12 Yr Adoption in Haiti Family Starting Over in MN

Goal:

 USD $35,000

Raised:

 USD $780

Campaign created by Nathan Merritt

Campaign funds will be received by Jason Unze

12 Yr Adoption in Haiti Family Starting Over in MN

Hi, my name is Nate. I am writing to ask for your help supporting my dear friends, Jason and Erika Unze, and their two amazing children, Oak and Olive. After more than a decade living and serving in Haiti, and an adoption journey unlike any other, the Unzes have finally returned to Minnesota with their family. They are now facing the difficult challenge of rebuilding their lives from scratch after years of sacrifice, trauma and bureaucratic delays, and they need a community to help raise them up!

Jason and Erika’s story is one of faith, love, and resilience. In 2012, they began their life in Haiti, a country they grew to love deeply and called home. Soon thereafter, they began the process of adopting their son, Oak, whom they were granted custody of when he was just a month old. A year later, they welcomed their daughter, Olive, into their family as a 4-month-old infant. What they believed would be a straightforward process turned into a 12-year odyssey of setbacks and unimaginable challenges.

Throughout this time, Jason and Erika displayed unwavering commitment—navigating years of separation, financial strain, and growing instability in Haiti, all while working to finalize the adoptions and provide a safe, loving environment for Oak and Olive. They found strength not only in their faith, and love for their children, but also in the support of their Haitian friends and neighbors, who gave them more than they could ever give in return.

Late last year, after enduring many heartbreaking delays, they finally received news that the adoptions were completed, and the family could begin the process of securing U.S. citizenship for Oak and Olive. But before their appointments could be set, the escalating violence in Port-au-Prince left them with no safe way to travel to the U.S. embassy. Forced to evacuate their home, they left nearly everything behind.

Finally, through some extraordinary efforts, the family miraculously secured transportation to the U.S. embassy in Port-au-Prince via helicopter and an armored convoy, secured the visas for their children, and were able to evacuate from Haiti. They have now arrived safely in Minnesota, where Oak and Olive have officially become U.S. citizens.

While they are deeply grateful to have made it through this exhausting journey, Jason and Erika are starting over. They need the resources to rebuild a solid foundation, so they can work to provide their children with the stability they deserve in this new chapter, while they heal from the physical, emotional, and financial traumas of the last decade.

This holiday season, I’m asking you to join us in building a community around this remarkable family. Your donation can give them the resources they need to recover and rebuild after so many challenging years. It will help provide housing and reliable transportation, cover medical expenses, and supplement costs of re-establishing, such as furnishings, clothing and other basic needs. Whether or not you can give, sharing their story with those who may be able and willing to contribute is another powerful way to help.

Together, we can honor their resilience, celebrate their family’s love, and surround them with the care and support they need as they enter this new chapter. Thank you for reading, for giving, and for helping to make this Christmas season one filled with hope and renewal for Jason, Erika, Oak, and Olive.

Recent Donations
Show:
Carissa Carroll
$ 100.00 USD
1 month ago

Merry Christmas! May God bless your obedience to follow His plan and give you strength and peace in the midst of coming back and starting your lives together in the US.

Kylie Murphy
$ 100.00 USD
1 month ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 30.00 USD
1 month ago

Jess Jadwin
$ 100.00 USD
2 months ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 50.00 USD
2 months ago

Donna Harding
$ 50.00 USD
2 months ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 350.00 USD
2 months ago

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