She Adopted Her Brother

Katie* was only 19 years old when she decided to adopt her brother. Unfortunately, she was not the legal age of 21 to adopt, but that did not stop her from fighting to provide the best possible care for her younger brother.

Katie learned from a young age how to cook her own meals and dress herself for school. Growing up in an unsteady home, she felt pressured to figure out life for herself when her mom was not there to help her. However, her younger brother has autism, so “figuring life out” was not going to work for him – he needed more intentional guidance. He needed someone to fight through life with him. 

As Katie grew into her early twenties, she was the person to fight for the support her brother needed with him. She became his primary caregiver, moving into an apartment with her two children and her now 14-year-old brother. Katie soon reached out to organizations like RiverLife Church, a resource partner with One More Child, which meets the needs of families in the community. 

At first, she only asked for basic household items like cleaning supplies. But as our partners continued to help Katie and her family, they quickly realized there was more to her story. Katie and her brother were fighting for her to become what she felt she had been all along – his mom. They wanted to complete the adoption process.

Our partner church said, “She has spent the last year that I’ve known her jumping through all the hoops to be able to finalize the adoption.” Two weeks from the time our partner reached out to us, Katie texted to say that it was adoption day. 

Now, Katie is 26 years old and a “mom” to her teenage brother. She will continue to fight for him and care for his needs every day.

Our mission to provide Christ-centered services to vulnerable children and struggling families thrives on the support from our partners. We are grateful for many partners like RiverLife Church who help us impact one more struggling family.

*Name changed for confidentiality.

Our recommended Orphan Care plan for churches is designed to support foster parents, adoptive families, and other orphan care ministries through a comprehensive three-pronged approach. Caring for children with difficult pasts requires a robust support system, which includes:

1. Prayer Warriors: Dedicated individuals who will fervently pray for a child by name, ensuring that each child is lifted up to the Father. This is the cornerstone of our support system.
2. Resources: Providing essentials like meals, transportation, furniture, or diapers to ensure families have what they need to fulfill their calling.
3. Respite Care: Offering much-needed breaks to foster and adoptive families to prevent burnout and fatigue, allowing them to continue their important work with renewed energy and spirit.

Join One More Child in building a strong, supportive community for these children and the families who care for them.

Learn how you can provide care for children who need someone to turn to and a place to go.