Rya Troyer Comes Home | October 2022 by Plain Values

WHO WE ARE...

P U BL ISHE R

From 2007 to 2012 we, the Millers, adopted our first three children, a preschooler on the autism spectrum and two babies with Down syndrome. We published our first issue of Plain Values in 2012 to highlight biblical ministries, share the beauty of adoption, and to cultivate anchored community. In 2018 we welcomed our fourth child in a surprise adoption, this time a baby with Mosaic Down syndrome. We homeschool our family and enjoy working together to grow and raise food on our twelve acre homestead.

Marlin Miller SA L E S A DV ISO R - O HIO

Matt Yoder SA L E S A DV ISO R - M IC HIA N A + P ENNSY LVANI A

Aaron Stutzman E DITO R IA L M A N AG E R

Nic Stoltzfus Q UA L IT Y A SSU RA N C E

WHAT WE BELIEVE...

Sabrina Schlabach

Our values are plain values, steeped in the rich traditions of yesterday. We enjoy the simple things in life. Gathering eggs from the coop, getting our hands in the dirt to grow food, and cooking meals from scratch. Sometimes we sit around a fire and share life. We strive to walk humbly to strengthen authentic relationships with our families and neighbors. And, yes, we have taken a fresh pie to a front porch and surprised a friend… we didn’t even text them before! We just stopped by, walked up the steps, and knocked on the door! Just the way our grandparents used to do on a Sunday evening. They called it living in community. We seek to serve our neighbors. Plain Values began with a prayer, hoping to play a small role in connecting a child with Down syndrome to his or her forever family. We have checked that box over a dozen times in the last ten years, and we will not stop until the orphanages are empty! We will rest in Heaven!

HOW YOU CAN HELP... Join us as we pursue a more authentic life. By subscribing to Plain Values, a portion of each subscription goes directly to Room to Bloom, our non-profit that supports children with special needs.

P RO DU C T IO N M A N AG E R

Isaac Hershberger M U LT I- M E DIA P RO DU C T IO N

Seth Yoder O F F IC E M A N AG E R / C U STO MER S ERVI C E

Jan Schlabach N OV E M BE R A D C LO SE

October 5, 2022 WR IT E RS – SE RV IN G O U R N E I G H B O R

Nic Stoltzfus Sabrina Schlabach Stacey Gagnon WR IT E R – WHISP E RS O F HO P E

Darren Gagnon WR IT E R – RO OTS + WIN GS

Rory Feek

JOIN US FOR PORCH TIME! Every third Friday from 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Stop by, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, sit on the porch, and visit for a while. We'd love to get to know you! We're located in the heart of Winesburg, Ohio—just down the street from the church.

WR IT E R – T HE HE A L IN G L A N D

Shawn & Beth Dougherty WR IT E R – CO N F E SSIO N S O F A ST EWAR D

Joel Salatin WR IT E R – T HE WIDOW ' S PAT H

Ferree Hardy WR IT E R – O U R HE R ITAG E

Elam Stoltzfus WR IT E R – A L L T HIN GS O U T DO O RS

Jim Zumbo

Plain Values is published monthly by Plain Target Marketing, LLC. Please contact us with any questions. A DDR E SS

P.O. Box 201 / 2106 Main Street Winesburg, OH 44690 P HO N E

FA X

330-601-6106

330-601-4099

E M A IL

reachout@plainvalues.com WE BSIT E

www.plainvalues.com

This publication and its contents are © 2022, Plain Target Marketing, LLC. Individual copyrighted items, trademarks, etc. contained within are the property of their respective copyright holders. No part of this publication may be reproduced or redistributed by any means without authorization from the publisher. Publisher is not responsible for advertisers’ offers, products, or services, and publication neither expresses nor implies an endorsement. PLAIN VALUES OCTOBER 2022

contents serving our neighbor 13

RYA TROYER COMES HOME WORDS BY: NIC STOLTZFUS

This month we are honored to share the adoption journey of Keith and Lori Troyer as they brought their daugher, Rya, home from Bulgaria earlier this year.

THE SANDERS ADOPTION STORY WORDS BY: SABRINA SCHLABACH

Thirteen-year-old Elli and ten-year-old Levi are Jamie and Laura Sanders’ biological children, and eight-year-old Ana is their daughter, who was adopted from Bulgaria. I recently had the privilege of sitting down with the Sanders and hearing their story.

