Will Paul fidgets in his seat. His church, Calvary Baptist in Roxboro, is an ardent supporter of Baptist Children’s Homes (BCH). He sits, listening to a BCH representative share about the ministry as he has many times, but this time Will felt, “God was all in my head.” This was the first time he heard Christian’s story.
Christian was born in the Philippines. He was abandoned on the streets when he was nine years old. Living in desperation, his days were about survival—avoiding the violence of street gangs and scavenging enough food to live each day. Then one day, Christian developed a cough. It was not uncommon among the street children.
There were days when the fever and chills kept him from going out to find food. He became weak. When it was discovered he had tuberculosis and was treated, his body was drug resistant. Healing came slowly and as a result he suffered hearing loss. Christian was now deaf.
Christian was placed in an orphanage. It was a time of healing—physically and spiritually. With the ferocity he lived by on the streets, he tackled his deafness, learning sign language and how to read lips. He learned the stories of the Bible. He gave his heart to Jesus and was baptized. Like other children at the orphanage, he began to pray for his heart’s desire—a family.
Will knew he had to find out more. After the service, he approached BCH’s representative and began to share his story—a story of a servant-hearted man who never thought he would become someone’s father.
He was raised with his brother in a believer’s home. He attended church where he decided to follow Jesus. In college, a friend was deaf and taught an informal sign language class. Fascinated with what he learned, he decided to take a few college courses. He was an education major and believed the classes would be helpful. It was the first time he was introduced to the deaf community.
The skill became more than an interest after learning about fostering children who were deaf. He volunteered at first with the licensing agency and then worked part time, helping to place deaf children with families.
“God had a plan,” Will asserts today.
In 2022, through Christian Adoption Services, the boy’s prayers were being answered. Fifteen-year-old Christian immigrated to the United States with a plan of adoption. Unfortunately, that plan was unsuccessful, and he came to live at Mills Home in Thomasville. The search for another adoptive family began. It is difficult to place a child with special needs—especially an older child. There are hundreds of children on waiting lists.
Christian never lost faith despite the challenges. After all, he had prayed, believing God would send him a family. It is his deep love for the Lord that assured him. It is his greatest strength.
Will remembers from the expression on her face, BCH’s representative was surprised about both his interest and his experience. He asked if there was a way he could help Christian? Volunteer? Mentor? She promised she would be back in touch.
“I didn’t know how I felt,” Will recalls. “I knew God was leading and I felt I had to do something.”
Will became a BCH volunteer after completing the application and being vetted. Will and Christian’s first visit “felt right.” Despite his age, the teen still wanted a family and Will knew he wanted Christian in his life. As the duo became better acquainted, Will asked, “How would you like me to be your family?”
Christian and Will spent more and more time together, talking more and more about adoption. Will remembers Christian asking if Will adopted him, would he have to change his last name. “I told him it was up to him. Whether or not he changed his name would not change the fact that I wanted to be his dad.”
Christian was attending the North Carolina School for the Deaf in Morganton. He was succeeding in academics and as an athlete and set his focus on college. Time was passing and it was decided to pursue a domestic adult adoption—the quickest way for the two to become a family. On September 15, Christian turned 18. The adoption was approved by the Philippine government and was finalized October 28.
Christian Paul finally has the family he always wanted. As for Will, he is the dad he never knew he wanted to be and the dad who God always desired for him to become.
Written by Jim Edminson, Editor of Charity & Children