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On June 17, 2018 (Father’s Day) we embarked on a wild journey to answer the call God has put on our lives.  Since before we were married, we had many conversations and “dream-talks” about how we would build our family and we have always agreed that adoption would be a part of our story.  As children adopted into the family of God, we love the picture that earthly adoption portrays for us.  To have the opportunity to provide a place of belonging to a child (or children) who is without a family would be one of the greatest honors of our life.

Over the course of our marriage, we have learned a lot about how to trust God with our lives. We have learned what it looks like to trust His timing, to trust His plan, and to trust His provision. While we often still try to control our circumstances and follow our own plans for our lives, He has gently shown us how to relinquish our control and trust Him. In the spring of 2018, God started prodding us to begin the adoption process. We really wrestled with this decision. We began to question if this was really the right time, whether we had the financial means to make it happen, or even if we were capable of raising children from a different culture. However, the more we prayed about it, the more we knew God was asking us to trust Him in this. So we did. And He has been faithful to provide every step of the way thus far.

In 2011, we served on a medical mission trip to Haiti. In addition to providing medical care to hundreds of Haitians that week, we also spent a few days in orphanages playing and loving on the children there. We had no idea at that time, but those moments we watched each other in that environment would stick with us forever. It was these memories that we look back on and see that God was working even then and there. When it came to choosing a country for international adoption last year, Haiti had our heart, and it started back in 2011.

            If you are not aware, Haiti is a small country with massive political unrest, making for a very volatile environment at times. They are the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and have been riddled with natural disasters, including hurricanes and earthquakes. As a result, they have the highest number of orphans in the Western Hemisphere. It takes a long time to adopt a child from Haiti. The current average wait for a Haitian adoption is 3 years, depending upon the age, gender, and number of children you are looking to adopt. We have requested two siblings, ages 0-3. We have completed all of our paperwork, including our home study and dossier. Our dossier has been in Haiti since January 2019. We are simply in the long waiting period for a match. Once we receive a match, we will schedule a two-week “bonding trip” in Haiti, where we will meet the children, complete a lot of paperwork, and attend meetings. Then we will leave them there in Haiti while final paperwork is prepared. During that time, we hope and pray to be able to make several trips there to visit them. Our final trip will be to pick them up and bring them home. Based on the current averages, we are looking at our children coming home sometime in 2021.

We would love for you to partner with us in prayer as we take on the next couple of years. Here is how you can pray for us:

  1. Pray for our child(ren) there in Haiti, specifically their safety.
  2. Pray for the orphanage where our child(ren) currently live, that it would be filled with loving caregivers who provide a safe environment for them. Also pray that they are able to receive everything they need to adequately provide for the needs of the children there.
  3. Pray that this process does not last as long as expected. Pray that we miraculously receive a referral/match sometime in early 2020 (or even sooner).
  4. Pray for our family (Ben, Mindie, and Ellie) as we prepare our hearts to bring these child(ren) home. That God would strengthen us during the tough days of waiting and that He would give us everything we need to parent these child(ren) well.
  5. Pray that God would give us the resources we need financially and physically to continue through the process and beyond.

            We are excited to share this news with you all. God is in control, and we trust He has good things in store for us. It is for the joy that is set before us we continue in faithful obedience to the calling of Christ.

Maxine Bunch

Many prayers for you, your sweet family, and the precious children you will be adopting! Such a wonderful expression of the love of Jesus!

Cathy M

Our prayers are with you as we wait with great anticipation. Love you.

Cathy M

Hugs

Josh