Minnesota residents Neal and Jeanne Binsfeld are making a few detours on their road trip with eight children before dropping off their eldest child this week for her freshman orientation at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

The Binsfelds, parents of three biological children and five adopted children with special needs, are visiting 15 western states this summer to share their "successful, but ordinary adoptive family" story in hopes of recruiting prospective foster and adoptive families.

Since their send-off July 30 from St. Cecilia Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, the Binsfelds have traveled to North Platte (Nebraska), Colorado Springs, Denver, Salt Lake City, Reno, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Scottsdale, (Arizona).

Besides sharing their story with media outlets at each destination, the Binsfelds participate in regional adoptive family events to capture attention with their story to "make some connections" for the 134,000 U.S. children in foster care waiting for permanent families.

'Something beyond us'
"Our Catholic faith has really been a strong influence in this whole process of adopting children and also talking about how adoption works," said Neal, 47, a disability specialist for Allina Hospitals.

Married in 1984 after they met working at a residential treatment center for teenage girls, Neal and Jeanne faced the prospect of childlessness when doctors told the young couple it was unlikely they would ever have children of their own.

Investigating adoption, the Binsfelds visited the Children's Home Society in Minneapolis where they saw a bulletin board of photos of international children, including a little Korean girl born with spina bifida.

They were captivated by the young Korean child born in 1987 on June 17, the birthday of Jeanne's beloved recently deceased grandmother. "With all of our children, there have so many times been coincidences that make us feel there's a mystery to it, something beyond us drawing these pieces together," said Jeanne.

Only a couple of years after welcoming their newly-adopted Korean daughter, Sarah, Jeanne became pregnant with Mikaela, born in 1990. Another daughter, Marissa, arrived in 1993.

While touring the children's ward in a local hospital that year, the Binsfelds noticed an 18-month-old African American baby girl lying in a crib hooked up to "every form of life support." Becca had been born with fetal alcohol syndrome at 24 weeks weighing only 1 lb., 11 oz. Her birth mother, who already had several children in the foster care system, had abused cocaine and alcohol. Becca couldn't walk and relied on feeding tubes and a respirator.

Always knowing they would adopt other children, the Binsfelds volunteered to be Becca's adoptive parents. They cared for her as a foster child and attended classes conducted through Minnesota's African American Adoption Project, which provides training for prospective parents in a state where two-thirds of the children in foster care are African American.

Becca's adoption was finalized about the time Jeanne gave birth to Jenna in 1995. In 1998, the family began adoption proceedings for seven-month-old Ben, born with Ring 7 Syndrome and mild developmental delays. In 2001, they took in Hannah, born blind, and two years later, they agreed to adopt Jess, her younger brother. The adopted siblings receive monthly visits from their biological parents in an open adoption arrangement.

"To me it's so important that people not see us as heroes rescuing poor little children," said Jeanne. "These kids have been a gift to us with their strengths and showing us how to go slow in life and appreciate what's right before us. They have given us so much."

Promoting awareness
"We cannot sit passively on the sidelines when there are so many children in the United States in need of homes," said Neal. The family's mission statement, according to Neal, is to promote adoption awareness and to help create connections, "known to us or unknown," for kids needing permanent families.

The Binsfields are appalled at the grim statistics showing increased risks for homelessness, unemployment, poverty and incarceration for 18-year-olds who "age-out" of the foster care system.

"Part of what inspired us to do the road trip was Sarah has turned 19 and she's off to college," said Neal. "I couldn't imagine somebody who doesn't have a support system doing that." To view photos from the Binsfelds' road trip, log on to their website (www.creatingconnectionseast2west.com).

Adoption Connections
Local public and private agencies as well as national groups such as AdoptUSKids are constantly recruiting prospective adoptive and foster care families.

Los Angeles County residents seeking adoption services through the local Department of Children and Family Services will incur no charge, unless their required home study is conducted by an outside agency.

At Holy Family Services, a state-licensed, non-denominational, nonprofit agency founded locally in 1949, fees for adoption services range on a sliding scale from $6,000 to $12,000.

Monthly orientations take place at Holy Family Services, 402 S. Marengo Ave., Pasadena, on the second Thursday of every month. To reserve a space, call (626) 432-5680 or (800) 464-2367. To view photos of foster care children available nationally for adoption, log on to www.adoptuskids.org or call (888) 200-4005.