By Bonnie Williams | Manager of Development
Heather and Tom had two older, adopted boys but they wanted another child. Looking online at photos of children, she learned about Kidsave’s Summer Miracles program, through which they could “host” an older orphan for a month, with the possibility of adopting him or another child in the program.
When she saw Jean Carlos' picture and read his bio she just knew he was the one. “That smile. Those eyes. And he shares our faith,” she later said. She sent several photo listings to Tom, including Jean Carlos’, and he felt the same way. He emailed back, “Did you see Jean from Colombia? I really like him.” Jean Carlos had been considered too old to be adopted in his native Colombia, but he longed for a family.
And so last summer 12-year-old Jean Carlos traveled to the U.S., to spend a month with Heather and Tom and their boys Nathan and Zachary.
On a hot day in June, they all met him at the airport. After a long drive home, Jean Carlos explored the house with wide-eyed wonder as the boys showed him around. Over the next month, catching fireflies, going for his first beach trip, baking a birthday cake, and learning to swim they all began to feel more and more like he was part of the family.
Then one day, after watching a Muzzy video with Spanish subtitles to practice his English, Jean Carlos turned to Heather and asked, as the characters had, in English, “You love me?” “Yes!” she said. He replied, “I love you.”
When the end of the month came, Heather asked him how he felt about her family. “We aren’t a perfect family,” she also told him. He simply replied, “You are [perfect], for me.”
On February 5, 2017, Heather and Tom flew to Colombia and saw Jean Carlos again. They are in the process of adopting him and excited to continue to bond with him, immerse themselves in Spanish, and learn more about the Colombian culture while they stay in touch with him.
Heather and Tom are giving Jean Carlos the greatest thing a child can have – a loving family. Nothing makes a better foundation for life or gives a child a better chance at a good future than that.
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