Thursday, January 24, 2013

The Brainerd Family


This beautiful family has heard the call from God to bring three siblings in to their family. Here is the story of how God is working in their lives.


Jason and Ami have always loved adoption and desired more children, but never thought that they were able to adopt due to the income guidelines put in place by US immigration.  So they just went on with their lives. Things changed, but adoption was not in the forefront of their minds. They experienced job changes and were busy raising two little boys.

Ami was at a conference with a friend and they walked past a table that had pictures of children who need financial support. Ami’s friend, knowing how Ami and Jason had once talked of adoption, urged her to look in to adoption again.

Ami was hesitant, thinking this was an impossible dream, but finally gave in with some ifs. IF they were eligible for the income guide and IF India was open for adoption.

When Ami got home, a quick Google search revealed that India was open. In addition to this, the family now met the income requirements. Within two weeks, they had picked a country, an agency, and their application was completed.

Ami had first thought that they would adopt from India. But when the couple looked into adopting from India they found that things are not as secure in India for adoption, and there were some roadblocks that would not allow them to go forward with India.

God directed them to Colombia where they would be able to adopt two siblings. At least that’s what they thought, but the idea of adopting three children kept coming to Jason. He approached Ami and asked what she thought of adopting three. At first, Ami was hesitant because bringing one child was going to be hard as it is, and they had already decided to bring in two. Now adding a third child seemed almost ridiculous.

Ami asked God for a sign of some sort. She spent one Saturday praying about adopting three children. Then on Sunday she was at Meijer and ran into a friend who had adopting two girls from Vietnam. Her friend said, “I’m telling you, the more the merrier. If we could go back and redo, we would adopt more than two.” Ami went back to the car and told Jason about the story and they knew that God had been clear.

The next weekend they had a yard sale. The agency fees for the third child total right at $2000. The amount God provided at the sale was $1950. This was another affirmation that this is what God was asking them to do.
The Brainerds started their adoption with just $300 in savings which was enough to send in their application. They originally thought they would finance the adoption with loans and grants, but they weren’t eligible for either of these until their home study was completed. This was a little discouraging for the couple, but they completely surrendered this to God and trusted Him to provide for them.

Since then, the Brainerd’s have seen $28,000 come in. This is money that they will never have to pay back. They are praising God and know that the rest of the money will come in for them.


If you would like to help the Brainerds, you can do that this Friday, January 25, 2013 at the Grant County YMCA in Marion, Indiana. They are having a Zumba fundraiser. It is $10 per person. Please come out and encourage the family.

Will you also please keep Ami and Jason Brainerd in your prayers as they send their dossier to Colombia to be reviewed. If they get approved then they will be matched and will be able to get their children. Now this process could be up to two years, but with God all things are possible.

If you would like to read more from Ami about the adoption process, here is her blog.

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