Bruce and Karen have a story of patience, faithfulness and perseverance. Through pregnancy difficulties and adoption hurdles and heartbreak, God had slowly been preparing their heart and home for what He had planned for them.
Through the hard times, Bruce and Karen thought maybe God didn't want them to have children of their own. But things changed on Mother's Day 2011. A friend from their church told them of a little boy who was deaf in Hungary who needed a forever family. AMAZINGLY, Bruce and Karen had both been learning sign language because they believed God was calling them to start a deaf ministry at their church! After much praying, fasting and wisdom-seeking, they believed God was opening this door for them. Even though it was scary to think of the challenges ahead, they chose to walk through it!
Through a matching grant from the James Fund (Partnered with Lifesong for Orphans), Bruce & Karen were able to raise the funds they needed to complete their adoption.
First meeting with their new son, Marcell.
First official family picture!
We were blessed to find Lifesong and to be accepted for a matching grant. Our friends and family donated over $3,000 and James Fund/Lifesong matched every penny of it! Receiving the checks from Lifesong was an added encouragement to us as we continued on our adoption journey. The costs of adopting internationally are so large that at times we felt overwhelmed. But knowing Lifesong was behind us, and people there were praying for us, helped us continue on our journey.
-Bruce & Karen