Dress For Anna

Every little girl loves a pretty new dress, and my daughter Anna was no exception. Trembling with emotion, she ripped open the department store bag that contained her new dress, tights, shoes, and undergarments. Then she pulled out the lavender floral print dress, caressing the silk lining and rubbing her face in the soft fabric.

?Platya,? she whispered. Dress. The quiet was only momentary, though as the reality of the situation sank in. ?Platya,? she then cheered. ?Halya doma.? Halya is going home.

Although it was the first time in her life that she had ever owned any piece of clothing, it was not the dress that brought such emotion, but what it represented. The new dress meant that it was finally the day that Halya (whom we would name Anna) would leave the orphanage and travel home to live with her new family. It was a day she had awaited for over three years, and a day that I had worked for nearly as long.

A Dress for Anna: The Redemption of the Life of a Ukrainian Orphan tells the fascinating story of how God led Deborah and Rob Amend to adopt a handicapped preschooler from an orphanage in Ukraine, and intricately knit her into their family. Beginning with the circumstances that opened their hearts to adoption, continuing through the entire process, and culminating with the difficult adjustments for Anna as she experiences life in a new culture, this book honestly shares the struggles, grief, and joy the Amend family faced as they followed God down the rocky path of international adoption.

This powerful narrative not only provides readers with a clear understanding of the often challenging aspects of adoption, particularly for special needs children, it also offers inspiration by illustrating just how much an average, ordinary family can do when listening to God and following His call.