When I look back on my life, I can see that God was writing a story long before I understood where He was leading me.
Many years ago, I traveled to Russia to adopt my daughter, Grace. It was one of the greatest joys of my life. But alongside that joy was a heartbreak I have never forgotten.
As I walked through the orphanage, I knew I would be leaving with my daughter, but so many children would remain behind. I remember looking into their faces and wondering what their future would hold. I couldn’t stop thinking about the children who would not be going home.
At the time, I didn’t realize God was planting a seed in my heart.
Over the years, He continued to grow that seed through opportunities to travel and serve. First to Ethiopia, then Haiti, and eventually Kenya. Each trip opened my eyes a little more to the needs of vulnerable children and families around the world.
But God also showed me something unexpected.
Many of the children living in orphanages are not truly orphans. They have mothers, fathers, grandparents, and extended family members who love them. Often, the issue isn’t a lack of family—it’s a lack of resources. Poverty, illness, drought, unemployment, and crisis can push families into impossible situations.
The more I learned, the more I realized that helping children often begins by helping families.
As a follower of Jesus, I began to see family preservation through a biblical lens. Throughout Scripture, God reveals His heart for the vulnerable, the widow, the orphan, and the poor. But He also values family. God designed children to be nurtured within families whenever possible.
Jesus didn’t simply meet spiritual needs. He fed the hungry, healed the sick, cared for the outcast, and restored hope to people living in difficult circumstances. His compassion addressed both the heart and the practical needs of those He encountered.
That is what drew me to Family Partners.
I saw a ministry that wasn’t creating dependence but empowering families. A ministry that shared the hope of Jesus while helping parents build sustainable futures for their children. A ministry that believed poverty should not be the reason a family is separated.
Today, I have the privilege of serving families in Kenya who are working hard to overcome poverty and create a better future. I have watched mothers start businesses, children return to school, families improve their homes, and communities support one another.
And through it all, I have seen God’s faithfulness.
What began with one little girl in a Russian orphanage became a journey that took me across continents and ultimately into ministry.
I didn’t set out to become a missionary. I simply kept saying “yes” to the next step God placed before me.
Looking back, I can see that Jesus was guiding every step. He used a daughter from Russia, trips to Ethiopia and Haiti, and the people I met in Kenya to reveal His heart for families.
Today, my passion is not simply helping families escape poverty. It is helping families stay together while sharing the hope found in Jesus Christ.
Because when families are strengthened, children thrive. And when lives are transformed by the love of Christ, the impact reaches far beyond one generation.
God’s call on my life began with a child. But it has always been about pointing people to Jesus. ❤️
I love your story Stephanie. I have a granddaughter in foster care in Tennessee. it is so heartbreaking that my daughter died and her father is unable to care for her. i have been working with the system in Tennessee, but my options have not been enough to help her more. I do believe God has a plan and it will be revealed to me too.
I’m so sorry that you are dealing with that. It breaks my heart too. You have suffered so much loss. I will be praying for your family!