"Four years ago, we had no idea that we had a year-old son living in Langfang, People's Republic of China," said Heather Bench, a member of the Salem Church of God.

"Nor did we know that our daughter would be born in a few short months."

Heather and Philip Bench live in Brookville and their family has grown by two with the addition of Asher, 5, and Anna, 3, who were adopted from overseas. They also have two older children, Jacob, 14, and Sam, 13.

"On a very regular day in September 2003, our life was changed as God used an NPR radio series titled 'Americans Living Abroad' to get our attention."

The subject that day was about Tim and Pam Baker, founders of the Philip Hayden Foundation, an orphan outreach in Tianjin, People's Republic of China.

At first, the Benches said they planned to only financially support the organization, but "felt God leading us to adopt."

Two months later, their journey to adopt their first child from China, Anna Xin Grace, began.

"We felt the tug to pursue a second adoption after our son, Sam, campaigned to return to China for a little brother."

The Benches said that Anna was adopted Jan. 4, 2005, from Zhuzhou Social Welfare Institute, Hunan Province; and Asher's adoption was completed Sept. 18, 2006, through China's Special Need Program.

"Asher has Poland's syndrome and was fostered by the Philip Hayden Foundation for the first 4½ years of his life."

Poland's syndrome is described as an absence or underdevelopment of the chest muscle on one side of the body and webbing of the fingers of the hand on the same side.

The Benches said although Asher was cared for by the foundation, he was adopted through the Langfang Social Welfare Institute, Hebei Province.

"Both adoptions taught us patience and to trust in God's timing — adoption is a miracle.

"There are challenges along the way, (but) when you see the child God has chosen for your family on adoption day and take them into your arms, every part of the process was worth it."

The Salem Church of God will host the Tim and Pam Baker family and 15 other families who have adopted children from the Philip Hayden Foundation foster homes at services Sunday for the first Philip Hayden Foundation Family Reunion.

The late Philip Hayden was a young man who loved the children of China and was Tim Baker's assistant.

The reunion will be part of the church's Getting Your Family Off the Ground July Celebration.

Celebration times are 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

Salem Church of God is at 6500 Southway Road in Clayton, just off I-70 at exit 26.

For more information, call the church at (937) 836-6500.

Contact this writer at (937) 609-4152 or mminneman2@woh.rr.com.