By Nina Hundley, America World Adoptive Mom

A Calling That Began Before We Met

Long before my husband Caleb and I ever met, God was already writing this story.

As a young girl, I remember feeling that adoption was something God had placed on my heart. Years later, Caleb experienced the same calling while serving on a mission trip during college. When we started dating and realized we had both dreamed of international adoption, it felt like God was bringing together two separate stories into one shared purpose.

We always hoped our family would reflect a picture of heaven, a family made up of people from different backgrounds, united by love. Adoption has always been a beautiful picture of the gospel to us. Just as we have been chosen and adopted into God's family, we wanted our family to reflect that same love and belonging.

After a difficult experience with another agency, finding America World was an answer to prayer. Friends recommended them, and from the beginning we experienced honesty, consistency, and incredible support. Every step of the process was handled with excellence. They provided training, social work services, post-adoption resources, and guidance through mountains of paperwork. Looking back, they gave us resources we didn't even know we would need.

When it came time to choose a country, India felt like the clear answer. We were drawn to the many children in India who need loving homes, and Caleb also had a personal connection because of his father's mission work there.

Why We Chose to Adopt an Older Child

From the beginning, we also felt called to adopt an older child.

Part of that decision was practical. We hoped our biological son would have a sibling relatively close in age. We also appreciated that an older child's personality was already beginning to emerge, giving us a better understanding of who they were and any needs they might have.

We were also open to a child with special needs. That wasn't something that frightened us because "special needs" can mean many different things in international adoption. Sometimes a diagnosis reflects limited medical care or cultural differences rather than a severe disability. And honestly, every child, whether adopted or biological, will face challenges in life. There are never guarantees.

We came to realize that adoption isn't really about choosing the perfect child. It's about becoming the right family for a child who needs one.

That perspective required a lot of prayer, honest conversations, and trust. Caleb and I had to carefully consider what we felt equipped to handle while also relying on the wisdom of our America World coordinators, who knew our family well and prayed with us throughout the process.

That's how we were matched with our daughter, Zahra.

The Challenges Are Real

Like every adoption story, ours hasn't been without challenges.

Zahra is deaf, so communication has been one of our biggest learning curves. Every day we continue growing together, and every day communication improves a little more.

She also carries trauma from her early years. Helping her truly believe that she is safe, loved, and that this family is forever has taken time and patience. Sibling adjustment has had its own challenges, and one thing we didn't anticipate was learning how to navigate the attention and comments we receive from strangers. There are also moments when memories from her past surface, and we walk through those difficult emotions together.

The first year of adopting an older child is hard.

Not impossible, but hard.

Then again, I think the first year of parenting any child is hard. The difference with an older child is that they already have life experiences that shape how they respond to the world. Understanding that helped us extend more grace, both to Zahra and to ourselves.

The Blessings Are Even Greater

But if you're wondering whether the challenges are worth it, my answer is absolutely yes.

It's actually difficult to put the blessings into words.

Watching Zahra discover joy has been one of the greatest gifts of our lives. We love seeing her excitement over simple things, watching her personality continue to unfold, and seeing the confidence that comes from knowing she belongs.

She is deeply loved by our family, our church, our friends, and our community. More importantly, she knows it. Watching her settle into that security has been beautiful.

The truth is, she hasn't just changed our family. She's changed us.

She has brought us incredible joy, laughter, affection, and love. She has helped us grow in courage, resilience, and trust in God. There are blessings we could never have imagined before knowing her, because some gifts can only be understood once you've experienced them.

If You're Considering an Older Child...

If you're considering adopting an older child, don't let age be the reason you say no.

Older children still need families. They still need someone to celebrate birthdays, cheer them on, comfort them when they're hurting, and remind them every single day that they are loved.

Will it stretch you? Absolutely.

Will your heart grow in ways you never expected? Without question.

Looking back, saying yes to an older child wasn't just one of the best decisions we made for Zahra. It was one of the best decisions we ever made for our family.

If God has placed adoption on your heart, don't let the unknown keep you from taking the first step. Explore the possibility, ask questions, and learn what's involved. You don't need to have all the answers before you begin.

There are children around the world who are waiting for a family. Maybe yours is the one they've been waiting for.

I'd love to encourage you to explore adoption with America World and discover where God may be leading your family.

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