Written on April 25th:
I (Amber Copelin) wanted to email and share with you what happened this last weekend and how God used the S.O.S. to change a man and his true north with his family.
Since I was little I knew I had a passion for adoption. As I grew the dream faded and life stepped in. A few years ago I began working with state foster care children. That dream and passion that had once faded was alive and blazing in my soul, I became broken for their precious hearts. I wanted to change the world one child at a time for God’s kingdom. I was broken for these little lives and wanted so desperately to rescue them all. There was one boy in particular who grabbed my heart and I knew I couldn’t sit by no longer.
I would share my heart and my desire with my husband to no avail. He was absolutely positive, for various reason, our family was done growing and that we were still trying to get the last two kids at home raised and out so we could continue our dream of traveling the world. A few times I pleaded and said I would give all my earthly dreams up if it meant saving just one child. My husband was supportive of my heart but firm in his no and encouraged me to help any other way I could but to not keep asking to adopt. At first I was hurt and mad and I even remember telling him I was going to pray and have God change his heart, out of my anger. Well needless to say God changed my heart towards my husband on this issue and I found peace in this.
I would continue on, time would pass, and by this time I was volunteering for Antioch Adoptions. The dream and passion was still alive and my heart was to still see all of these children have forever homes with others who would love them as much as I did.
My husband would get involved working behind the scenes with me, he even played Santa for some foster kids. I was so in love with his heart to be supportive of me and in his way for these sweet children.
Then last weekend our family was changed forever.
Here, in part, is the story of one man and his family finding there true north together.
(taken from a letter he (Kevin Copelin) wrote to our friends)
A little over 2 years ago, Amber started working in a position where she was daily exposed to kids in the foster system. A couple times, she tried to convince me that we should consider adopting one; real easy answer was, “that will NEVER happen”. I had various reasons, admittedly some were quite selfish, but there was no way we would ever be united on that decision. Amber accepted my answer and never nagged me about it, she just kept praying; she didn’t tell me she was praying, though I should have known because she normally does not fight fair.
The more she has gotten involved, with various foster programs; I have encouraged her hoping it would satisfy her desire to bring them all home. I have gone to a few support planning meetings and, this past weekend, attended an Orphan Summit SOLELY for the purpose of being a good husband and supporting my wife. The Orphan Summit was really not any new information but, as I sat there listening about the fact Washington State has 1,500 children who are legally free and awaiting a home, my heart was breaking for them. I was trying to figure out what program, what way I could help them without giving in on my stance that bringing one home would “NEVER” happen. There were other factors, that will have to wait for the expanded version of the story, that were really making me struggle with the idea that we were to bring one of these children into our home. Saturday afternoon, evening, and night, I was really wrestling with this idea; spent a good bit of time talking to God about it and trying to convince myself that I must have really lost my mind. Of course I could not talk to Amber about it; the slightest inkling would have raised her hopes too high for me to ever back down.
Sunday morning, I felt confirmed that we are meant to give one of these children a home, to love them, protect them and raise them as if we gave birth to them ourselves; whatever sacrifice that involves, insignificant! Sunday afternoon I spent more time praying, reading my Bible, and really making sure that was what we are supposed to do. I finally decided to let Amber into what I was dealing with. As expected, she was joyous beyond terms. We are starting the paperwork and beginning a new journey that I would have not expected even 4 days ago.
That leaves 1,499. Would anyone else like to join us in bringing that number down?
This is truly the readers digest story of what happened in my husband and our family this last week, but the ending is the same. We are starting the paper work to become a forever home to a child that God had a plan to be a part of our family from the beginning, a Copelin.
Amber Copelin has also written a book called "Will You Love Me When."
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