The
Owen's Journey
Hello, we are the Owens' family. Nick, Nicole, Kaitlyn, Sydnee, Grayce, Mackenson, and Kendrik (Schneider).
Our journey started in October of 2004 when my husband and myself both heard a radio broadcast talking about
the need of Christians to adopt orphans. It stated that if every Christian would adopt one child there would be no
orphans in the world. That really stuck with us. God had been placing adoption on our hearts for years. Several
months passed with both Nick and I praying and talking about adoption from time to time. The night of the radio
broadcast we knew we were going to adopt a child or children. After several weeks of
researching options and having door after door close, we knew without a shadow of a doubt
that God was calling us to adopt internationally. It seemed like every time we turned around
God was pointing us to Haiti. We spent hours on-line researching Haiti, the culture, agencies
and orphanages that adopted children out of Haiti. Our friend told us she heard a lady (Paula Wells) talking over
the local Christian radio station about Haiti and the orphanage she was associated with, For HIS Glory.
We attended an international adoption seminar held by the agency doing our home study and sitting right next to us
was a couple not only adopting through Haiti, but For His Glory as well. That sealed it, God had spoken. We went
home and called Linda. After spending time with her on the phone we knew that this was a great orphanage ran by
people who really loved these children. All the doubt whether we had picked the right orphanage disappeared.
We started the task of putting together our dossier. Linda was there every step of the way to encourage, help, or
listen. We said we wanted our baby to be the first baby at the orphanage after our dossier arrived. Well God had
other plans. In December 2004, Nick and I fell in love with Mackenson, and our dossier "baby" left our hands in late
March 2005. A couple of weeks later we felt God pushing us in the direction of two children. Fortunately, we had
all our paperwork written up for two children, so our paperwork was okayed for two children. We called Linda again
and she suggested Schneider, a baby that had just arrived at the orphanage. We were hesitant at first, but after a
day of prayers we knew that Schneider too was our son. Linda told us that Schneider was the first baby boy at the
orphanage after our dossier arrived. God definitely has a sense of humor. The Haitian side of the adoption was
complete in December 2005, just one year after God gave us Mackenson. The boys came home forever in March
of 2006, almost exactly one year after we mailed our dossier to Haiti and a few days after Schneider’s first birthday.
These two boys fit in our family so perfectly and complete us. They joined their three sisters Kaitlyn, Sydnee, and
Grayce, who love, argue, and stand up for each other like siblings do. When our boys got home we brought them to
the doctor and they were so happy about how healthy they were. When our social worker came for our post
placement she could not believe how adjusted they were. We know we would not have gotten these reports without
the care they were given at the orphanage. Their emotional needs were met with a lot of love from the nannies.
Their physical needs were met with plenty of food, clothing, and shelter. Their spiritual needs were met by
Christians who taught our boys daily about Jesus. The wonderful people who took care of our boys in Haiti have
made the adjustment at home that much easier. Things are not and have not been perfect, we call it the adoption
roller coaster ride, but through it all we have gained two sons who bring so much joy to our home. God has blessed
Nick and I with five beautiful children, gifts from God. Thank-you For His Glory for giving us something that we can
never repay you for. We will forever have daily reminders of how grateful we are to the selfless birth families for
giving us these boys. Thank-you For His Glory for taking such good care of our sons when we couldn't.
In His Love,
Nicole Owens on behalf of the entire Owens' family
Hello, we are the Owens' family. Nick, Nicole, Kaitlyn, Sydnee, Grayce, Mackenson, and Kendrik (Schneider).
Our journey started in October of 2004 when my husband and myself both heard a radio broadcast talking about
the need of Christians to adopt orphans. It stated that if every Christian would adopt one child there would be no
orphans in the world. That really stuck with us. God had been placing adoption on our hearts for years. Several
months passed with both Nick and I praying and talking about adoption from time to time. The night of the radio
broadcast we knew we were going to adopt a child or children. After several weeks of
researching options and having door after door close, we knew without a shadow of a doubt
that God was calling us to adopt internationally. It seemed like every time we turned around
God was pointing us to Haiti. We spent hours on-line researching Haiti, the culture, agencies
and orphanages that adopted children out of Haiti. Our friend told us she heard a lady (Paula Wells) talking over
the local Christian radio station about Haiti and the orphanage she was associated with, For HIS Glory.
We attended an international adoption seminar held by the agency doing our home study and sitting right next to us
was a couple not only adopting through Haiti, but For His Glory as well. That sealed it, God had spoken. We went
home and called Linda. After spending time with her on the phone we knew that this was a great orphanage ran by
people who really loved these children. All the doubt whether we had picked the right orphanage disappeared.
We started the task of putting together our dossier. Linda was there every step of the way to encourage, help, or
listen. We said we wanted our baby to be the first baby at the orphanage after our dossier arrived. Well God had
other plans. In December 2004, Nick and I fell in love with Mackenson, and our dossier "baby" left our hands in late
March 2005. A couple of weeks later we felt God pushing us in the direction of two children. Fortunately, we had
all our paperwork written up for two children, so our paperwork was okayed for two children. We called Linda again
and she suggested Schneider, a baby that had just arrived at the orphanage. We were hesitant at first, but after a
day of prayers we knew that Schneider too was our son. Linda told us that Schneider was the first baby boy at the
orphanage after our dossier arrived. God definitely has a sense of humor. The Haitian side of the adoption was
complete in December 2005, just one year after God gave us Mackenson. The boys came home forever in March
of 2006, almost exactly one year after we mailed our dossier to Haiti and a few days after Schneider’s first birthday.
These two boys fit in our family so perfectly and complete us. They joined their three sisters Kaitlyn, Sydnee, and
Grayce, who love, argue, and stand up for each other like siblings do. When our boys got home we brought them to
the doctor and they were so happy about how healthy they were. When our social worker came for our post
placement she could not believe how adjusted they were. We know we would not have gotten these reports without
the care they were given at the orphanage. Their emotional needs were met with a lot of love from the nannies.
Their physical needs were met with plenty of food, clothing, and shelter. Their spiritual needs were met by
Christians who taught our boys daily about Jesus. The wonderful people who took care of our boys in Haiti have
made the adjustment at home that much easier. Things are not and have not been perfect, we call it the adoption
roller coaster ride, but through it all we have gained two sons who bring so much joy to our home. God has blessed
Nick and I with five beautiful children, gifts from God. Thank-you For His Glory for giving us something that we can
never repay you for. We will forever have daily reminders of how grateful we are to the selfless birth families for
giving us these boys. Thank-you For His Glory for taking such good care of our sons when we couldn't.In His Love,
Nicole Owens on behalf of the entire Owens' family