The Oren Family
We were married on August 15, 1998. As we grew as a couple, the puzzle pieces of our marriage began to fall into place. After a few years, the picture was nearly assembled but one piece remained to make the puzzle complete. We realized it was time to move past being a couple and become a family. We searched high and low for the missing puzzle piece. Months of disappointment turned into years. After several failed attempts at fertility treatments, our empty hearts began to break. We cried out to God, “Why can’t we conceive?” He answered, “I AM WHO I AM.”
It was then that God began to bombard us with adoption. Every radio station, T.V. program, magazine article, newspaper ad, sermon, and conversation seemed to steer toward adoption. Like Jonah, we tried to run from God’s call. We gave him every excuse in the book why it wouldn’t work. We worried that taking a piece from another puzzle and trying to make it fit into the empty spot in ours would cause problems. God replied, “I AM WHO I AM.” As adoption continued to consume our thoughts, our hearts began to change. We became more and more excited about the possibility of adopting. Instead of viewing it as a “second-best” option to having children biologically, we began to view adoption as an exciting, God-ordained way to build our family. We researched agencies and countries and God opened and closed doors until he had led us to the path He had chosen. When the information arrived, we anxiously tore into it, excited to proceed. And then, we hit a brick wall - the cost. We were angry with God. Why would He lead us to this point knowing that we could not afford to adopt on our limited income? Once again we heard, “I AM WHO I AM.”
We completed our application on July 5, 2005 and mailed it in on faith. We still had no idea how we would make the finances work, but we knew God did. As we trusted in Him, His plan began to unfold. A job offer, information on Shaohannah’s Hope and other grants, gifts from family and friends, and other means of saving money became available. We began the long wait for a referral. Holidays came and went and our arms remained empty. Though we were closer than ever to completing our puzzle, it seemed as though the last piece would never be found. God reassured us, “I AM WHO I AM.”
On June 20, 2006 we received the phone call of our dreams. Our beautiful baby boy was born in Seoul, South Korea on May 10, 2006. We memorized his photo. We clung on to every scrap of information the agency sent. Our hearts rejoiced that our puzzle piece had been found, but ached to hold him in our arms and to make the picture complete once and for all. God held us through the long nights and softly whispered, “I AM WHO I AM.”
Two months and 11 days later, record time for our agency, we held Kaden in our arms for the first time at the age of 3 months, 3 weeks. August 31, 2006 will always be a special day for us. It was the day our puzzle was completed. It turns out that God had been holding onto the final piece all along. It was not a piece taken from another puzzle and forced into ours, but the piece that God had created to fit and make our picture complete since the beginning of time.
We are now a family and Kaden is our joy and delight. Though we sometimes worry about his growing years and our ability to be the parents he needs, we know that God is in control and already holds the future in His hands. When we are tempted to let doubts creep in, God reminds us, “I AM WHO I AM”.
To donate by check, please make checks payable to "Shaohannah's Hope" and mail them to:
Shaohannah's Hope
Attention: Giving
PO Box 647
Franklin, TN 37065
For further questions, email
give@shaohannahshope.org. One hundred percent of your gift will be directed towards assisting a family applying for a Shaohannah's Hope grant. Furthermore, Shaohannah's Hope, Inc. is a 501(c)3 ministry and your donation is tax deductible.