ORPHANS DIE WORDS BY: STACEY GAGNON

We have been honored to share two adoption stories about two little girls, Rya Troyer and Ana Sanders, both adopted from Bulgaria. Unfortunately, not all children have a happy ending in this world. This story was written by a woman who has seen the hardest, darkest side of what some children endure.

simple living 37

THE HEALING LAND Anastasia Genuis COLUMN BY: SHAWN & BETH DOUGHERTY

Shawn and Beth share about the Genius family and their daughter Anastasia.

CONFESSIONS OF A STEWARD Principles for Starting COLUMN BY: JOEL SALATIN

This month Joel shares valuable advice for folks who are just getting into farming.

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October 2022 // Issue 112

10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

ONE MINUTE WITH MARLIN

ON THE COVER

PRAYERS FOR THE NATIONS

Thoughts and ramblings from Marlin Miller, publisher of Plain Values.

The Troyer family (left to right): Heather, Ava, Lori, Elena, Rya, Keith, and Josh.

This month we take a closer look at the country of Guyana in South America.

resources 10

WHISPERS OF HOPE Trauma Conference COLUMN BY: DARREN GAGNON

community 33

ROOTS + WINGS To the Woods COLUMN BY: RORY FEEK

"I’ve decided to take some time off… a year off, to be exact. Not a year off work, but off the internet."

THE WIDOW'S PATH God Makes No Mistakes (p. 1) COLUMN BY: FERREE HARDY

This month Ferree shares the story of her good friend, Jane, and her son, Ben.

history 51

OUR HERITAGE Reflections on the Martyrs–Hans Meyli COLUMN BY: ELAM STOLTZFUS

Elam unpacks the first of the stories in the back of the Ausbund, Hans Meyli.

outdoors 55

ALL THINGS OUTDOORS Bowhunting COLUMN BY: JIM ZUMBO

"There’s a problem in hunting with archery equipment. Once you’ve taken your first animal, you’ll never be the same."

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One Minute with Marlin I WAS IN KNEE-HIGH SALTWATER with our three kids right behind me, having a blast jumping into waves. It was a beautiful day with trains of mullet running down south a few yards from us. Suddenly something bumped into my left ankle with a very distinctive feel— leathery, sandpaper almost. I turned to my left and saw a four-to-five-foot shadow lazily making its way back into deeper water. A jolt of fear ran down my spine—it was a shark. In that split second, I realized a shark had bumped into my ankle, and a combination of intense fear and exhilaration collided. If it had wanted to bite me, it would have already done so. I instinctively got the kids out of the water, calmly so as not to scare them. And then I laughed—what a thrill!

Take a moment to think back on your life. Ask yourself these questions: What was your life like ten years ago? Think about where you lived, your family, your job. Think about what your plans and goals were for the future. Now—what is your life like today? How many of those goals that you set for yourself all those years ago did you achieve? And—what goals and plans do you have for the next decade? Someone once said, “Most people overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” The same can be true for reflection. It’s easy to think back over the past year when a new year rolls around, but how often do we stop to think back over the past decade or more? Ten years ago, in October 2012, we published and mailed our very first issue of Plain Values. At the time, I wasn’t thinking of what our work might turn into. I was solely and wholeheartedly focused on creating the highest-quality magazine I could. It wasn’t until years later that I realized

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Lisa and our children paid quite a price during that time. I was zeroed in so deep those first couple of years that I failed to realize how little time and energy I gave at home. I have wished many times to go back and make it right, but I can’t. It’s impossible to repeat the past. At the same time, I see the good in what happened: had the magazine not survived, so much would have been lost. We wouldn’t have been able to share good news of the folks doing biblical work around the world every month. Room to Bloom would never have been born. Little ones with Down syndrome and other special needs might not have been found and adopted into their forever families! As simple as it can be to neglect reflecting on the past decade, it is equally as challenging to imagine what the next decade may hold for your family, business, or your community. But as it says in Jeremiah 29, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” A future and a hope… how wonderful that the Lord knows and we can rest in His peace— even when we meet sharks! As always, may you find joy in the simple things. //

MARLIN MILLER publisher, always looking for more (not shark) friends

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whispers of hope

SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO FOSTER + ADOPT

COLUMN BY:

