Kaebel family trying to adopt girl from Ukrain orphanage
A Bossier City family is fighting an uphill battle to change the life of an orphan overseas.
Shonette Kaebel and her husband are in the process of adopting four-year-old Anna K. from a Ukrainian orphanage.
"We felt led by God to adopt a child from overseas. It's a passion of ours to get the word out on these children who need homes," she said.
For the family of 11 that has already adopted five other children from U.S. foster services, they feel the decision to add to their ranks can help others as well.
"It's amazing how God uses us. People see our big family and they ask, and then we tell our testimony about it. Now we can share our experience adopting from the U.S. and overseas to everyone," said Kaebel.
The process of brining Anna K. to America has been "a roller coaster ride" for the Kaebels.
The family had originally wanted to adopt a little girl with down syndrome but had to move on after the girl's grandparents objected. They then picked another girl whose paperwork was not ready before being given a list of four other girls to inquire about, finally finding Anna K.
"We thought, 'That's her. That's the one God wants us to go for,'" said Kaebel.
Still, the family lacks $7,500-$8,000 needed for the trip and adoption process.
"We're going to get the money," said a resilient Kaebel. "I have faith in God, (otherwise) he wouldn't have got us this far."
If the family does not get the necessary funds to make the journey and finalize the adoption, they will have to wait until they can acquire the money. This means Anna K. may be forced to live in a mental institution.
"In the Ukraine, when the child reaches a certain age they get put into a mental institution to get them out of the orphanage. It's not like here — we take care of our children in the U.S.," said Kaebel.
She picked the Ukraine because father went to the Ukraine for mission trips including one in orphanages. After that, the family was led to the little girl via Reece's Rainbow.
A registered, non-profit charity, Reece's Rainbow promotes and facilitates the international adoption and rescue of children. They serve as a connecting point for these children in orphanages and mental institutions around the world to families in the U.S., Canada and United Kingdom.
They are currently working with About a Child — a non-profit public charity, licensed as an international adoption agency that assists American families with international adoption — to bring Anna K. home. This agency educates and prepares adoptive parents during and after their adoption by providing a dossier, translation, interpretation and legal guidance.
The Kaebels are due to appear in Ukrainian court the middle of January. They will be in the country for two-weeks and then have to wait 10 days until adoption is final.
Anyone willing to give a donation to the Kaebel family's mission can deposit it in a savings account at Barksdale Federal Credit Union on Northgate or can call them at 318-742-0155 for more information.
For more information on Reece's Rainbow, visit www.reecesrainbow.org. For more information on About a Child, visit www.aboutachild.org.
Bossier News 
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