ELLIE'S STORY
Nine-year old Elena was in her fifth foster placement in a little over a year. She didn’t understand why she was moving so frequently and thought it must be because nobody wanted her. The court determined Elena would not be returning to her biological family; it was not a safe option. Her younger brother was being adopted by a family, but Elena and her younger sister were still waiting for a permanent placement.
Angel and Tetty Medina had been wanting to grow their family for years and didn’t know what was involved in adopting through foster care. Tetty heard about Project 1.27’s training and support through a coworker and signed them up for training. Project 1.27 gave them the tools they needed to get licensed to be foster parents, to understand how kids are impacted by trauma, and the theological groundwork for how God might be directing their next steps.
This is where Elena, Angel, and Tetty’s stories meet. The Medinas learned about the girls, did some video calls with them, and then visited them in their foster home. It was decided they would live with the Medinas as their final stop. Elena and her younger sister arrived at the Medinas’ home. “It’s a day I’ll always remember,” Angel says. Hope was lighting the way home for Elena.
Stories of foster care and adoption are rarely straight lines. As legal decisions were moving forward, a family member gained custody of Elena’s sister. Angel, Tetty, and Elena grieved the change and also knew the three were a forever family. Three years after her arrival at Angel and Tetty’s home Elena’s adoption was finalized. She was officially a Medina.
Reflecting on her foster care journey, Elena says, “When I was in foster care I felt hopeless and discouraged going from house to house. I felt like nobody wanted me. I was starting to lose hope. When I ended up with them, at the beginning I was still hopeless. A year went by and I was surprised I was still there. I felt their love and God’s love too. I knew this was the place I was meant to be.”
Tetty and Angel knew that Elena missed being a big sister and soon they had a brother-sister sibling group placed in their care. Alex and Cindy are the newest members of their family. Their adoptions were finalized in 2021. Throughout their journey Angel and Tetty have attended ongoing training through Project 1.27. They have found a community that understands their unique journey of becoming a family of five and they thank God for the turns that have brought them unexpectedly to this place.
Today Elena is thriving. Despite initial academic setbacks, she is now on the honor roll. She serves on her school’s student council and is even a teacher’s assistant in math, a subject she struggled with six years ago. Her parents are especially proud of her giving heart. She is the first in their family to consider the needs of their homeless neighbors and is always wanting to share what she has. Elena and her dad went on a missions trip this year where their team built a house for another family. “I want people to know they are loved” Elena says.
Angel and Tetty Medina had been wanting to grow their family for years and didn’t know what was involved in adopting through foster care. Tetty heard about Project 1.27’s training and support through a coworker and signed them up for training. Project 1.27 gave them the tools they needed to get licensed to be foster parents, to understand how kids are impacted by trauma, and the theological groundwork for how God might be directing their next steps.
This is where Elena, Angel, and Tetty’s stories meet. The Medinas learned about the girls, did some video calls with them, and then visited them in their foster home. It was decided they would live with the Medinas as their final stop. Elena and her younger sister arrived at the Medinas’ home. “It’s a day I’ll always remember,” Angel says. Hope was lighting the way home for Elena.
Stories of foster care and adoption are rarely straight lines. As legal decisions were moving forward, a family member gained custody of Elena’s sister. Angel, Tetty, and Elena grieved the change and also knew the three were a forever family. Three years after her arrival at Angel and Tetty’s home Elena’s adoption was finalized. She was officially a Medina.
Reflecting on her foster care journey, Elena says, “When I was in foster care I felt hopeless and discouraged going from house to house. I felt like nobody wanted me. I was starting to lose hope. When I ended up with them, at the beginning I was still hopeless. A year went by and I was surprised I was still there. I felt their love and God’s love too. I knew this was the place I was meant to be.”
Tetty and Angel knew that Elena missed being a big sister and soon they had a brother-sister sibling group placed in their care. Alex and Cindy are the newest members of their family. Their adoptions were finalized in 2021. Throughout their journey Angel and Tetty have attended ongoing training through Project 1.27. They have found a community that understands their unique journey of becoming a family of five and they thank God for the turns that have brought them unexpectedly to this place.
Today Elena is thriving. Despite initial academic setbacks, she is now on the honor roll. She serves on her school’s student council and is even a teacher’s assistant in math, a subject she struggled with six years ago. Her parents are especially proud of her giving heart. She is the first in their family to consider the needs of their homeless neighbors and is always wanting to share what she has. Elena and her dad went on a missions trip this year where their team built a house for another family. “I want people to know they are loved” Elena says.
