To those who have been apart of the adoption process, you know the joys, the frustrations, the challenges, the victories, the commitment…the heart that goes into adopting a child. The commitment to nurture and love a child for a lifetime is no small feat. And it is, perhaps, for that reason, that there is nothing sweeter than an adoption story that comes full circle.
Elisia Ginn is a high school student at Santa Rosa Academy in Menifee, California. She is an athlete, passionate about soccer and basketball. She loves dance, and photography. After graduation, she hopes to attend college to become a physical therapist. And she is adopted. In 1998, at two weeks of age, Elisia became a member of the Ginn Family in an adoption orchestrated by ICA.
As a junior, Elisia is required to participate in a community service project at her school. Students are given the freedom to choose a project that they find meaningful. For Elisia, the choice was easy, and she made plans meet with Ren Sabio at ICA. Together they decided she would provide humanitarian aid to orphaned children in Mexico by collecting supplies to assemble “Hope Paks.” Each “Hope Pak” is comprised of a shoebox filled with basic necessities, such as toothbrushes, and toothpaste. They also contain school supplies. Boxes are delivered to orphaned children who do not have easy access to basic necessities.
Over the course of four months, Elisia collected empty shoeboxes and supplies from local businesses. She got in touch with family, and friends to ask them to contribute to her project. She received many donations, as well as cash to purchase supplies from out of the area family. When all was said and done, 100 “Hope Paks” were packaged and taken to the ICA office. They will be delivered to an orphanage in Mexico this summer as part of a missions trip.
While her identity is not defined by her adoption, Elisia understands that her adoption story is part of who she is:
“I chose to participate in a project with ICA because I was adopted from that agency. I am grateful for the life I have with my family, and I wanted to help orphans who do not have the things that I use on a daily basis.”
In a story that goes far beyond a community service project, we see the life of an adopted newborn, turned teenager: A young woman who is now giving back to children alongside the very agency that once facilitated her adoption.
If you would like information on how you can help provide humanitarian aid to children in need, contact ICA at (951) 695-3336.
