We are the Rouse family- Kayla, Sam, Liliana, Luke, Esther, and Philip. We love each other very much and are looking to expand our family through adoption! Thank you so much for reading our story and considering joining us on our journey to bring an orphan into our home to be an orphan no more!
I would love to start by just explaining how we got to this point in pursuing adoption and why we feel called to adopt now. Ever since I (Kayla) was about 7 years old, I was captivated with the idea of adoption and bringing children that didn’t have a loving mom and dad to care for them into forever families. I can remember many a night begging my parents to adopt or Sunday mornings staring lovingly at children in foster families in our church. I would tell everyone that one day I would be a mom to lots of babies and run an orphanage. While those childhood dreams aren’t exactly a reality-I’m not running an orphanage, my heart has never changed towards adoption and loving on children in vulnerable situations. When my parents did decide to adopt when I was 15, I was over the moon and worked closely with them raising funds and doing all I could to bring my sister home when I was 16. Having an adopted sister and experiencing firsthand that blessing has been instrumental in my life and in Sam’s having a sister-in-law who was adopted into our family.
Being as adoption was such an important dream for me, Sam and I have been talking about adoption since our first date, and although Sam didn’t have first-hand experiences with adopted children growing up, he LOVES children and quickly grabbed hold of the heart for adoption. We became fully united in the desire to grow our family through adoption before we were even married. Since that conversation has been going on since the infancy of our relationship, you could say that adoption has always been in our desire for our family. To finally be at a place where the pieces have come together to allow us to pursue international adoption seems like a dream come true, and we are so thankful! Our family verse is Colossians 3:12-17 and are therefore seeking to clothe ourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and above all love which binds us all together in perfect harmony. One of the ways we feel we have been called to do this as a family is through caring for children in vulnerable situations. We have been privileged to participate in serving children temporarily through foster care in our community over a 3 year period and were so blessed by it. While we are passionate about this sweet ministry of reconciliation, we are also very aware of the great need for families for children around the world who are orphans in need of a forever family. When we found out about Saint Mary's International Adoption agency and about the need in Bulgaria, the more we learned about the need and the process, the more we found that it was a perfect fit for our family! We are so excited to be welcoming a forever little one into our family and to be on this journey to adopt from Bulgaria now! We have been approved for up to two children and are waiting to be matched.
Our village is strong to both welcome and help us to raise this sweet child! Would you consider being part of our village to bring our new child home?
We have received a matching grant of $4,000 funded by Josiah’s Adoption Fund, as well a matching grant of $3,000 funded by Lifesong, giving us a total matching grant of $7,000!
That means that anything you give will now be doubled! For example, a $50 grant would be doubled to $100 through our matching grant. Any amount is so appreciated!
If you would like to join us on our mission of bringing an orphan (or two) into a forever family, please consider giving to our account. We realize that not everyone is called to adopt, but everyone can be involved in some way in orphan care, and we would be so blessed for you to choose to be part of our child's story!
STRIPE charges an online processing fee (2.2% +.30 USD per transaction)*. Your donations will be decreased by this amount. You may also send a check payable to “Lifesong for Orphans”. In the memo line please write “Rouse 10553”, to ensure it is credited to our account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 9, Gridley, IL 61744.
Lifesong has been blessed with partners who underwrite all U.S. administrative and fundraising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to the adoption.
- In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to Lifesong for Orphans. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.
- Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Individual donations of $50 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $50 will gladly be sent upon request.
- *3.5% fee for donations given with an American Express card