- [Narrator] It had been just a few days since Heather
and her husband Rick had given the adoption provider
the last materials to review before being matched
with the child they longed to bring into their home.
There was nothing left but to wait, and pray.
Heather recognized her adoption caseworker Amber's voice.
"Heather, I'm calling because we have a situation,"
the caseworker said.
A baby girl born four hours away had been born
with many of her organs outside of her body,
a condition that occurs in only one out of 400,000 births.
She had had emergency surgery that day,
losing 2/3 of her digestive system in the process.
Her mother abandoned her,
and she still needed a great deal
of medical care and a forever home.
Heather stood stunned by the extent of the newborn's needs,
but that wasn't all.
She knew just like that this little girl was meant
to become their daughter, but would Rick agree?
The couple already had a large family,
three biological children,
and three others they had adopted from Korea.
While they were eager to add another to their household,
they had never talked about the possibility
of a child with extensive medical needs.
Honey, I know this is a stretch,
and I know you're probably gonna say no.
Rick listened, "This is what we've been praying
"for," he said.
"Tell them yes."
A week after Heather got the call from Amber,
they met their tiny baby girl and fell
in love at first sight.
They named her Carissa.
Rick and Heather knew that Carissa
would face significant medical needs,
but they also knew that their adoption provider
had long experience in placing special needs children,
and would walk that journey with them.
But little did they know
that their adoption provider
would soon face being shut down.
Heather and Rick's adoption provider,
New Hope Family Services,
received a call from a New York state employee
who questioned New Hope's religious beliefs.
Inspired by their faith's teaching about marriage,
New Hope believes that the best home
for each child they serve includes
a mother and a father committed in marriage.
New Hope also cares deeply
about ensuring birth moms have
the option to work with a provider who honors her desire
to give her baby a mother and a father,
or helps her find a family for her child
that shares her faith.
But the state delivered an ultimatum to new hope.
Either violate its beliefs,
or the state would prevent New Hope
from serving vulnerable children and families,
and shut down the adoption program for good.
New Hope is one of many faith-based
childcare providers across the nation targeted
for putting children first.
But no child welfare provider should
be prevented from serving children and families
because the government decides it doesn't like its faith.
Another child welfare provider,
Catholic Social Services of Philadelphia,
took similar steps to continue serving children,
and their case is now at the US Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court's upcoming decision may well determine
the fate of thousands of children longing
for a forever home who are blessed
and served by their faith-based adoption
and foster care providers.
Every child deserves a loving home.
Carissa and every child deserves
a chance to be raised in a loving family.
And faithful and faith-based providers
like New Hope Family Services help
to make that dream a reality every day.