Angels in - Pound Pup Legacy

owing to her persistence and patience that some
children have been adopted and able to finally
come to America, despite the current moratorium
on Romanian adoptions. The Christian Family Life
Center is unique because it ensures, in most cases,
that the babies waiting to be adopted are placed
shortly after birth in loving foster homes until they
can be united with their parents. I am honored to
select Joan Bystrom as an Angel in Adoption
recipient for 2003. Her dedication to children in
both Romania and the United States is exhibited
throughout her career, her family, and her faith.
Dean and Sheila Dutton
Senator Christopher S. Bond
A chance encounter led Dean and Sheila Dutton to
adopt six children from Kazakhstan and Russia.
Already parents to seven children, Sheila Dutton
learned about the childrens’ plight when a
vacationer attending the Dutton’s theater in
Branson, approached her following a performance
in April 2001. The woman had just adopted a girl
from a Kazakhstan orphanage and shared photos
with Sheila of four children still living in the
orphanage – the brothers and sisters of the child she
had adopted.
It only took Dean and Sheila two days to decide
that they wanted to adopt the children. Dean has
said that he just knew there was no chance of
getting them adopted if he and Sheila did not do it.
Through Kidsave International, a nonprofit
organization that works to find homes for orphaned
children from Russia and Europe, the Duttons were
able to meet and get to know, not four, but six
wonderful children. That December, the couple flew
to Europe and finalized all six adoptions. Dean and
Sheila remain committed to lovingly passing down
the values of hard work and a good education to
the next generation of Duttons.
Randy and Linda Koenig
Representative Todd Akin
Randy and Linda Koenig have been married for 24
years and would probably be the first to say that
they never expected to have 10 children under the
age of 13 at this point in their lives. Randy is a
Technical Solution Architect with IBM and Linda is a
homemaker in Lake St. Louis, Missouri. When
Randy and Linda began thinking about beginning
their family, they did not know much about
adoption, but they knew that children in Central
and South America had a special place in their
hearts. Linda describes how they began their
adoption journey, by saying, “People just kept
making us aware of children who needed a family,
and when we felt a peace from God, we knew that
the children were to be part of our family.”
The Koenigs adopted their first two children
from Peru in 1990 and since then, have adopted
eight more, seven from Guatemala, and one from
Missouri. Their family is made up of three 12-yearolds,
an 11-year-old, a nine-year-old, a seven-yearold
and four six-year-olds. Remarkably, they remain
open to the possibility of continuing to expand their
family through adoption. The Koenig’s have had
tremendous support from their church, family, and
friends with the arrival of each new family member.
They continue to reach out to their community to
educate others about the joys and blessings that
come from adoption. Randy and Linda both agree,
“There is nothing better we could be spending our
time on than raising these precious children.”
Laurie Murphy
Representative Richard Gephardt
Laurie Murphy and her partner are the proud
parents of two adopted children ages six and four.
Laurie has served as a partner mentor for the past
three years, providing support to preadoptive
parents as they prepare to adopt children with
special needs. She has been a consistent volunteer
and advocate in this program. Laurie has devoted
much of her time at adoption events, supervising
activities and supporting the connection between
children and families. She serves as one of forty
volunteers who follow up with families throughout
the state as part of the Missouri Adoption
Continuum project. In this role, she follows up and
speaks with people who have inquired about
becoming foster and adoptive parents by sharing
experiences and resources. Laurie also serves on The
Adoption Exchange’s Missouri Advisory committee
and offers her expertise on program and funding
issues.
Montana
Claire and Patty Walker
Senator Conrad Burns
Clair and Patty Walker are, indeed, a remarkable
couple who decided long ago to have a large
family. They are open, friendly and welcoming to
everyone whether visitor or family. While the count
may now stand at nine children who have arrived
50