Brittany Black and Analiz Schremmer
Buckner International

DALLAS — Every orphan longs for a mom and dad. So when 17 Russian orphans said goodbye to their Texas host families on Aug. 16, there were a lot of tears.

“It’s a very difficult day for everyone, but there is a lot of hope, too,” said Beth Brinkmeyer, coordinator for Angels from Abroad, an orphan hosting program that helps raise awareness of the adoption of older children and gives orphans an experience of living with a family.

“This may not be the last time they see each other,” she said.

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By Brittany Black
Buckner International

HALLSVILLE, Texas — At five weeks old, Abraham Vallery had two broken femurs, 27 broken ribs, a fractured skull and bleeding in his brain. Doctors thought he was going to die. He was put into an induced coma and was fed through a feeding tube. 

Now at 27 months, Abraham, known as Abe, is running, laughing and learning to speak. He has found a home with Jason and Sydnie Vallery, who finalized their adoption through Buckner Children and Family Services’ foster-to-adopt program on July 23. Read the rest of this entry

Children in Sierra Leone, one of the world's most impoverished countries, display their new shoes from Shoes for Orphan Souls.

DALLAS — When back-to-school shopping reaches its peak, Shoes for Orphan Souls®, the largest humanitarian aid project of Buckner International, hits its stride. But after 10 years of collecting shoes for orphans around the world, the global non-profit organization needs help more than ever. Read the rest of this entry

By Claire McGough

“How did you know that I liked cats?” That was one of the first questions Anastasia asked my husband, Chris, and I when we first met her last week. It was such a delight to realize that we already shared a connection, even though we had been living in vastly different worlds — she in an orphanage in St. Petersburg, Russia and we as middle class Texans.

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By Brittany Black

ROCKWALL, Texas — The Angels from Abroad went on a “High Seas” adventure with Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall, Texas on Aug. 5 and 6. The two-day Vacation Bible School focused on God’s love through singing, dancing and games that coordinated with stories from the Bible.

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By Analiz G. Schremmer
Buckner International

SAN ANGELO—A gift of 300,000 will change the living experience of 60 residents at Buckner Retirement Services’ Baptist Retirement Community.

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Brittany Black

All that could be heard over the blow dryer was the sound of laughter. The giggles were coming from the four girls in the Angels from Abroad program and their host moms Monday afternoon at Rockwall Salons.

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Brittany Black

(DALLAS)—The Denson family is riding on a tandem bike for seven.

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Jenny Pope
Buckner International

At 16 years old, *Paola already knows what she wants out of life – her own restaurant and a successful future for her 3-year-old daughter, *Amelia.

“I want her to see that she can overcome anything, like I did,” Paola said.

From age 8 to 12, Paola lived in a nightmare. Her mother would hit her; her stepfather treated her like a maid. Read the rest of this entry