Adoption in the Church: Aaron and Kelli’s Story [S5E16]

Our guests today on ADOPTION NOW are Aaron and Kelli Couch. They have been married for 25 years, serve as pastors in the Denver area, and have planted 2 churches. They have 3 biological children and one child they adopted from China. On today’s episode, April Fallon and her husband Noah talk with Aaron and Kelli about adoption in the church and their experience with international adoption. 

This episode addresses the relationship between the church and adoptive/foster families as well as some common mistakes churches make when supporting a family going through adoption or foster care. It also touches on what God says about adoption and how to love a child that has endured trauma.

These topics are discussed as Aaron and Kelli share about their adoption experience. They talk about what it was like to travel to China and adopt a baby the same day that 73 other babies were being adopted!! They share what it was like to say yes to a special needs baby and how she responded to them during the first few days they were together.

Aaron and Kelli give a unique perspective on how to love a child that is not born to you biologically. They unpack the questions they had before bringing Ellie home, including their concerns about adopting a child with special needs. Ellie was born with Microtia and Aural Atresia. She did not have ears, and her paperwork stated that she was “stubborn and liked loud places.” It was their oldest daughter, Cartier, that knew this baby was meant to be her sister, and they had to go get her. Ellie was 19 months when they brought her home. It wasn’t a comfortable journey at first, but over time, Ellie did attach.

Aaron said at first Ellie would not even look at him, but he decided…

“I am going to love this child because this child is worthy of being loved; that doesn’t mean they are going to love me back well.”

Adoption is a never-ending journey that takes commitment and dedication, and it can take time for a child to trust their new parents. When choosing to adopt, it is best not to “missionary adopt.” April says,

“Don’t adopt out of the kindness of your heart, adopt because you want to parent a child and you’re in it for the long run. Adoption is a journey forever.”

Noah shares about his experience as a dad and the fears he had not only becoming a father but becoming a father through adoption. Aaron and Noah agree that that the child you bring home is meant to be with you and you love them more than you ever thought possible. They become your child, and you love them as your own because they are yours.

Kelli opens up about what Ellie was like as a little girl and how the siblings got along together. She is now 14 years old, and through many surgeries, they have reconstructed her ears, and she can hear. Ellie completed the Couch family, and they needed her just as much as she needed them.

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