While the global media exposed the death and devastation of Haiti in the aftermath of an earthquake which claimed the lives of thousands, Andrea Vanderhoff sat in front of her television, stricken with fear. Fear for her children, for their safety and protection in a country encased in a state of chaos. When a call to their orphanage director led to no definite answer on their children’s welfare, Andrea and Dave Vanderhoff, along with Matt and Mandy Poulter and Tracy and Less Fuller, were left in a frenzy any parent would encounter when their children’s lives were at stake.

“We began this process of adopting from Haiti almost two years ago. I had originally given up the idea of an adoption a few years earlier from our attempts in Romania, but after talking to Andy (Andrea) Vanderhoff, God made it undeniably clear. The first time I saw their pictures, I knew they were my children,” said Tracy.

After all three families had applied for the adoptions independently, they all experienced an adoption process which was arduous and emotionally draining. After finishing the paperwork relatively quickly, the Fullers waited in frustration with little to no progress on their adoption, while the the same could be said for the other two. Discouragement only increased as the years went by.

“In adopting independently, you need to understand the process a lot more. You are pretty much in charge of the filing and obtaining of all necessary documents. This process can become frustrating, especially in Haiti, because the process is not fast moving. Your paperwork can sit in an office for days or weeks without moving, and a lot of thins can happen in this process which can set you back. You try to understand that this is happening to not just you but everyone applying, but at the time, it feels like it’s just you being looked over,” said Matt.

The wait for adoption finally came to an abrupt end for the families, but not under the best of circumstances. After the January 12 earthquake, which created some of the most severe damage in Port-Au-Prince, which was where the central texas Mission Alliance orphanage was located, all three families scrambled to find a contact in Haiti who would tell them news of their children.

“Fear was the first feeling I felt for Loselande and Carl. I tried calling people we knew down there, but I was not able to get ahold of many. Those were the toughest two days of my life. Those children had already gone through such a difficult life, and to go through such devastation, I can’t imagine,” said Andrea.

Using her connections to Senator Harkin and support from the news crew of ABC, the children were located and pronounced in safe care. The Poulters were once again contacted by ABC and told of one of their supply helicopters in Santa Domingo, which would have room to deliver them to Port-Au-Prince.

“When we were landing, the hills, which had been covered by homes before, was now rubble on the mountain. Then you begin to see the buildings where the first few floors had collapsed entirely, and then the injured Haitians in the streets. It was devastating, and my first instinct was I needed to get the supplies to the children. I knew they were in good care, but they needed supplies,” said Matt.

After collecting the five children, it took seven hours at the United States Embassy to arrange the remainder of the children’s adoption. With the assistance of humanitarian parole, the Poulters with their newest daughter Maya and four other children all arrived in Miami, soon to be met at the Pella airport by family, friends and media.

“It was a relief to see them come from the plane. All the children were exhausted, but it was a happy moment, knowing your kids were safe,” said Andrea.

“When we first found out they would be coming, the whole day was so emotional and overwhelming. I couldn’t barely leave the phone, because I felt I needed to stay there in case someone called to tell me about the kids. As they walked off the plane, the children seemed dazed and confused.It was such a surreal moment, said Tracy.

A few weeks after transitioning from the orphanage to a family, the five children have all adapted to change in different ways, while their family adjusts with them. After celebrating Fuller’s daughter, Roselaure’s, ninth birthday together, the three families are finally beginning to settle in with their newest editions.

“After getting past Kenson having pneumonia from so much dust in his lungs, our family has been hibernating. Both of the children are adjusting to a whole new family, and this takes time. Everyday, the kids are picking up new words in English, and we are just taking it one step at a time, Right now it is hard, but to give life and opportunity to others is worth the struggle,” said Tracy.