipated, we still see God’s hand weaving our story intricately, and we know that although we see only a small part of the picture, the Lord has known from before the foundation of the earth who belongs in our family.
Having a desire to minister to orphans we opened our home and became a host family 3 years ago to a 12 year old girl named Vika. When she left our home to head back to her orphanage in Kyrgyzstan we felt a very clear and distinct calling from the Holy Spirit to pursue adopting her. As soon as we began the process the country closed for 2 years due to corruption in the government. Last June we received word that the country had re-opened and we began the process again, still feeling the Lord’s call on our lives to adopt. The past year has been an amazing front row seat to the greatness of God! Overwhelming adoption fees have been miraculously provided by God. Family and friends have rallied around us in our fundraising attempts, we received a grant from Kaitlyn’s Fund, and it has been abundantly clear that God was taking every sacrificial gift and multiplying it like the loaves and fishes account found in Mark 6. That is why we were completely baffled and left wondering what God’s plan was when almost at the end of our journey when it was almost time to bring Vika home we received the dreaded call. Vika was no longer available for adoption. How could this be? The entire purpose of this journey was to bring honor and glory to the Lord. How could this ending glorify the Lord? We could not understand His plan, however, we held on to the promises of God. We KNOW God is good. We KNOW God is faithful, and so we held on to that as He began to show us His plan. Our agency called us in for a meeting and we went in to process through some of the heartache and questions. While we were there we were asked if we would consider adopting another child. Still feeling very called to adopt we agreed, praising God that all the funds He had provided were still accounted for and all of our paperwork was still good. We now are preparing to head overseas and meet our son! The Lord has not only redeemed the 3 years we spent waiting for Vika, who will always be in our thoughts and prayers, but has given us abundantly more time with our child! We will be adopting a 6 year old boy and we are thrilled at how the Lord has placed him in our hearts and family. We have decided to name him Samuel, because like Hannah, for this child we have prayed and the Lord has heard our cry. We are so grateful to Katelyn’s Fund for not only the grant they awarded us (a HUGE blessing!), but also because they took time to pray so powerfully over us, with us, and for us. We were blessed beyond measure to feel that deep connection of members of the family of God who quite simply, just get it. They understood the indescribable pull of Holy Spirit where there is no option but to walk forward in obedience. The support of this team gave us the encouragement we needed to keep walking forward, and now we have the promise of a son. God is good!
