What does a young couple do when their dreams and plans for starting a family don’t work out?  According to the Centers for Disease Control, that is a reality that almost 12% of couples in the United States face. 

John and Glenda Leonard, now both teachers at Eastern Mennonite School in Harrisonburg, Va. were one such couple.  “[We] went through all of the testing and all of the intrusive medical procedures and still obviously were unsuccessful….And so that was really frustrating, and we were looking for a change,” said John. 

So after five years of trying to start a family, the Leonards packed their bags to work at a Rosslyn Academy in Nairobi, Kenya. Little did they know they would find their children there at an orphanage. 

While some couples simply give up hope of becoming parents, others, like John and Glenda, turn to adoption. While many couples simply give up trying to have children, millions of orphans are scattered around the world looking for adoptive parents. 

John and Glenda join Shaping Families this week to discuss their experience of adopting children internationally.  Today they have two daughters, Karen and Anisa, from a Kenyan orphanage and they share the joy of adoption.

Shaping Families radio program airs each weekend on 17 local radio stations and can be heard online at www.ShapingFamilies.com. Also featured at the website is a weekly blog by host Burton Buller, a weekly recipe from Shaping Families staff and contributors, a study guide useable by small groups and Sunday school classes and many additional resources.  Shaping Families is produced by Third Way Media through Mennonite Mission Network.