Our Story

Our journey began just over 20 years ago whIle in Ukraine adopting our son, Victor. After meeting him at the orphanage and learning of his diagnosis, we questioned our adequacies and prayed for guidance. We believed God’s answer came through Scripture (Proverbes 3:5-6) and the specific message that He had big plans for us if we took this step of faith and adopted Victor. It was one of the best decisions we ever made.

The blessings from that adoption and from having two biological children motivated us to begin the adoption process again six years later. This time we traveled to Ethiopia and adopted a sibling group of three. Continued blessings through this transition led us to adopt a third time one year later (2 siblings from Ukraine).

 
In the summer of 2023, we were able to visit our Ethiopian children’s birthplace and family. We were greeted with many tears, hugs, kisses, squeals, singing, drums, and dancing. In the middle of the celebration, a young boy casually approached to get a closer look. We were taken back by what he was wearing. It was a shirt that simply read, “I ❤️ Victor”. We couldn’t believe it. Here we were, on the other side of the world from Victor, nowhere near his hometown, but being reminded of the promise made to us 20 years prior -that God had big plans in store for our family if we followed Him in faith and adopted Victor despite our fears.

Tim knelt and asked if the two of them could trade shirts. Confused as to why Tim would want his dirty old shirt, but thrilled to be able to trade for a new one, the little boy happily agreed. The exchange took place in front of the equally puzzled villagers. 

Soon after the exciting events of that day, we were reminded of a song we learned growing up in church. It says, “The best thing in my life I ever did do was take off the old robe and put on the new.” We knew immediately that we were being called to spread the news of this divine exchange, beginning in this small village of Ethiopia. It’s a simple message of how we can trade in our old for something brand new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “ Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away, behold new things have come.”