LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Baptist Children’s Homes is using the month of November to bring awareness of the need for more families to consider adopting an older child. November is National Adoption Awareness Month, with November 8th recognized as National Orphan Sunday.
Dr. Jerry Haag, president of the Children’s Homes said that they are asking churches and families to keep orphaned children in their prayers. “We believe that every child deserves to have a forever family. So we are asking that families make adoption a matter of prayer during the month of November,” Haag said.
“In Florida there are more than 7,400 children waiting to find a forever family. The good news is that there were about 3,600 adoptions finalized last year. Of course that means that there are nearly 3,000 children that will go another year without finding a forever family. Sadly most of the children who wait the longest are teenagers, sibling groups, or those that have some kind of disability,” Haag said.
The Children’s Homes is working closely with the State of Florida to promote greater awareness of the need for more adoptive homes for children, especially older children. Dr. Haag explained that many people are not aware of some of the financial support that comes with adopting an older child.
“Many people do not consider adopting because they think that the costs are beyond what they can afford. Although there are costs associated with adoption, the cost to adopt an older child is usually free or very minimal.”
“In most cases, financial support is provided by the state to help care for special needs children such as monthly support, health care, and free college tuition at any state university, community college, or vocational school in Florida.”
“Special needs” is a term the state uses to describe a category of children that are typically harder to place with an adoptive home. For example, the term “special needs” is used to describe children from one or more of the following categories: over eight years of age, part of a sibling group, member of a minority group, or are physically or emotionally disabled.
Omon Mims, now 16, is an example of someone who was once considered by the state as special needs. He was recently adopted by the Mims family in Tallahassee.
Omon’s adopted family includes his father Chuck, his mother Natalie, his brother Mitchell (17), and his sister Morgan (14). The entire Mims family is all about three things: God, family, and sports.
Omon is a very gifted athlete and is highly regarded for his skills in football, baseball, and basketball. He started on the varsity football team at Lincoln High when he was a freshman. He also has a deep relationship with God, which shows through in his kind and gentle ways.
The pictures of Omon when he was younger are very different from what you see today, which is a tall, athletic, and very poised teenager who appears much older than his 16 years.
Omon came to the Children’s Homes in 1999 when he was six years old. His biological mother was never able to break the drug addiction that prevented her from properly caring for him.
Omon was soon seeing the Mims on a regular basis as his Visiting Sponsor family, where he visited their home on weekends and holidays. The Mims eventually became Omon’s full time foster family through the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes when he was 12 years old, at which time he went to live with them full time. A couple of years later the Mims started the process to adopt him. His adoption was finalized on April 2, 2008.
Natalie explained that adopting Omon came about because of the Lord’s leading. “Adopting Omon was a decision the Lord made in our hearts. After being his sponsor family and foster family for so many years it seemed like the most natural sequence of events. He too desired to be a permanent part of our family as he knew that he was in all our hearts and minds,” Natalie said.
Natalie and her family receive questions from time to time about challenges they may encounter due to the differences in race (Omon is African American), but she says that there has never been a negative response.
“Our entire family wholly supported Omon’s adoption. Our church was very supportive as well. We receive a lot of questions and people are naturally curious and want to know how it all came about, but never a negative response.”
“Realize that love can overcome a multitude of issues and if the Lord has guided you to a child of a different race, do not be afraid. He is more than able to take care of any issue that may come about. But also, be prepared for a lot of curious looks in public. We find it quite comical.”
“We have a very open dialogue in our family about being of different races. We joke about our differences. However, we are a family and love each other and are there for each other no matter what comes our way.”
“My advice in adopting any child regardless of age or race is to spend time in prayer and seek the Lord’s guidance,” Natalie said.
To learn more about adoption go to the Children’s Homes’ website and click on “Discover the Adoption Option.”
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