Broken & Beautiful: An Adoption Story
From the beginning of their marriage, Nathan and Jennie knew they wanted to adopt.
For Nathan, the journey was deeply personal. Adopted from South Korea at the age of 2 and a half, he understood firsthand how adoption is a mosaic of broken connections and restored hope, of deep scars and profound healing.
Jennie shares—
“Adoption is broken and beautiful. You can’t have one without the other.”
In spite of the difficult aspects of adoption, Nathan and Jennie grew confident that God was calling them to adopt.
Watch their powerful story unfold—
Initially, when Nathan and Jennie left for Ghana, they believed they’d be gone for a total of six weeks. However, shortly after they arrived, they were shocked when told it would take five months to complete the adoption of their son, Isaiah. Little did they know, their journey home would end up being even longer.
Still, they did what was necessary.
They rented a small apartment in Ghana and worked remotely, part-time. But money was tight, and they missed their three children back home.
Nathan explains—
“There was one time where we didn’t know if we were going to have to go home because we didn’t have any more money. We were going bankrupt back home where our bills were stacking up.”
Thankfully, God provided in big ways.
Nathan says—
“It was dire for a little while, but we saw the faithfulness of God because there was literally no way that we could have survived if Lifesong didn’t step in and help us.”
Nathan and Jennie were able to do crowdfunding and received a matching grant from Lifesong—which enabled their friends and family to help.
Nathan, Jennie, and Isaiah came home after 340 days—finally enjoying a beautiful homecoming in the airport. In addition to the sweet reunion of parents and siblings, they were showered with love by many who had supported them during one of the hardest seasons of their lives.
Nathan shares—
“Adoption is not the best. It was not [God’s] original intent. His intent was no broken families, but the reality is that there are broken families. But without adoption, life wouldn’t be as beautiful. Family wouldn’t be as beautiful.”
Isaiah is a joyful child who is deeply loved by his parents and siblings. He loves to sing and dance and is thriving in the presence of his newfound family. But Isaiah’s steady adjustment doesn’t erase the fact that he has suffered much loss in his short life. As he grows, Isaiah will also come face-to-face with the more difficult realities of adoption.
Nathan and Isaiah’s adoptions both tell a story of redemption, of taking broken pieces and building something beautiful. And by God’s grace, the story for both of them is still being written.
Money is the #1 reason families considering adoption decide not to adopt.
At Lifesong, we believe money should never be the reason a child doesn’t have a family. That’s why we make it our goal to remove financial barriers for adoptive families before, during, and after their child’s homecoming. Since 2002, we’ve supported the adoptions of over 10,000 children. 93% of the families we support couldn’t afford to adopt without financial assistance.
Adoptive families can receive direct grants, matching grants, interest-free loans, the opportunity to sell Lifesong’s Gobena coffee to raise money, and access to mySTORY, a crowdfunding platform that helps families reach their friends, family, and church community. Some even receive gifts from people they’ve never met.
Through mySTORY, families are able to design a webpage where they can share their story, set a financial goal, and determine the length of their fundraiser. These pages can personalized with family photos, videos, and updates and are easily shared on social media and via email.
Every adoption includes loss and trauma.
The post-adoption support we provide helps families attend trainings, and have access to trauma care, and receive counseling for adopted children, siblings, and parents, among other interventions. By God’s grace, we believe healing is possible and that beauty and brokenness can indeed coexist.
Your Part in this Story
With your support—whether you are called to adopt, care, or give—we can continue to unite children like Isaiah with Christian families who love them.
Together, let’s pray for adoptive families and their children as they persevere and experience both the beauty and brokenness that comes with adoption.