Rising Stars: Meet Anne Smith of New Boston, Michigan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anne Smith

Hi Anne, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story begins at birth. When I was born my mother was 41 years of age and sick. My grandma could not afford to get her the treatments that she needed. My father was in jail and had been most of his life. He had a history of molesting women and girls. He had just been put in jail for two years when I was born. My grandma had to make the decision to put me up for adoption mainly to protect me from my father. The adoption did not go through till I was three years old. At the age of two my father came looking for me but did not have the right information about me and was not in the right city where I was born. God protected me then and many times throughout my life. When I look back at all the times He protected me, I see that He had and still has a purpose for me. I was able to spend six months with my mom before she passed. When my mom passed, we went to bury her at the cemetery. It wasn’t just any cemetery. When we arrived, I wanted to go see where they were going to lay her before we got started with the service. When we came pretty close to her grave site I got out and started to walk. The cemetery was very familiar to me as well as the road on which my mom would be buried. As I mentioned I got out of the car and was walking and came upon the grave site of my adopted grandparents and sister. I looked up and across the road just up a short way was where they were going to bury my mom. I can now go to the cemetery and visit both grave sites of my adopted family and my biological families. I have come full circle with my biological family and intend to one day write a book about my life. My lawyer is my biological cousin who, at the time I was born, was pursuing his degree as a lawyer. When he first started his practice the only cases he handled were adoptions. I believe he was pursuing his degree for such a time as this. I have another cousin who when I was born was pursuing her degree as a social worker. When I called to let her know that God had put on my heart to open a private nonprofit adoption agency, she offered her services if needed. Again, I believe she was pursuing her degree when I was born for such a time as this. My story continues to go on about people that I run in to and events that took place that clearly have led me to start the adoption agency.

The adoption agency will be a nonprofit, private agency. I believe with all my heart that God has big plans for this agency, and He continues to lead me to the people He wants me to connect with to help get this agency going. I cannot obtain my license with the State of Michigan until I meet the requirements given by them. Unlike any other business I have to show that I am fully funded, have a physical building and have two social workers that meet the state requirements. The agency will offer lifelong counseling services to the families that walk through our doors. Adoption services should not stop when the adoption has taken place. Most adoptees need counseling to help them get through life. Most adoptees have faced some kid of trauma by the age of three that will continue with them throughout life. So counseling is a must. I have done my research and have called many boarding schools across the United States to see what the percentage of adopted teens were in comparison to other teens. All said that at least 80-90% across the board had been adopted. This is a red flag in my opinion, and we need to do something about it!
Our mission for the agency is Christ-centered, extending grace and compassion to the adoption triad as they navigate through this lifelong journey that encompasses adoption. We will help birth parents make an informed decision for their unborn child and guide adoptive parents through every step of the adoption process. We will provide comprehensive education and raise awareness about the realities and responsibilities of adoption.

I will also be working on getting an adoption community together to help children to adjust to their new environment but to give them friends who can relate to them and help them build meaningful relationships. This will also give parents an opportunity to get together and share what they may be going through and give them a community that they can relate to as well. We will be partnering with organizations, and churches to help couples make the decision to keep their baby. Alot of times they give their babies up for adoption out of fear that they will not be able to provide for them. If they have a support system and know they will be helped the best scenario for each, and every child is for them to stay with their biological mother and father. There are times that adoption is warranted and that is where we can work with both parents to place each child with the best family according to their specific needs.

James 1:27 says “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: To look after the orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world (New International Version).
Isaiah 1:17 says “Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, obtain justice for the orphan, plead for the widow’s case (New American Standard 2020 version)

According to the bible it is very clear what our responsibility is when it comes to the orphans. The time is now! Will you get behind us and help us connect children to their forever families?

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This is definitely not an easy road to go down. I have been told straight to my face that adoption is a spiritual warfare, and we will encounter many things along the way that will be discouraging. However, when I think about all the foster kids out there in the United States, I am reminded of where I was and how God brought me to where I am today. I want to give each and every adopted and foster child the opportunity to find their purpose in life rather than them just being a statistic.

The biggest struggles have been in raising the funds to get a building and hire social workers so that we can obtain our license. When I mention to people that I have to have funds before we can get our license people take a step back. They are not willing to give to a nonprofit organization without the license in place. The stste makes it almost impossible. But I know and have experienced with the working of the agency alone, that nothing is impossible with God!
Some of the struggles have been personal family problems that take me from what I have been called to do. An accident that almost took my sisters life, and both of my parent’s health since I surrendered to the agency, has declined. Satan knows that I am willing to help my family in any way I can and this has been a big distraction and discouragement for me. It’s been a learning curve as well. I’m learning to have a healthy balance of what is expected of me and what is not.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am currently a stay-at-home wife. I went to college and obtained my degree in education. I have worked in the public and private schools most of our children’s lives as they were in school. I taught music, have been a secretary in the schools and have also worked with Special Ed students. I love helping children and watching them excel in what they are good at and becoming better versions of themselves. I have the gift of helps and I am a very organized and goal-oriented person. I love to see other people excel in what they do. The agency is not mine it is God’s and therefore I am able and willing to let the professionals come in and do what is required to make it successful. My story will allow me speaking engagements and help to bring in the funds for the agency. I am known for my adoption story and what God has done all throughout my life and people get excited and want to help when they hear my story and how God is using it.

Any big plans?
My plans for the future of the agency are to get established in Michigan and then as time allo9ws I have been asked to extend my services to Indiana and Ohio. Couples, especially those who have adopted, are looking for an agency with the services that we will be offering before, during and after the adoption takes place. They are also looking for an honest and open agency.

I plan to grow a couple of adoption communities within Michigan and as time allows in other states, to help the adoption triad thrive during the different phases of adoption in a child’s life. these communities will give adoptees an outlet to where they can relate to their peers. This will also help parents to be able to work together and encourage one another throughout the different stages of their child’s life. The communities will be able to get together for activities periodically each month. My plan is to have an office space that will house the agency, counseling offices and an activity center to where the cost for families is little to no expense to them for these activities.

I plan to set up the agency so that when the time comes, I can pass the baton on to someone else, with experience, who has the same heart for foster and adopted children and understands my passion for them. Who knows, maybe someone who has also been adopted or a biological family member who understands the side of losing a child to adoption. I am sure God will lead me to the right person.

I would love to connect and work alongside Isaiahs House Organization. They have homes for foster kids in the system to be able to go to that are run by vetted and willing people who take care of them until they find their forever family. I’m also working with a faith-based organization called Embrace Grace that connects unwed mothers with churches in their area and helps them through the pregnancy and walks them work through all the questions of abortion, adoption or keeping the baby. I will be partnering with Care Portal in Michigan that reaches out to families in need to protect their kids from going into the system. This organization encourages businesses to work together to provide families with what they need.

I am sure moving forward there will be other organizations we can partner with that focuses on children and families.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sarahanneadoptionagency.org
• Instagram: @sarahanneadoptions
• Facebook: Sarah Anne Adoptions