Family Stories

A Mother's Sacrifice
by Francis D
My wife and I had heard about the difficulties in meeting with the birth families of adopted children; what to expect, the emotional highs and lows, the benefits and the concerns.

An Unpaved Journey
by Cynthia K
An unpaved, narrow, dirt road was before us. It almost appeared a walking path in the middle of a wooded forest.

Davis's Story
by Robert M & Sonja S
We are incredibly lucky to be parents of a very personable, easy-going, sweet boy - formerly Adem Ali, now Davis Kane.

Dawit's Story
by Dawn M
We started the adoption process with one clear idea: we wanted an infant girl. We began the paperwork to bring home a baby from China.

Eli's Family
by Pamela S
Holding the envelope tight in my hand and my seven-month-old son Eli on my hip, I made my way from the mailbox to the kitchen table.

Jewel's Story
by Todd & Catherine H
Our story is a story of love and of God's provision. Having three brothers of her own, our daughter, Faith, began praying for a sister at the age of two.

The Laughing Boy Under the Table
by Kathleen W
My eight-year-old daughter, Ruby, tapped me on my shoulder and whispered. "Where's Adugna?"

Mahalet's Story
by Paul and Jenine S
One of the great things about the Ethiopia program is the effort the workers there make to connect adopting families with birth relatives.

Meeting Mesay
by Kathryn R
In June of 2004, with a wide smile, my husband handed me my requested birthday gift - the signed Registration Form for WHFC.

My Journey to Ethiopia
by Laurie S
As with so many journeys this one started almost 18 months prior to the actual travel. The decision to adopt is one filled with so many emotions, from excitement to fear and everything in between.

Our Adoption Journey
by Dawn S
My husband and I are the proud parents of two children adopted from Ethiopia in 2006 and 2008.

Our "Best Day"
by Beth G
As deliriously happy a couple as we were before we found our daughter, we both feel like our lives truly began when we held our 3 yr. old Kalkidan in our arms.

Our Leap of Faith
by Ellie G and Gabriel C
Yared is the perfect addition to our family. He's a joy to be around and his smile lights up every room he enters.

Robbie's Story
by Doreen H
Robert Michael Mucie Siyum came to our family from Ethiopia in July of 2006. He was a tiny 4-month-old who had struggled mightily with a major blood infection while in Ethiopia.

Smiles and Laughter From Ethiopia
by Chad and Lisa C
It was all the smiles and laughter that surprised me the most. All of these beautiful children had lost their parents to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Ethiopia, yet they all smile.

Tamirat
by Lauren S
Our adoptee, two-year-old Tamirat, fell asleep at the airport in Addis Ababa at about 8 p.m. Ethiopian time, May 15.