Reece's Rainbow

SVETLANA for the Thornell family--St. Augustine, FL

Our beautiful Svetlana has found her family!!!

Dan and Nancy Thornell have been married for 20 years. They moved from the cold north to sunny Florida 14 years ago.They spent many years enjoying themselves, traveling, even living on a sailboat for a year and a half.

They decided to expand their family six years ago and immediately decided upon adoption. Their son, Danny, is 7 and came home from Belarus at 20 months of age. They were waiting for a court date for a little girl from his groupa when Belarus shut down all international adoptions in 2004.

At that time they switched to Ukraine. They spent 5 weeks in Oct/Nov 2005 and sadly came home empty handed. The NAC became the SDA and things slowed way down so they switched to Guatemala. Their daughter, Victoria, is now 3 and came home at 7 months old.

It has been three years and they feel the calling again, but decided they really wanted a child with special needs for their very special family. Their son has many developmental issues that they have dealt with since he came home. He is now going to a private school and getting neuro retraining.

They have noticed a huge change in his issues and things are finally coming together. So it is time for another gift from God J

Svetlana has drawn them since they first saw her picture on RR. The kids are so excited to have a sister. The family can not wait to travel and bring her home! Your donations and help are greatly appreciated!

2/4/10---DOSSIER SUBMITTED

I have $6000 in my FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!

Follow the Thornell family's adoption journey on their blog at www.nandantravels.blogspot.com

ANDREY, YULIA & ILYA for the Burman family--Mansfield, TX

The Burmans began their lives together over 3 ½ years ago just after Shelly and Madelaine moved to Brian's native state of Texas. Quite quickly after their marriage, Shelly and Brian received the news that they were going to be parents to a baby boy. They were all excited at the news of this pregnancy, but also hoped to adopt children as well. Since the timeShelly was 13 years old and was volunteering with Special Olympics, she knew that one day she would be the parent of a child with Down Syndrome. With Brian's work in law enforcement and Shelly's work as a special education teacher they knew that family was the most important thing to them. It was this strong belief in family that led Shelly to leave the public schools to come home and school their daughter and other children as well. While this has meant a shift in financial priorities it has not changed how much this family loves to be together just as a family. Shelly currently teaches 7 children, some with special needs, in addition to her 2 biological children. The Burmans have been foster parents for the last 1 ½ years and have really treasured the lasting imprints the foster children have left upon their family! They know that God has a plan for their family and trust that He will bring them to a child(ren) who need them just as much as the Burmans need them!

2/5/10---DOSSIER EN ROUTE

We have $11,457 in our FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of our adoption!

The Koebel Family--Bossier City, LA

Darrel and Shonette Koebel are a family full of love. They have 9 children. They have adopted 5 of their children from the U S foster care system. They felt God calling them to adopt one from overseas. They are following God?s plan for their lives. They love children so much and feel every child should have the chance to be loved by a family.

They saw this little one and just knew she was their daughter they had been looking for. The world may see these children as mistakes. But they see them as God?s special creation.

Darrel and Shonette are so excited about adopting Cordi, and can?t wait to add her to their family.

Your help for this family as they make their first international steps are greatly appreciated! As you all know, it costs a great deal more to adopt internationally than from foster care!

2/4/10---APPT IS FEBRUARY 13TH

I have $490 in my FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!

Follow the Koebel family's adoption journey on their blog at http://www.fullquiverarrows.blogspot.com

MOISEY, ELIZAR, ANGELINA, & ELISEY for the Burgreen family--Molena, GA

James and April Burgeen have been married for 13 years and have three birth children: Fionna, Caeleigh, and Nathanael. They have considered adoption for many years, but the door was never open to the opportunity.

Recently, a friend sent an email with the link to Reece’s Rainbow. James opened the web site and saw the pictures of Moisey, Elizar, Evangelina, and Elisey. He knew that he had found the children that would complete his family.

The Burgreens are just beginning the process to ransom these children from their current conditions. It is their desire to get them home as soon as possible.

This is a HUGE leap of faith, to adopt four children under the age of 6, at least two with significant special needs and one who has already been transferred. Your help for this family financially as they step forward to save these beautiful children will be so appreciated!

2/4/10---SUBMITTING DOSSIER ON FEB 11, 2010

We have $930 in our FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of our adoption!

EZEKIEL for The Esquivel Family--

The Esquivel family is a family of 6 looking forward to becoming a family of 7! Mom, Nikki, is a special ed teacher turned stay-at-home mom. Dad, Anthony, is a native of
The Philippines and eager to adopt for a third time from his homeland. Aaron (15) and Elliana (12) are biologically Esquivels, while Lemuel (11) and Kyle (8) came into the
family via Philippine adoption in 2005 and 2006. Ezequiel is a beautiful 20 month old boy with Down Syndrome and ASD in need of surgical repair.

We are excited for this family, as Ezekiel is one of very few children we have ever had waiting in the Philippines! What a blessing for him!

1/10/10---TRAVELING FEB 6TH!

I have $75 in my FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!

ZOYA for the Basile family--Erie, PA

Shawn and Sarah are excited to be first time parents through adoption! They feel so blessed to have the opportunity to bring Zoya home. When they saw her picture on Reece’s Rainbow, they knew those angel eyes were something special! Just a year ago, Shawn and Sarah would have never believed they would be embarking on this journey to bring such a special little girl home. They had plans of their own, but soon realized God had other plans. Shawn and Sarah have been married for 4 years and share a passion for children with special needs. God clearly spoke to their hearts over a period of time to lead them to adopt a child with Down Syndrome. Once their eyes were open to the need for loving families for these children, they could not turn back. This family is so excited to give Zoya her own special and valued place in the world!

