America World Associates

Jason and I recently became associates for America World, the adoption agency we worked with to bring Matty home.  Here is a little snapshot of the introduction Jason wrote for us...

The dreams of those we love have a way of becoming the hopes of our own tomorrows.  Michelle always knew she wanted to adopt.  It might have been her numerous experiences on youth missions trips to places like Kenya and Morocco, or the interactions she had with adoptive families; but starting her family through the miracle of adoption was always a dream of my wife's.  I always wanted a family, to be a dad.  It might have been my lack of exposure to the world outside of my comfortable box, or my limited ability to envision a different type of family; but I never imagined starting a family through adoption.

After four years of hearing Michelle talk about adoption every time we mentioned starting a family, I started to realize that this wasn't a "phase" that she was going to "get over".  Instead, I started to evaluate whether or not I had it in me to love a child that wasn't my own flesh and blood.

Coincidentally (or more likely, in God's perfect timing), I was invited to participate in a week-long trip to Guatemala by my friend and colleague William.  We worked and served at a wonderful ministry complex, delivering food to families in a garbage dump, helping organize a warehouse full of discarded American electronics, and spending time at an orphanage. 

It was in the orphanage that I was instantly turned into a human jungle gym by a group of 15 five-year-old girls.  They jumped and swung on me for what seemed like hours (but was probably only a few minutes).  I quickly found myself slumped on the concrete floor, barely able to move from shear exhaustion.  After three of the little girls finally realized that I wasn't going to be resurrecting their jungle gym in the near future, they jumped off my lifeless legs and went looking for the next set of arms and legs to swing from. 

But one little girl just sat on my lap and didn't run off with her friends.  She calmly leaned back against my chest and held one of my hands.  She started singing a song in Spanish while tracing the lines on my palm.  The sun was setting over the mountains of Guatemala and I knew in that moment that I would jump in front of a bus for this little girl.  In a matter of seconds she had stolen my heart and she showed me what love was all about.

That night I called Michelle and said, "I'm ready, let's adopt."  She didn't hesitate, she just said, "Let's do it."

Unfortunately, our story doesn't continue with us bringing Marleni home.  She wasn't available for adoption and we had to let go of that specific hope.

But, through prayer and patience, we soon found ourselves at the dinner table of a couple who had recently completed an adoption with America World.  We listened to their story, heard their passion, and recognized the care and concern of the organization that held their hands through the entire process.  It was only a few weeks later that we started our own adoption journey.

In the spring of 2009 we began the paper-chase, compiling our dossier for Ethiopia.  About 13 months later we were the proud parents of Mateios Steffenhagen, a six-month-old baby boy!  We traveled to Ethiopia and brought home our first child.

It was a wonderful experience from start to finish.  Nothing has been better for our marriage, better for our faith and better for our understanding of God's love than going through the process of adoption.  America World was helpful in every way we could have expected.  They answered our questions, normalized our fears and provided the reassurance and encouragement to stay the course, knowing that the journey is long and sometimes arduous.

The dreams of those we love have a way of becoming the hopes of our own tomorrows.  Michelle dreamed of adoption from a young age.  I needed a little angel in Guatemala to open my heart.  Together we are experiencing the joy of parenthood, caring for one of God's precious children who was in need of a family.