“We went to China in 2005, we knew there was a need, but we didn’t know how great the need was. It made us realize that we can’t do it all ourselves, but together we can make a difference, ” said Linette Montgomery.

In considering a special-needs child this time around, Montgomery said there are “needs” that are very manageable.

“It might be something that requires a one-time surgery or therapy, and then the children go on to lead perfectly healthy lives,” said Montgomery. “I think special-needs adoption is on the rise, because people are more aware of the special-needs kids, and that so many of the needs are manageable. We do have excellent medical care in this country.”

Being a one-income family, she said the grant from Shaohannah’s Hope is a tremendous blessing. “It will pay much of our travel expenses, honestly, which we wouldn’t have otherwise,” Montgomery said. “We were very fortunate because we got to go up on stage with our daughter at the end of the concert, and Steven presented the grant to us that evening,” said Montgomery.

Another adoptive parent, Misty Peterson, also received a $4,000 grant from Shaohannah’s Hope, in addition to several other grants. She and her husband Tron live in Webb City, Missouri with their two Asian daughters and three biological sons. Misty continually advocates adoption, and she just returned home from a 10 day orphan care trip in Langfang China, where she visited a Christian orphanage that assists children with medical treatment (www.chinaorphans.org).

Like Pennington, the Peterson’s first wanted to adopt because they were dealing with infertility. Three years after they adopted their first child, Sarah, they continued to grow their family by having three biological sons.

“Then, in 2006, and having the experience of dealing with infertility, adoption and childbirth, we became very much involved with advocating adoption,” said Misty Peterson. “We felt like God was leading us to adopt again, before we even knew that Sarah, now 12, was praying for a sister that looked like her. We started praying specifically for baby ‘Selah,’ which means to pause or to worship. We also knew that God put it on our hearts to adopt a special needs child.”

 In August 2006, Selah was born in South Korea. She had a heart murmur, was born with one kidney and, according to her blood work she had a genetic disorder, Di George Syndrome, and was missing a gene. Her medical records now no longer show she is missing a gene.

Busy with five children, Peterson said she has created a Web site, www.iwillkissyoufortwo.com to help educate and inform others about adoption.

“When we couldn’t have children, God led us down a road that was exactly His heart and his plan for us,” said Misty Peterson.

 In closing, Hasenbalg said, “The holidays provide a unique opportunity for all of us to realize how blessed we are and it’s a time recognize what we can give out of compassion for the least of these. Especially at Christmas, because we celebrate the birth of our savior who paid the ultimate price, death on a Cross, so we may have eternal life and be adopted into the family of God.”