The Basile Family can’t wait until they have Zoya in their arms! Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated!

1/8/10---DOSSIER EN ROUTE

I have $1045 in my FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!

Follow the Basile family's adoption journey on their blog at http://www.angeleyesadoption.blogspot.com/

HALLIE & MICHAEL for The Ehlers Family--Kansas City, MO

The Ehlers met 25 years ago when they were teenagers in a youth group together. They remained good friends over the years. About 5 years ago, they came to know that they were meant to be more than friends and were married a short time later. It wasn?t long before they felt their family was incomplete. Adoption was the obvious choice to fill the void and a special needs child was a given. They started a year and a half ago getting their home study ready. They then scoured the Reece?s Rainbow site, and various other sites, looking for the children God intended them to raise.

When the found Hallie on Reece?s Rainbow, they knew she was missing from their family. The only additional thing they could have asked for was if she were to have a little brother they could also adopt. God showed them, a few weeks later, that she had a little brother, just not by birth. Michael was just listed on the Reece?s Rainbow site and his eyes spoke volumes. The Ehlers decided to adopt both children concurrently. Unfortunately, since the children are not biological siblings, most of the fees are doubled. But they knew these were their children, and God would provide.

Both of the children have limb differences and Hallie is especially vulnerable in her Eastern European orphanage due to the weakened immune system also indicative of her genetic disorder. The Ehlers ask that you take a moment to pray for their health and safety while they wait to come home. Thank you for reading their story.

1/9/10---APPT IS JAN 18!

Follow the Ehlers family's adoption journey on their blog at www.adoptionsuccess.webs.com

We have $7580 in our FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of our adoption!

OLIVE for The Malefyt Family--Kentwood, MI

Karl and Ashley Malefyt are hoping to adopt little Olive from Eastern Europe. We are excited for her, as she has been waiting quite a while!

They had no intentions of adopting internationally being that they are foster parents for the state of Michigan. But God had other plans.

Ashley came across Olive's information on RR and couldn't help but be drawn to her name. Karl and Ashley had planned to adopt from the foster care system and name their next little girl Olivia, and call her Olive. They both felt they would 'know' when God had placed the right child in their home. Little did they know God wouldn't be bringing their child to their home, He would be sending them to her.

Karl and Ashley have two biological children born to them, Ethan age 2, and Evelyn age 1.

They are excited and hope to enjoy the journey of bringing their little girl home. Your financial gifts will be much appreciated!

12/16/09---APPT IS JANUARY 25TH, 2010

I have $1660 in my FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!

Follow the Malefyt family adoption journey on their blog at www.savingolive.com

HUNTER for the Lewandoski Family--St. Michael, MN

Rich and Jodi Lewandoski are hoping to adopt Hunter from Eastern Europe. They have been married over 19 years and the “seed of adoption” was placed in their hearts shortly after their marriage when they learned about all the Romanian orphans and the great need. The Lord had other ideas though and blessed them with 6 biological children. Two of their children had serious medical issues, one with severe craniosynostosis and one with insulin dependant diabetes. Fortunately, they are both doing fine now.

Jodi has always been a stay at home mom and their children came in sets of three; the first three are now 19, 17 and 15 and the youngest ones are 7, 5 and 2. About a year and a half ago that “seed” started growing again - being inspired by Steven Curtis Chapman’s family and the tragic loss of their adopted daughter Maria. As a result, Jodi started exploring the possibility of expanding their family yet again.

By chance she came across Reece’s Rainbow and was looking at all the waiting children when she came to a face she couldn’t get off her mind. It was of the sweetest little boy in the world, so small and innocent and SO in need of a Mama and Papa. After much prayer and family discussions, mostly about how to tackle the financial obstacles of adoption, they happily committed to Hunter.

Jodi will tell you it was one of the happiest days of her life when she knew in her heart that he would really be hers and as for Rich, he has always said he wanted his “quiver full of arrows”. Their family would really appreciate your prayers for this new journey they are about to embark on, and hopefully they will have their new son home this winter!

12/10/09--APPT IS JANUARY 26th!

I have $100 in my FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!

BAILEY for The Fehr Family--Chattanooga, TN

Chris and Krista Fehr, from Chattanooga, TN, have begun the process of adopting Bailey from Asia. They have been married for 17 years. Chris works in finance and accounting and Krista has been a stay-at-home-mom since their first child was born. They have three biological children: Joseph 8, Samuel 5, and Cora 3. The kids are all looking forward to Bailey coming home, especially Cora who would love to share her bunk bed with her sister.

Chris and Krista had been considering international adoption for over a year. The leading from the Lord to adopt came while reading Isaiah 58 and Matthew 18:5. Krista heard about Reece?s Rainbow through a radio program that led her to reading and thinking and praying about adopting a child with Down syndrome. The Holy Spirit just kept providing a sense that their family was not yet complete. However, Chris initially had reservations about adopting a child with special needs.

As they prayed and fasted together, the Lord opened the door in a wonderful way. The very day they began, Krista sat down to watch the next video in her Beth Moore series and it ?just happened? to focus on Isaiah 58 and even talked about the blessings of adopting a child with Down syndrome. What an affirmation! The Holy Spirit literally wiped Chris? hesitations away overnight. With the New Year barely started, they saw Bailey on the website and were completely won over. Upon inquiring about Bailey further, they discovered that Bailey?s legal name means ?snowflake? in her native language. For Chris, this was amazing as he was originally trained in college to be a Meteorologist and has loved the weather since he was a child. Funny that a ?snowflake? could melt his heart ? God is great and gracious! What a special gift Bailey is for this family.

The Fehrs plan to do everything possible to bring her home quickly!

12/29/09---COURT IS JANUARY 18TH!

I have $5025 in my FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!