On Tuesdays, we take time to focus on some of our families that have received grants from Katelyn's Fund. May you be blessed by their stories…..
We had talked about adoption for years, but it seemed sudden that God brought us to a decision (through His Word, specific prayers, books, and other circumstances) to adopt. We told a few close friends about our plan and asked them to pray for us. Two weeks later, we got a phone call, telling us about a prayer request for a little girl. She was almost 3 years old and had been in an orphanage in Bogota, Colombia since birth. She had a very complex heart condition, as well as other special needs. She would need to have major heart surgery in the near future. She had been waiting for the right family.
We were immediately interested and began to pray, seek wise counsel, and consider this big decision. It seemed that God had given us specific strengths and desires that would match perfectly with the needs that she had. Five weeks later, we excitedly took a huge leap of faith as we sent our letter of intention to the orphanage letting them know that we wanted to adopt Gabriela!
There was so much to do! We did not have a penny saved and we had not even begun our home study or the classes required to adopt, but we felt great urgency to move forward as quickly as we could because of the Gabriela’s health. We had no other choice but to trust that if this was what God wanted of us that He would accomplish all of it. The miracles began as soon as we asked. Time after time, we experienced God’s amazing precision providence in finances and paperwork. Money was provided at every single step. It came just when we needed it to move forward and always about the exact amount that was needed. Sometimes the process seemed fast and other times very slow, but the way it all fit together with circumstances in our life was so perfect. We could have never completed it, especially in such a short amount of time, without God’s blessing in the form of the generous support of friends, family, and so many people that give to organizations like Katelyn’s Fund.
It is amazing to look back now and realize that in only 6 months time, we made a decision to adopt, heard about Gabriela, began our home study, completed the necessary paperwork, traveled to Colombia (all 5 of us!), met our new little girl, stayed with her in Colombia for 6 weeks and then brought her to her new home! What an amazing journey that we could have never expected.
Such joy it has been since that day when Gabriela became a VanAcker! God is truly the God of all! He can bring forth anyone, from anywhere, and work together anything, in His timing, for His glory and we got to experience this firsthand! He truly used Katelyn’s Fund to help us, support us and give us the personal prayer and follow-up that we so greatly needed. We are overwhelmingly thankful and blessed to have received it all. Adoption would not have been a reality for a family like ours without the sacrificial giving of those that have God’s heart for adoption. Thank you!
