The family with 34 children - and counting Joseph (left) with Milo, who was adopted from Ghana by one of the Briggss biological children In 2005, when Joseph was 14, he found out that he was going to be adopted - it was a life-changing moment. I now had a family and would never have to worry about being left behind. If I was left in the orphanage, I would have been dead or homeless. Life would have been hell for me because of my special needs. Stories like Josephs are not uncommon in the Briggs family - some of the other children were also abandoned or had unhappy childhoods. Many came from dysfunctional families or had specific medical requirements. Ten-year-old Andrew from Bulgaria is blind and suffered from a traumatic brain injury. When Jeane and Paul first met him, he was five years old and weighed only 17lb (7.5kg). He was slowly being starved to death, he couldnt even hold his head up, says Jeane. But within a few months he was walking around our home. Cate who is now 22 and Leah, 21, were adopted from the same orphanage in Ukraine. I was at the orphanage and they called me into the directors office, recalls Cate. They said, Theres a family that wants to adopt you, do you want to be adopted? and of course I said, Yes. Cate was adopted from Ukraine, and Andrew from Bulgaria Coming from the difficult life of the orphanage, it was the small things that stood out for Leah when she arrived at her new home, I was glad to have a pair of clean socks or just anything that was clean. There are several sets of siblings who have become part of the Briggs family. Tia, who is 18 and from eastern Ukraine was adopted with her two sisters - their mother and grandfather had died from tuberculosis. A few years before that, their father had been murdered. She remembers the day she met her new brothers and sisters. When I got home I saw tonnes of people rushing at me to hug me, cheering and everything, she says. Im so glad that Im here, I dont know what Id be doing if I was there, I dont know if Id be alive. The Briggs Family As well as their five biological children, the Briggs have adopted 29 children and are in the process of adopting another two. Abraham, 31, Mexico Cate, 22, Ukraine Sari, 9, Ghana Jacob, 23, Russia Leah, 21, Ukraine Isaiah, 8, Ghana Isaac, 17, Russia Olivia, 22, Ukraine Lila, 6, Ghana Lily, 15, Russia Rachel, 21, Ukraine Jesse, 4, Ghana Mya, 12, Russia Tia, 18, Ukraine Judah, 4, Ghana Anna, 19, Russia Jonas, 19, Ukraine Grace, 15, Ghana Josiah, 15, Russia Caleb, 15, Ukraine Levi, 9, Ghana Luke, 13, Ukraine Gracie, 11, Bulgaria Sandra, 14, Ghana Nataly, 21, Ukraine Andrew, 10, Bulgaria JR, 11, Ghana Joseph, 24, Ukraine Selah, 9, Ghana Jabin and John, babies, Ghana* From a young age, Jeane was concerned with the bigger issues affecting society and was particularly interested in orphans and adoption. Even then she knew she wanted a large family - although she never expected it would be this big. I guess all my life, even as a child, I knew I would adopt and have a large family. Faith has been the biggest motivation… every child should have a loving family. Soon after meeting her husband Paul at the age of 14, she invited him along on a babysitting job. I wanted to see if he was good with kids. He passed the test and weve been married 38 years, says Jeane. Jeane says before any decision is made to adopt a child there is a lot of prayer and consultation. We talk to the whole family if we are considering adopting another child. We ask everyone what they think it will mean for us. Joseph has travelled to Ghana with his parents to meet some of his new brothers and sisters before they were adopted. When he is asked his view on a child becoming a Briggs, he says he can never say no. Every child deserves a second chance and I was one of them. Clockwise from top left: Grace, Nataly, Levi and Lily - members of the Briggs family But as difficult as it is, the family have had to say no to many children and there have been cases where other factors have prevented an adoption from taking place. Jeane and Paul were in the final stages of adopting two boys from Uzbekistan when the country changed its laws and the adoption could not proceed. There was definitely a feeling of loss. I suffered a miscarriage once before and the feelings of loss were the same, says Jeane. I dont know where those two boys are now. Some of the children have no family back in their home countries, others havent heard from their relatives in years. But those that do have contact are encouraged to keep in touch. Sometimes the children will speak to relatives on the phone and Jeane will send pictures to let those back home know the children are doing well. They may have our last name but if there is a relative, then we are glad that child has two families who love them. My husband and I dont need to be the first Mum and Dad to them, says Jeane. As Christmas approaches, Jeane and the family are in full planning mode. The presents have been bought, the wrapping is done and the food has been organised. And while many people get panicked about the large number of people they have to cook for at this time of year, Jeane is well used to it, she already does it every day. John David and Jabin Kofi from Ghana will soon be joining the family in the US But Christmas isnt the only thing the Briggs are looking forward to - there is much excitement over Jabin Kofi and John David joining the family in the New Year. I cant wait, its so exciting, says Cate talking about the prospect of meeting her two new brothers. I would take them in a heartbeat, they are like a Christmas gift, says Leah. Jeane and Paul recognise that their family might seem different or unusual to others. Were not the typical family, says Jeane. But I actually dont want to be the typical family. And I really encourage people to stop by and visit us. But you have to be prepared for intense noise - theres a lot of life going on here.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 15:16:05 +0000
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