Guest Religion Column by George Popko- In what sounded like a script for a suspense-filled, emotional film, a young Ukrainian-American couple shared their recent story of adopting two children from tumultuous Ukraine, during a speaking engagement at Reality Church in Citrus Heights last week.
Roman and Krystyna Kravchuk began their story by explaining how they found out Krystyna would be unable to conceive, and how they started a blog to share their experience on the sensitive topic of infertility and adoption. But before things got better, they took a turn for the worse. Doctors told her that she also had diabetes and would be vulnerable to heart disease and other health conditions. When Krystyna had to undergo surgery, they knew there was no longer a possibility for having their own children through natural birth, and their faith was challenged like never before.
But little did they know, their trials were only beginning, as they would face more difficulties. The couple shared that after significant prayer and consideration, they eventually felt led by God to pursue adoption. Roman, 28, and his wife, 25, spoke of how their first attempt at domestic adoption tragically resulted in the loss of a newborn baby from a woman named Nicole who had agreed to give up her child for adoption.
Krystyna then shared about how she began trying to start a program of Orphan Hosting in her church โ a ministry where orphans from other countries come to stay at homes in the United States for a period of time.
Touched with compassion, she asked if there was anything they could do to help him โ but with only a few hours left, and a mountain of complicated paperwork, it seemed impossible. Believing a miracle had happened โ they were assured this was their answer from God. After calling back a shocked agency representative, the year-old orphan, Andrey, was soon on the way to their home for four weeks.
