Austin family provides new home
to energetic brother, sister

Nov. 15, 2006

AUSTIN, Texas- Blue dogs, purple monkeys and green spiders are scattered across the floor of the children's activity room.

"Come look at all the pictures we've been drawing!" exclaimed three children all at once as they rushed to the front door.

"We're having learning time right now," said Wendi Froelich, an energetic 3-year-old girl.

Nestled amongst cedar trees in the serene hills of Austin, a beautiful limestone house belies the excitement taking place within.

After having four children of their own, Stephanie and Stefan Froelich decided to add two more when they adopted Benny, 7, and his sister, Wendi.

"We read so much about neglected children around the world who need loving families. Then we discovered there are thousands right here in Texas. It was then that we decided it was our calling to adopt," said Stephanie Froelich.

The Froelichs became Benny and Wendi's foster parents after the children's home was deemed an unsafe environment by Child Protective Services in 2005.

Each year CPS removes more than 12,000 children like Benny and Wendi because of neglect and abuse. With increased incidences of reported child abuse, more foster families are needed to care for the children and more to adopt children whose parental rights have been terminated. To encourage people to foster and adopt children in the child welfare system, the state covers medical expenses until the children are 18, as well four years of college tuition.

"God listened to our prayers and made the selection process easy for us," said Mrs. Froelich. "Once we chose Lutheran Social Services, everything fell perfectly into place."

They had such a positive foster-to-adopt experience, they named their daughter "Wendi René" in honor of their LSS case worker, René Dougherty.

While the adoption process was fairly smooth, the addition of two children to the family has required some adjustments: a bigger car, a more structured schedule and expanding their reservoir of love.

"Everyone in the house pitches in to help make the new family members feel welcome and loved," Froelich said. "My 14-year-old daughter, Amanda, is like the second mom, she really loves the experience."

Benny and Wendi are experiencing some changes, too. Benny talked about home schooling, swim lessons, rock climbing and church. But, he seems most excited about celebrating the upcoming holidays.

"I've never had a Christmas before," said Benny. "This will be the first one for my sister and me!"

By opening their hearts and their home, the Froelichs provided new opportunities for children who were once abused and neglected. Benny and Wendi have all the love they could want.

"These children have enriched our lives so much that I would recommend adoption to anyone considering it," said Froelich.

LSS is the largest provider of children's residential services in Texas with more than 1,500 children cared for daily in foster homes throughout the state. Benny and Wendi join nearly 6,400 children who have been placed in loving adoptive homes by LSS.

For more information about becoming a foster parent or foster-to-adopt family, contact the LSS office nearest you, or call (800) 396-4611.

LSS is the social service arm of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. LSS affiliated ministries serve more than 35,000 children, elderly and poor in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Mississippi regardless of religious beliefs, ethnicity, gender or age. Its ministries include therapeutic adoption, foster care, children's residential treatment centers, disaster response, emergency assistance, senior health care, retirement communities and adult day care.

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