1. Tell us more about your family.

My husband and I met in 2014 from out of state at a church growth school in Durham NC (Phil from Florida and me from Louisiana. We stayed long distant friends until we both became interested in pursuing marriage in early 2018. After not having seen each other in 4 years, we wanted to make sure our directions and intentions were in agreement and God honoring. We met with our families and various pastors in between military assignments, church outreaches, and missions to South Africa. We married end of 2018, me leaving my family, church, and nursing career in Louisiana to join Phil in Washington state at his military post. We welcomed my parents to come live with us 2 years later along with my Downs Syndrome brother and youngest brother. And then after being stationed in San Diego, we welcomed Phil’s handicapped with Parkinson’s mother to live with us also. During this time in San Diego we also had our two long time prayed for - daughter, Priscilla, and son, Judah. Both are an absolute joy to our family. We are now back in Washington state and excited to prepare our home for our next precious family member, our adopted daughter Ruth. I have prayed for this moment all my life, after personally participating in 5 other precious children’s lives and their families…each supporting them towards the best situation for them, but all the while offering adoption. We’re so grateful that God is the one who builds our life and family. After sensing His leading that it is now FINALLY TIME, we were directed to Ruth in perfect timing with Portugal opening their doors to adoption with America and before Ruth aged out of international adoption. We are so excited to be on this journey and look forward to sharing it with everyone God desires to use in blessing Ruth’s life. 

2. Tell us more about your heart for adoption. 

Children have been my hearts cry since I was 5. This grew when I visited Amy Carmichael’s place in India, met her last living rescued child, and seen all the beautifully loved children they still care for. My husband, Phil, has supported children through missions for over 20 years, but especially grew to love the orphan after we married. We have prayed through 6 years of marriage waiting for God’s timing for the orphan not just being a hearts cry, but adopted and loved as our own. We hope this is just the beginning for our family’s growth through adoption. Our children love and pray for more siblings almost everyday. And we hope it will spark a season of growth amongst our family and friends with loving the orphan domestically and internationally.

3. Tell us more about your adoption journey so far.

We believe God chooses our adopted children just as he chooses our biological children. We simply showed up with a heart for adoption and God closed and opened all the doors leading to our daughter Ruth, in Portugal. No one chooses the challenges of international paperwork or assigning struggles to their child. Instead we feel that the love of God directed our steps and will continue to pour out His love through us for everything He desires to use us for in Ruth’s life as her forever parents. We hope to bring our daughter home in July or August time frame, but should get a more specific time frame after we are officially matched in possibly the next month.

4.  Tell us more about the child you are adopting.

Ruth was 15 when we saw her profile. Her heart for a family and openness to international adoption insured our hearts that she was ready to grow her future family. Her medical needs included vision aids and heart murmur. Both are things my (Esther’s) mother has dealt with. Ruth also expressed interest in nursing, which gives us common desires for the future. Also, as soon as I saw both of Ruth’s pictures I could see her in our family.

Prayer Requests:

We are praying for God’s perfect timing, that Ruth would be ready, that the drastic transition of country and relationship support is matched with God’s full measure of grace, that any language barriers or family adjustments are sustained in joy, and that travel is both safe and joyful.

We will be donating $1 from every bag of coffee sold this month to the Koo's Connected Hearts Ministry fund and we'd love for YOU to partner with this family to adopt their precious daughter! You can donate directly to them through their Connected Hearts Ministry link, where 100% of the donation will be used for adoption-related expenses: https://give.connectedheartsministry.org/campaign/koo-family-adoption-fund/c666451