Keaton's Angel Homes T-Shirt Fundraiser

God blessed our family beyond measure with the most amazing little boy. Keaton was born prematurely in a small village in Taiwan. His medical conditions were severe and he spent the first year of his life in the PICU (pediatrics ICU). When he was able to leave the hospital there was no place for him to go. Orphanages were not adequately equipped to care for him and would not accept a child with severe special needs or a child with a feeding tube. Keaton was placed in nursing home, as that was the only facility equipped to handle his needs. While the nursing home did what they could, a nursing home set up for aging adults is not a proper environment for infants and children with special needs. Keaton spent two more years of his life hanging on until God led our family to him.

After learning about Keaton, we knew he was to be our son and that God was very clearly calling us to adopt him. Deana Pan, our dear friend and missionary in Taiwan, worked tirelessly to speed Keaton’s paperwork through the courts in Taiwan. Eight months after first hearing about Keaton we were boarding a plane to Taiwan to bring home our son.

Keaton loved being part of a family. He was adored by his parents and siblings. Keaton had a joy that radiated from him to everyone he met. His bright eyes and big smile were unmistakable and his love for life and new adventures kept every day exciting. Keaton enjoyed swimming, family vacations, riding a horse, family game and movie nights, and bedtime stories.

For almost four years we watched Keaton become healthier, stronger, and grow in ways we never imagined. He received physical, occupational, and speech therapies, attended Kindergarten, and eventually learned to walk with the aid of a walker. He would cruise around the kitchen with the biggest smile on his face. Keaton endured multiple necessary surgeries, each one providing him with better quality of life.

In February of 2016, due to complications with influenza, Keaton suddenly and unexpectedly went to be with Jesus. Our family was devastated beyond words. During that time all we could do was lean on God to carry us through this tragedy. We focused on the lessons Keaton had taught us about living everyday to the fullest and appreciating the little things in life that we so often take for granted. Keaton lived his life with such joy and happiness. He could not talk, walk without his walker, or eat through his mouth, but he loved life and was filled with an unspeakable joy that only comes from Jesus.

We are forever blessed to have Keaton as our son and brother. In the short amount of time he was with us here on earth, he impacted our lives forever. We understand the desperate need for good private care centers in Taiwan for special needs children like Keaton. A lot of Keaton’s problems would not have been so serious had he received proper care at a very young age. We know God has a purpose and plan for everything, in the book of Isaiah God promises to bring ‘beauty from ashes’ and ‘joy instead of mourning’. We want to give God the glory in all we do and use the lessons we have learned from Keaton to help other children like him experience God’s love and live their lives to the full potential.

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