Irina and Maxim felt God calling them to adopt after participating in the Day of Prayer for Orphans (Orphan Sunday in America) in their home country of Russia.

Irina said, “We felt specifically that we would ‘need faith’ in our life for the child that God had for us. We started to fill out adoption paperwork, praying for our future child.” Around the same time, a little girl named Sveta was abandoned at the hospital.

Irina and Maxim were thrilled when they were matched with Sveta*! However, the adoption caseworkers discovered that Sveta had been diagnosed as deaf and having special needs. Irina added, “They discouraged us from continuing with the adoption. They said it would be difficult to raise her with a disability, and they understood if we wanted a different child.”

But Maxim and Irina were unshakable. “Absolutely we still want her!” they replied. “We continued to pray fervently while our Sveta was kept in the hospital for one month for additional monitoring and diagnosis. Praise God, when we came to get her, the doctor said she could hear! Furthermore, as she has lived in our family, her other health issues and needs have gotten better. Our daughter needed a family to love and care for her, and to pray over her. She is now healthy and happy.” Praise God with us for couples like Irina and Maxim who are willing to cope with special needs in order to give a child a loving, forever family!

*Sveta’s photo changed for privacy