Our guests today on ADOPTION NOW are Aaron and Kelli
Couch. They have been married for 25 years, serve as pastors in the
Denver area, and have planted 2 churches. They have 3 biological
children and one child they adopted from China. On today's episode,
April Fallon and her husband Noah talk with Aaron and Kelli about
adoption in the church and their experience with international
adoption.
This episode addresses the relationship between the church
and adoptive/foster families as well as some common mistakes
churches make when supporting a family going through adoption or
foster care. It also touches on what God says about adoption and
how to love a child that has endured trauma.
These topics are discussed as Aaron and Kelli share about their
adoption experience. They talk about what it was like to travel to
China and adopt a baby the same day that 73 other babies were being
adopted!! They share what it was like to say yes to a special needs
baby and how she responded to them during the first few days they
were together.
Aaron and Kelli give a unique perspective on how to love a child
that is not born to you biologically. They unpack the questions
they had before bringing Ellie home, including their concerns about
adopting a child with special needs. Ellie was born with Microtia
and Aural Atresia. She did not have ears, and her paperwork stated
that she was "stubborn and liked loud places." It was their oldest
daughter, Cartier, that knew this baby was meant to be her sister,
and they had to go get her. Ellie was 19 months when they brought
her home. It wasn't a comfortable journey at first, but over time,
Ellie did attach.
Aaron said at first Ellie would not even look at him, but he
decided…
"I am going to love this child because this child is
worthy of being loved; that doesn't mean they are going to love me
back well."
Adoption is a never-ending journey that takes commitment and
dedication, and it can take time for a child to trust their new
parents. When choosing to adopt, it is best not to "missionary
adopt." April says,
"Don't adopt out of the kindness of your heart, adopt
because you want to parent a child and you're in it for the long
run. Adoption is a journey forever."
Noah shares about his experience as a dad and the fears he had not
only becoming a father but becoming a father through adoption.
Aaron and Noah agree that that the child you bring home is meant to
be with you and you love them more than you ever thought possible.
They become your child, and you love them as your own because they
are yours.
Kelli opens up about what Ellie was like as a little girl and how
the siblings got along together. She is now 14 years old, and
through many surgeries, they have reconstructed her ears, and she
can hear. Ellie completed the Couch family, and they needed her
just as much as she needed them.