The Sindelar Family shares their powerful story of faith, adoption, and community—and how God met them in a season that often felt isolating. After adopting children with complex medical needs, daily life became filled with surgeries, therapies, and limitations that made rest and connection feel out of reach. Stepping out in faith, the Sindelar Family applied to attend Family Retreat, trusting God to make a way.
What they experienced was far more than a vacation. At Family Retreat, their children were celebrated, cared for, and given opportunities they had never experienced before. Surrounded by skilled volunteers, intentional support, and a Christ-centered community, the Sindelar Family found rest, belonging, and renewed hope.
VIDEO SCRIPT
Molly and Justin Sindelar
When we had a couple of families in our homeschool co-op approach us about family retreat, we were just thrilled and prayed about it and honestly said, Lord, we are just going to apply in faith that you could help us get there.
So Justin and I both had adoption on our hearts. We felt adoption was a part of our story very early on when we first connected. God really tugged our hearts for adopting from China. He came home in 2014. He had bilateral cleft, and so he had multiple surgeries after arriving home and has continued through the years to have surgeries and will continue to need them. God brought our hearts into wanting to adopt again. He really made it clear that Isla was who we would be adopting.
Isla has jerk 11 syndrome and it is an extremely rare condition. The doctors at first told us that Isla would probably not make it longer than about a year. Thank the Lord. This doctor that we found was the creator of a device of a growing rod that would, that would help her rib cage to grow and, give her room to breathe.
The doctor that invented this procedure, had only done this procedure once in ten years. Dealing with such intense needs comes some isolation and feeling alone feeling very different. We were really excited at the thought of coming to family retreat. I think even from the moment we got here, there was something extremely special here at Family Retreat.
The warmth and the love that we felt even upon arrival was like a breath of fresh air. And even though I was inside, he comes with her wherever she goes. She was so excited and she was cheered for as we came in. And she just had this look of like, wow, this is exciting, which is something that we have just been praying for.
Not only was Isla given one body, she was assigned two, and both happened to be nurses who just know so much about the areas that Isla need and what felt so detailed and impossible to us. God made completely possible beyond our expectations. Zeke has had an amazing buddy at Family Retreat here this week when he met his buddy.
They just seemed to be a great fit. Yeah, they’ve had so much fun. They’ve done all kinds of stuff. It’s been so special for Isla to get to experience multiple things that she has never experienced before. They’ve made sure her buddies have made sure that it’s safe for her, whether it is in the bounce house or whether it is the talent show.
Isla got to sing one of her favorite songs in front of everyone. Everyone was so kind and loving toward her. People came to us. They were eager to meet us. They, really accepted us with open arms. Accepted our kids. It’s been so special to be able to share life with these incredible people here at Family Retreat.
The ability to give our kids vacation. Things that we’ve had to hold back on because of all the needs of the therapies, all the limitations that. Yeah, we’ve seen and this this family retreat has been amazing. Amazing. The people here love God, love Jesus. It has blessed us incredibly.
People Interviewed and their Titles
Molly and Justin Sindelar
Recording Location
USA
Organization featured in this Story
Joni and Friends – www.joniandfriends.org
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