About

Richard Pickett, born 1970.
Malinda Pickett, born 1977.

We are just normal people who God has touched. We would like to share the blessings we have received with those that are the least fortunate. We feel we have been called to be a blessing to others, not just to receive a blessing and not share it.

We met in church in the summer of 1994. Our first encounter was a disaster and we didn’t speak until about a year later. When we started talking after a year the Lord began to deal with us and we were married in five months. This September 29, 2010 we will celebrate 15 years of a wonderful marriage. Not every day has been wedded bliss, but with God’s help through the hard times we share a wonderful life together.

We have two wonderful natural children, Joshua (12) and Abigayle (9). They are excited about their soon-to-be siblings and talk about things they will do together all the time. They even save toys and clothes that they think their new siblings will like or need.

We had been supporting three siblings for about two years when I (Richard) took a trip to Haiti in May 2005. On the trip I had the oldest boy, Danielo, with me the entire time, the oldest girl, Daniela, for all but two days of my trip, and Danel, the little boy, was with me 6 of the 11 days. During this time they captured my heart. They are bright children and have very good hearts. I remember looking out from the platform during the services we were in and seeing Daniela and realizing that just as my own natural daughter, Abigayle, had me wrapped around her finger, so this girl Daniela did too.

I decided then that Malinda and I had to adopt the children. I worried that when I returned to the States that she wouldn’t understand. There was just no way in my mind I could see leaving these children in Haiti. In 11 days I had fallen in love with them. I spoke briefly with Malinda about it while I was in Haiti and she seemed receptive. We only spoke three times for 10 minutes a piece while I was in Haiti so there wasn’t a lot of time to discuss any details.

When I came back Malinda was ready to adopt them. We started calling the children once a week and she would sit there and cry the whole time. She would tell me her heart ached as if her own natural children were away from her. And she hadn’t even met them yet.

We’re now in our 5th year of adoption