As Kidsave celebrates its 25th anniversary, we are speaking with Kidsave alumni—many who have families of their own now—retired staff, friends, dedicated volunteers, and families formed through Kidsave across the years as we celebrate 25 years of love and family.
With two children already, the Pethels considered their family complete. Then one wonderful boy from Colombia changed everything. Ashley and Adam Pethel had two children ranging in age from seven to ten when they first looked into Kidsave’s Summer Miracles program.
Initially, Ashley was looking for a hosting program where she could make a positive difference in a child's life. Adoption wasn't even on their minds. “I found Kidsave through Google,” says Ashley. “Then I followed the Facebook page, and some kids had been hosted the previous winter but hadn't found homes yet.” One boy’s gallery page stood out to her. At the time, Arkyn was a 12-year-old orphan living in Colombia who had big dreams to be part of a family.
As hard as she tried, Ashley couldn't forget about Arkyn. “I just kept thinking about Arkyn's photo until finally I decided to get in contact,” she said. “I spoke with my husband about hosting, and he said, ‘If it's the Lord's will, it'll happen.'” That was January 2018, and Arkyn stayed with them that summer.
Arkyn’s visit was full of magical experiences. Together, they went to church, the mountains, the zoo, and even an international soccer game in Charlotte. Adam volunteered as a soccer coach for the local kids’ team, so Arkyn had a blast kicking the ball around with them.
“We had his 13th birthday party that summer,” said Ashley. “More people were inside our home than have ever been!”
At first, Adam was focused on helping Arkyn find a forever family. “He was thinking maybe someone from our church would adopt him,” said Ashley. “I knew that wasn't the case when we signed up.” From the beginning, Ashley knew Arkyn was their son. “But I let my husband keep on thinking that until he caught up.”
An early indicator that Arkyn would be a natural fit with the family was his sense of humor. “We're a very sarcastic family,” said Ashley. “Arkyn is very witty and loves joking around with us; it's an easy way for us to bond.” Before long, the entire family was on board with adopting Arkyn! Adam, though hesitant in the beginning, couldn’t deny his growing fatherly love for the boy.
Arkyn’s adoption was finalized in 2019. Ever since then, Ashley says life has been a dream. “It's just been so easy,” says Ashley. “I always tell everybody, ‘We're super real and honest with our kids, and we really feel it's the best way to be.’”
Ashley and Arkyn have many things in common, but like all families they also have some key differences. “We’re white and American, Arkyn is Black and Colombian,” says Ashley. “I’ve seen where kids who have darker skin can have a hard time getting adopted, and I know there are people who think brown kids are bad kids, when that’s not the case.”
She shares that Arkyn is aware of this unfortunate reality, and regularly tells his mom that he believes he would have been a very different kid had he remained in Colombia. “He said to me, ‘Mom, if I’d stayed, I know I’d be bad because my life would be different.”
Ashley also remained dedicated to helping Arkyn keep in touch with his Colombian roots. “At first, he didn't want to speak Spanish when we adopted him,” says Ashley. “But I told him, ‘Don't let go of that part of yourself, and it's a wonderful thing to speak Spanish.'”
She enrolled him in culturally diverse after-school programs to encourage his connection to his heritage. “Once he joined a diverse soccer team, he started speaking Spanish again,” she says. Stories such as this show why culturally relevant tools are so valuable.
When asked what she hopes for Arkyn's future, Ashley says she simply wants him to be happy and proud of who he is. What more could a parent ask for?
About Summer Miracles
Our Summer Miracles program gives older orphans from Colombia a chance at family through the program, older kids (ages 9-15) with no possibility of reunification – and little likelihood of adoption in their home country because of their age – travel to the U.S. for five weeks in the summer (or three weeks in the winter). While here, the kids stay with host families, learn about American culture, create lifelong memories, and connect with potential forever families. Could you be our next host family? Book a call with our team to learn more.
Kidsave's 25th anniversary
Join us as we celebrate our 25th anniversary at the Kidsave Miracles Gala! Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available now. Are you a Kidsave family who wants to share your story? Learn how here.
