In the June 16, 2007 issue of “Church News” is an adoption story that touched my heart. The Ozair and Rosicler Ribeiro family of Brazil already had three biological children when Ozair, a fireman, helped rescue a premature infant boy who’d been abandoned in a sewage ditch. The baby spent 45 days in the hospital, and Ozair visited him every day and very quickly, he fell in love with the tiny baby. He and his wife, new converts, adopted the infant and named him William. This child, whom they considered an angel straight from Heaven, ultimately paved the way for many, many more adopted children to join the family.

While the Ribeiros had never intended to have such a large family, the... more

Even though Karen and I were miles apart, the Spirit bore witness to both of us that her choice and my growing up in the family I did were all in accordance with Heavenly Father’s plan.

Karen and I made plans to meet in person, and in the 13 years since that night, Karen has become a cherished friend. She has developed a special relationship with my sweet mother as well. Karen has never attempted to take my mother’s place. She simply adds another dimension of love to a life full of blessings. She has also become “Grandma Karen” to my... more

One afternoon at work, I finally convinced myself to make the phone call. I spoke with two sweet-sounding people who could not emphasize enough how happy they were that I had called. They briefly told me about their family and the circumstances surrounding my birth. Their daughter, Karen, had become pregnant as a high school senior, with no option of being happily married. They asked about me and my life. They requested my home phone number and told me they would have Karen call me that evening. So I went home after work quite anxious about... more

By the end of the year, when life was starting to feel a little more settled, I got an unusual telephone call from my mother. She had received a letter from a couple in Utah who said they were the maternal grandparents of a baby girl placed for adoption in Sandpoint, Idaho, 28 years previously. They requested that if my parents were willing, the information containing their names, address, and telephone number be forwarded to me.

My mother explained that the letter had taken a miraculous journey to reach her. It was originally mailed... more

Adults who were placed in adoptive families in infancy through LDS Family Services (and similar placement agencies) can be difficult for birthparents to track down. Thirty years ago, adoptions were nearly always closed and sealed, often making it very difficult for parties to locate each other. Thankfully, LDSFS placements have moved to a much higher degree of openess in recent years, allowing birthchildren and birthparents easier reconnection, should they choose.

Today I came across a wonderful article in the June 2006 edition of The Ensign which... more

Got an hour to spare? If so, I suggest you sit back and enjoy a wonderful BYU devotional. Mark Peterson, a professor of Korean studies at BYU, spoke on the subject of adoption on March 8, 2005. He relates his own family’s adoption experiences, and likens them to the way we are all adopted into the house of Israel:

“But adoption is not limited to the special cases we call ‘adopted.’ It pertains to all of us. The Apostle Paul made several references to adoption. He spoke of adoption as the process by which we become members of the covenant, part of the family of Abraham. In five instances Paul used the term adoption to indicate the process by which Gentiles and Jews become... more

This story is short and sweet, but I really love it because it illustrates the "catching" effect of adoption. :) It's amazing to me that the Worsleys and so many family members all made the decision to adopt from Romania. I sure wish I could talk my three sisters into adopting all at once!

Fortunately, we have the next best thing in our little ward. Three sets of close friends are all in varying stages of Haitian adoptions, and we look forward to the day when our kids, too, will have "cousins" nearby.

All of a Kind Family (Romania)

Ensign, Dec. 1993, 57

Cheryl and Steve Worsley of the Santa Anita Ward, Arcadia California... more

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This was the first of several major operations our little son, whom we named Derek Kim, would endure over the next few years. He survived each one with the help of blessings, special prayers, and fasting in his behalf. The high medical costs of these surgeries brought a change in our life-style. We sold our luxurious home and other material things to pay the bills. My counseling career was replaced by nursing classes at our local college as I slipped into my new role as a home health-care provider. Many friends could not understand how we could give up so many of our material possessions. My feeble attempts to explain that worldly goods didn’t mean that much to... more

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Before long, word came that the orphanage would soon send the baby. A few days later, we received word that the baby was on his way. But when the flight arrived, he was not aboard. Our hearts sank as a flight attendant informed us that the baby had taken a turn for the worse and the airlines would not allow him on board until he could be stabilized. So we waited. Then another flight was arranged; the baby would arrive at midnight. Again we waited. Finally the announcement came that the Korean jet had been delayed but would land at 1:40 A.M.

As the passengers stepped from the plane, the tension mounted. The last of the passengers walked past us. After what... more

Who Will Adopt a Dying Child? (Korea)

By Carole W. Hankal, Ensign, Oct. 1989, 62

A tiny, abused, and badly burned infant lay dying in a Korean orphanage—a forgotten child. He was the unwanted child of an Asian mother and an American serviceman: the product of two cultures, but accepted by neither because of the great prejudice in that country against mixed blood.

Several thousand miles away in America, I drove on a warm summer’s evening to join my husband at a board of directors’ meeting for Heal the Children. This nonprofit organization relied upon hospitals, medical specialists, and volunteer families to help poverty-stricken children... more