The family photos tell it all: New Life member Beth Cloutier has two daughters. And when she holds them, she holds the world in her arms – from China to Haiti.

Beth’s daughters are named Christina and Qing Qing, (pronounced Ching Ching); Christina lives with Beth in College Station but Qing Qing still lives in her home country, China. Still in the process of bringing Qing Qing home, Beth decided to adopt her after she lived with Beth and Christina in College Station this summer as part of an advocate for adoption program.

Beth is also in the process of adopting her daughter, Christina, from Haiti. Beth brought Christina, who has agenesis of the corpus callosum, a disease that causes developmental delays, to College Station in the spring of 2015 with a medical visa.

However, Beth’s adoption story started long before Christina’s arrival in Texas. Beth’s parents adopted her younger sister, who has special needs, from Haiti, leading to regular visits by Beth and her family to the orphanage her sister was adopted from. On a visit in 2010, Beth met Christina.

Initially, Beth was attracted to Christina because she thought Christina had the same disability as her younger sister. Although this turned out to be a misdiagnosis, Beth still found herself drawn to Christina.

“She’s super sweet, Beth said. “For some reason, there was just something more with Christina.”

Over the next three years, Beth continued visiting Haiti regularly, praying “half-heartedly” for a family to adopt Christina while she continued nursing school in the US, thinking a two parent family would be best for Christina.

However, in 2013, after prayer and seeking guidance from friends and family, Beth decided that a one parent home would be better for Christina than growing up in an orphanage. She applied for Christina’s medical visa in 2014 and brought Christina home to College Station in January 2015.

“Finally landing in the US with her was a great moment,” Beth said. “[It was] surreal, stepping onto US soil was like ‘whoa. We both transitioned [to life together] super smoothly," Beth said. "It feels like she's always been here."

Beth and Christina quickly settled into life together. Then in summer of 2015, Beth heard about an organization called Here I Am Orphan Ministries that partners with an adoption agency in Colorado to bring kids from foreign orphanages to the United States, increasing their chances of being adopted. While in the US, the child stays with an American family who will either advocate for the child’s adoption or adopt of the child themself.  

The program immediately piqued Beth’s interest, especially when she saw the profile of an (eleven-year-old girl named Qing Qing with Down syndrome.

“Her profile described her as sweet, helpful, and independent,” Beth said. “I knew I couldn’t trick myself into thinking this was a three week thing. I had to be ready to adopt.”

Qing Qing came to stay this past June, living with Beth and Christina for three weeks. Beth said Qing Qing quickly developed a bond with Christina.  

“A lot of kids are nice to Christina, but don’t necessarily interact with her,” Beth said. “Qing Qing interacted.”

Over the weeks Qing Qing lived with her, Beth continued to pray over adopting Qing Qing, and decided to go through with the adoption in early August. She is currently working on a dossier to send to China, and if the process goes smoothly, she will be able to pick Qing Qing up in China as early as March or April.

“Christina and I talk about Qing Qing and pray for her every night,” Beth said. “I think she understands that Qing Qing is coming back. They had so much fun together this summer.” However, Beth said that starting a new adoption process while still trying to adopt Christina has required her to trust God to provide the funds for the adoptions, and most pressingly, Qing Qing’s adoption.

“I knew if this was something God wanted me to do, he’d provide a way,” Beth said. “He’s provided for this and He will continue to provide for this.”

As Beth goes through this process, she asks for prayer for financial provision, for the adoption process to go smoothly, and for Qing Qing’s transition from China to America. Beth points to the Lord’s provision in allowing her to mother these girls.

“It’s not me. He’s allowed me to have them,” Beth said. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”