Teresa

When we began our adoption process we didn't know that our journey would become part of a greater journey, joining other adoptive families as they each travel their roads to adoption.  Our blog has been shared with many other families who are considering adoption or just beginning their journey, as well as those who are just a bit behind us in the process.

We also cross paths with veteran adoptive families; those who have been down the road multiple times.  Their blogs have been an amazing help and blessing to us as we continue our journey to Logan.  This is the case with Teresa's family, the Bartlinskis.

Teresa's mom and dad have nine children, five of which were adopted from China.  Teresa is their youngest child, adopted in 2010 at three years old from an orphanage in Beijing.

They adopted Teresa knowing she had a terminal heart condition, to them it didn't matter.  They knew that it wasn't about them, it was about her, about God's path for this little girl.  They wanted her to know the love of a family with sisters and brothers.

Two weeks ago Teresa received a much needed heart transplant...

On Thursday her body rejected the donor heart.  

Today the doctors replaced the donor heart with a Berlin heart device, hoping it would sustain her long enough while she waited for another donor heart.

Today we prayed for little Teresa and the entire Bartlinski family.

Today from their family blog, "At 3:23 pm on July 1st, Teresa has ridden her princess bike into Heaven to meet Jesus. She had her ears pierced shortly before her last breath. While we were not there when she took her first breath,God blessed us to be there when she took her last."

Before adopting Teresa, many wondered why they would adopt a terminally ill child, knowing the heartache that would eventually come.  Their Pastor's advice to them was..."GOD will not lead you where HIS grace will not sustain you" . This is what they held onto, this is what they continue to hold onto...

Please join us as we continue to pray for the Bartlinski family.

You can visit their blog here "Our Place Called Home".