Meet The Athman Family
Dear Show Hope,
Today we received a letter in the mail from Show Hope stating we had been awarded an Adoption Aid grant. I stood in awe as my kids gathered around wondering what was wrong. When I shared with them about your generosity, a cheer erupted from these tiny people who are walking out the faith required for an international adoption, in the middle of a global pandemic, and at a time when our country and our city of Minneapolis seem so scarred, and broken, and divided. Their little hearts are tuned to worship the God who is faithful and provides and moves mountains for us.
When we set out to adopt a little boy with Down syndrome from China a year ago, we knew it would require great faith. We knew God had another story to tell through our family, and this time our kids were old enough to know what this was about and be a part of it. It has been five years since we (along with our daughter) first met our other three children through the foster care system. They were too young to know what adoption really meant. We’ve seen God work and move in their stories by bringing them into our family.
But this time it is different. They are active participants in this faith journey. They pray for their brother daily; they help us make room and prepare for him. The older kids patiently play games with the younger ones while Mom and Dad fill out more and more paperwork. They pray over senators and state representatives as we request help in allowing for travel. They wait with us. They cry out to God with us—to allow travel to resume, to reopen immigration appointments, and to take care of their brother while we wait.
When I opened the letter today, not only did God wipe away the last huge chunk of our adoption expenses, but the way our kids’ faith has been bolstered by this journey was solidified. I can see on their faces the impact of us adopting as a family. They watch the fight, advocacy, prayers, the waiting and the longing to hold him in our arms, all of which demonstrate their parents’ love for them, and also the Father’s love for them.
I don’t really know how to express our deep gratitude for your part in our adoption journey except to tell you of the lasting impact you’ve had on our faith and the deep-seated impact you’ve had on the disciples we are raising. They have clearly seen God calling us to something big, and maybe scary, and watched him walk with us. He’s holding our hand and parting the seas, providing for our every need in the desert. With hearts of gratitude, we thank you immensely for your gift to our family. I’m confident it will be remembered and spoken of for years to come.
“There’s no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” — 3 John 1:4
Humbly,
Chris and Kysa Athman
Show Hope sponsors’ monthly gifts of $35 or more go directly toward families being built through the help of our Adoption Aid grants, like the Athmans, and without their generous and faithful support, this work would not be possible.
To be part of this life-changing work and to follow some of these stories of hope, become a Show Hope sponsor today.