Darren Gagnon

LOST SPARROWS is very excited to have George Dennehy speaking at our Trauma Conference in 2022. George has an amazing story and is an inspirational young man. George loves to play his guitar or the piano with his feet, while singing his favorite songs and hymns. George will be speaking on Friday night, October 14th at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center (610 Wooster Rd.) in Winona Lake, Indiana. We will have many speakers discussing a variety of topics all day Friday, and George's keynote address will begin at 5:30pm. We hope you will join us for an encouraging weekend! The conference will be held on the campus of Grace College, 200 Seminary Drive, Winona lake, IN. Breakfast and lunch on Friday and Saturday are included with your registration. For more information, and to purchase tickets, please visit our webiste: www.LSConference.org. We hope to see you there! //

October 14–15 Friday + Saturday

Grace College Campus Winona Lake, IN

$190 per Ticket

Breakfast + Lunch Included

LSConference.org Purchase Tickets Online

Darren Gagnon, along with his wife, Stacey, are the founders of Lost Sparrows. They can be reached at P.O. Box 751, Winona Lake, IN 46590. Learn more about Lost Sparrows at www.lostsparrows.org. 10

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P LU S M

A FEW OF OUR EXCELLENT SPEAKERS:

ANY M

GEORGE DENNEHY is capturing attention all over the world with his unique talents. Born without arms, he plays music from his heart using his feet. George also has a powerful message to share. Because he has overcome so many challenges in his own life, he believes that every individual has a purpose and absolutely anything is possible. People are surprised by his life story, including his early struggle against death in a grim Romanian orphanage and the dire circumstances that led to an urgent plea for a family to quickly consider adopting him.

KRISTA YODER, BSN, RN, is the Coordinator for the Family Support Team with The SOURCE of Elkhart County. Krista is a mom of three boys and comes with lived experience as a foster and adoptive parent to vulnerable children in our community. She is a Registered Nurse and has worked closely with children and families in the Pediatric Intensive Care setting. She is also a Practitioner for Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) and provides TBRI® training to youth-serving organizations within Elkhart County.

KEYNOTE TITLE: NOT ABANDONED

BREAKOUT SESSION TITLE: STRENGTHENING CONNECTION WITH CHILDREN AND YOUTH THROUGH TRUST-BASED RELATIONAL INTERVENTION®

George speaks about his own adoption story and how it saved his life both physically and spiritually. He also focuses on the miracle of adoption and our adoption into God's family through Jesus Christ. George shares many of the biggest personal milestones in his ever-evolving story, including his brush with death in Romania, learning to play the cello with his feet at the age of eight, being bullied as a youth, experiencing depression, then being adopted by God and shown his true purpose! Original songs and music act as a beautiful background to the story.

ORE!

Trust-Based Relational Intervention®, or TBRI®, is an attachmentbased, trauma-informed intervention that is designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. In this session, we will discuss the three core principles of TBRI®—Connecting, Empowering and Correcting. We will discover how this caregiving strategy better equips us to positively engage the children in our lives, especially those who have experienced adversity.

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"Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son." EPHESIANS 1: 4-6 (NLT)

The Troyer family (left to right): Heather, Ava, Lori, Elena, Rya, Keith, and Josh 12

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WORDS BY

Nic Stoltzfus

Rya Troyer C omesHome

“I WANT OUR MAGAZINE TO ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO CONSIDER ADOPTION AND TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO HAVE ADOPTED CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.” When Marlin Miller and his wife Lisa founded Plain Values ten years ago, the magazine was built upon a foundation of three things: show Christian organizations doing good work worldwide, ascribe dignity to people with special needs, and promote the beauty of adoption. Two of those foundational stones interlocked — the Millers wanted to share stories of families who have adopted children with special needs. Over the years, the magazine ran National Down Syndrome Adoption Network ads with photos of smiling children with Down syndrome and featured stories of special needs adoptions. Since the magazine's founding in 2012, Marlin & Lisa Miller, Plain Values, and its associated non-profit Room to Bloom have helped with 14 adoptions. This is one of those stories.

Keith & Lori Troyer and their four children, Seth, Ava, Josh, and Heather, of Shipshewana, Indiana, read Plain Values cover-to-cover every month. Lori was drawn to the ads and stories featuring children with Down syndrome and would sometimes mention her desire to adopt to Keith. Keith wasn't sure how he felt about it, but he certainly wasn't chomping at the bit to adopt like Lori was. That all changed one evening when the family met C.J., an adorable little blond-haired boy with Down syndrome. At a social gathering of friends and family, C.J. quickly warmed up to Keith, effectively winning his heart. After that, the family often spoke of adding a child with Down syndrome to their family.

