The Robinson's story

What fun it has been! Late last summer we were matched with a sibling pair. They are so wonderful. They bring us and all those around us so much joy. They love attending our church and there is now a group of little children! They also have made many friends in our village and my wife and I are getting to know a whole group of parents who we otherwise would never have met.

We always knew that the adoption process would be a journey. What we did not realise was how long it would take, and how much support we’d receive through all the ups and downs. We have always wanted to adopt but as a result of moving to the UK we had to wait until we were settled. After roughly three years, we began the adoption process through the USA, as we hadn’t lived in the UK for long enough to adopt locally. We were quickly approved and then simply had to wait for the phone call. Our expectation rose each time the phone rang. Was it a call from our agency saying a mother had given up her child and chosen us to be mom and dad? That call never came.

Our lives and plans changed in early 2013. At a church conference we had life-changing conversations with friends along with hearing Krish Kandiah of Home for Good speak on both the need and practical aspects of adoption in the UK. To our surprise we found out that with our next visa we could begin the process in this country. This meant starting again from scratch. We felt that using PACT was the right move and by the summer were in the assessment process.

Continuing on the journey alone would have been very difficult but throughout everything, our church has been with us. They’re the family we don’t have locally; they’ve been our cheerleaders, and shoulders to lean and cry on. Starting the process again felt both exciting and frustrating with all the paperwork, training and the approval meetings. Except for a glitch with our visas, the home study process went swimmingly until the panel meeting. At the panel meeting we were met with a delay which ended up taking the better part of a month to resolve. Those 30 days were difficult to say the least, waiting once again, this time for the phone call of approval. That call did come and very quickly we were inundated with profiles of siblings, any of which could possibly be welcomed into our family. At that point it felt like we had reached the pinnacle of our journey - the exhilarating part of the journey was now ahead.

We were right; the exciting and fun part of being family was coming and that is now what we experience day after day; being family. We’ve already been on holiday together to Cornwall and even a trip to meet family and friends in the USA. We found that working hand-in-hand with PACT has been fabulous. They have been with us each step of the way, they have tailored their support to our situation and we’ve become friends with various members of their staff. We are so thankful to God for His blessing to us. The verse Psalm 68:5-6 rings so true, that God puts the lonely in families.

Home for Good is working with PACT to create the Home for Good pathway to adoption.