Recently featured on Family Life Radio, Dave and Jenny Marrs shared their deeply moving story about adopting their daughter Silvie from South Africa. Their journey, and subsequent return to South Africa as a family, highlights the profound impact of adoption and their unwavering commitment to faith and family. This exploration into the Marrs Family’s experiences reveals a story that is both heartwarming and inspiring.
Dave Marrs reflected on their family trip back to Africa, emphasizing its significance. “When we were in South Africa, we went as a family. And this was the first time our family had gone back to Africa after adopting Silvie,” he explained. This trip was far more than a vacation; it was a deeply personal homecoming, reconnecting the Marrs family with a place and people intrinsically linked to their hearts through adoption.
The Marrs family’s dedication to nonprofit work is a cornerstone of their values, particularly in Africa. Dave elaborated, “We really like nonprofit work. It is so important to us in Africa because we have people there that are like family to us. They are so special to us. And so we took all of the kids to South Africa.” This commitment underscores the Marrs family’s belief in giving back and fostering global connections.
Bringing Silvie home was a significant adjustment for the entire Marrs family, especially their sons. Dave recounted, “The boys loved praying for Silvie to come home. But when Silvie came home, Charlotte was two months old, and Sylvie was two and a half years old. The twin boys had gone from a mom and dad with twin boys to mom and dad taking care of a newborn. And, with Silvie coming home, it was much more than even what a newborn would be.” The transition was challenging, and Dave noted the initial difficulty in getting his sons to fully embrace Silvie in their prayers.
During their time in South Africa, the Marrs family visited homes and orphanages, offering a tangible connection to Silvie’s past. Dave shared a poignant moment: “Even as six-year-olds, they said, ‘Dad, is this is this where Sylvia used to live’ and I said, ‘Well, it was this is the same concept, but it was actually in Congo, and it was a lot harder than what you’re seeing right now.’ You could see the change in their little six-year-old minds. And really, that was the first time in South Africa that they included Silvie in their prayer.” This experience marked a turning point for the Marrs children, fostering a deeper understanding and empathy for Silvie’s background.
The Beginning of the Marrs Family Adoption Journey
Jenny Marrs revealed that adoption was a shared dream from the beginning of their marriage. “When we got married we both knew we wanted to adopt. Actually, it was on our radar always,” Jenny stated. Their path to adoption, however, was filled with unexpected hurdles and stretched over several years.
Faith played an indispensable role in navigating the complexities of their adoption journey. Jenny described a powerful vision that sustained her hope: “At one point God gave me a vision where we were standing at a kitchen island, and there was a gaggle of kids running around us. And I remember seeing a blond headed little boy, and then a really dark-skinned little girl.” This vision served as a constant reminder and source of encouragement for Jenny, reinforcing her belief in the family they were destined to create.
What the Marrs family anticipated to be a short adoption process turned into a protracted two-year endeavor. Dave recalled, “What we thought was going to be an adoption process of three to six months, ended up taking … two years.” The initial steps involved choosing Ethiopia as their adoption country, as it was the only African nation open to international adoption at the time. However, life took an unexpected turn when Jenny became pregnant with twins, leading them to temporarily pause their adoption plans.
Jenny recounted recognizing one of her twin sons as the blond boy from her vision. “Once the boys were about 18 months old, we decided to start the process again,” Jenny explained. “We opened our file back up, started with Ethiopia. It took about eight months to get all of our paperwork in order. And then we waited about a year [before] we saw our Sylvie’s face.” The journey to seeing Silvie’s face was long and filled with anticipation.
Jenny and Dave Marrs smiling warmly
The adoption of Silvie presented numerous challenges, including bureaucratic obstacles and financial setbacks. Jenny detailed the frustrating process: “I saw the photo and called Dave. We had been on the list now for a year and we had to start over. Basically, we changed agencies, changed country programs, lost all of our money, had to redo all of our paperwork.” Despite these difficulties, the Marrs family remained steadfast in their conviction that Silvie was meant to be their daughter.
God’s Greater Plan for the Marrs Family
Visiting Silvie’s orphanage in Africa profoundly impacted Dave Marrs, broadening his perspective and deepening his compassion. He shared, “We met Sylvie and went to the orphanage that she was at, and now our hearts were broken again for the moms that that have to make that choice.” This experience opened their eyes to the difficult choices faced by mothers in challenging circumstances in Africa, strengthening their resolve to support vulnerable families.
Just as they neared the completion of the adoption, unforeseen circumstances arose. Jenny recounted the anxiety-inducing situation: “Then the country shut down. We thought we’d never get her home. So we clung to those things that God had shown us so specifically throughout that whole time. And we finally got her home after two and a half years. And in the meantime, we had our surprise baby Charlotte, who we again never thought we’d ever get pregnant. And here we are now.” The Marrs family’s journey is a testament to their resilience and unwavering faith in the face of adversity.
The Marrs family’s story transcends adoption; it is a narrative of transformation, faith, and expanding love. Their experiences resonate deeply, reminding us of the power of faith and the beauty that can emerge from life’s most challenging journeys. Jenny reflected on the profound changes in their lives: “God just really changed our whole lives, our hearts for the orphan and the widow and truly caring for both the moms that can’t care for their kids and have to put them up for adoption.”
The Marrs family’s adoption journey not only enriched their own lives but also ignited a broader mission to care for orphans and widows, reflecting a deep and abiding faith that guides their path.
To delve deeper into Jenny’s insights, explore her book excerpt from House + Love = Home here.
Jenny Marrs is not only an author and designer but also a passionate advocate for community transformation and global orphan care. Alongside Dave, she revitalizes historic homes on their HGTV show, “Fixer to Fabulous.” Beyond their television endeavors, the Marrs family actively engages in farm life and community projects like The Berry Farm, which supports initiatives in Zimbabwe. Learn more about the Marrs family’s impactful work at https://www.daveandjennymarrs.com/.
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