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Unfortunately, in 2016 Keith broke his back while working at the roofing business he co-owns. Because of Keith's surgery and long recovery, the Troyers temporarily set aside their dream of adopting. At some point, the Troyers met Elliot, the son of Jay & Kristine Chupp, who also happens to have Down syndrome and was adopted. At the time, the two families knew each other, but not that well. Sometime later, the Troyers read the December 2019 Plain Values story featuring the Chupps' adoption of Elliot. In the article, one quote from Jay stood out to the family: "We have been asked whether we would encourage other folks to adopt a child with Down syndrome. Our reply is that we would never talk anyone into a decision to adopt, nor condemn anyone who chooses not to. The decision to adopt should be a unanimous one, made by a team of three: God, husband, and wife. But simply put, we sure are glad we did!" Keith and Lori turned their hearts to God and began to pray. They felt God's call on their hearts to adopt a child with Down syndrome. Lori connected with Lisa Miller, who began to send her information about adoption. They also started working on adoption paperwork and telling their friends of God's call to adopt a child with Down syndrome. In the meantime, Lori reached out to the adoption agency—KidsFirst Adoption of Indianapolis, Indiana— and connected with the founder, Inna Pecar. Inna is an immigrant from Ukraine who founded KidsFirst in 1990 with her husband, Steve. Both Inna and Steve bring a unique skill set to the organization: Inna has a Master's degree in Education from Ukraine, as well as a Master's in Social Work from Indiana University (IU); Steve's degree from IU is in law, and he has over twenty years of experience in adoption law. Since the couple started KidsFirst over three decades ago, they have helped over 800 children find their forever homes.

"Most infants diagnosed with this rare genetic disorder don't last past a year old."

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Lori and Inna quickly hit it off. As they talked, the subject of a hosting program came up. Keith and Lori began looking into this and considered hosting orphans from overseas. In the meantime, one of Loris' friends saw a Facebook post about a newborn girl in need of adoption just a few hours south of Indianapolis. Knowing that the Troyers were looking to adopt, Lori's friend forwarded the information to her. It just so happened Inna was handling the little girl's adoption. When Lori reached out to Inna about adopting the baby girl, she told Lori that the infant had many complications and was diagnosed with StüveWiedemman syndrome. According to the National Library of Medicine, “Stüve-Wiedemann syndrome is a severe condition characterized by bone abnormalities and dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary body processes such as the regulation of breathing rate and body temperature.” Most infants diagnosed with this rare genetic disorder don't last past a year old. However, when the syndrome is diagnosed early enough, and infants are monitored closely, they have a better chance of living longer. After reviewing the girl's medical records and talking with her family about it, Lori told Inna, "Call us if she doesn't get placed before Christmas."

"The decision to adopt should be a unanimous one, made by a team of three: God, husband, and wife. But simply put, we sure are glad we did!” A Christmas Miracle The Monday after Thanksgiving, Lori got a call from Inna. "I've reached out to sixty families, and I'm down to two couples: you and an elderly couple." Inna explained to Lori that an infant with Stüve-Wiedemann requires intensive care, which could be overwhelming for an older couple. She thought the Troyers were the right fit for adopting the baby girl. "Let me talk to my husband." Lori was in Pittsburgh Christmas shopping with her family, and Keith was back home working. She gave him a call, and they talked about what to do next: as much as their heart went out to this infant girl with special needs, they felt called to adopt a child with Down syndrome. The Troyers decided not to adopt this time around. But as soon as she got off the phone with her husband, Lori felt her phone buzz and saw a text from him: let's go get her. Three days later, Lori made the three-hour drive south to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. Their nowclose friends Jay and Kristin Chupp went along for support. In the NICU room, Lori held the baby girl for the first time. Her health was worse than she thought: every breath was a struggle, and she was covered in cords helping to keep her alive. Several weeks later, the Troyers brought her home on the Friday before Christmas. The doctor told the Troyers that Elena's prognosis was dim. He didn't expect her to make it beyond New Year's. Over Christmastime, the family kept a close watch on her. Her body struggled to regulate its temperature, and every breath was a battle. But Elena made it to the end of the year and continued to get better with each passing week. Her recovery did not happen overnight, but she no longer requires pediatric hospice or supplemental oxygen today. When I visited the Troyers earlier this year, I watched as this radiant two-year-old laughed and rolled around on their trampoline as she played with her pet bunny Flopsy, her smile as bright and joyful as the sun above.

Elena playing with her bunny, Flopsy, on the trampoline in the Troyer's backyard

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