Help Heather & Tim Bring Their Daughter Home

May 23, 2024

This page was created for Heather and Tim Nitz back in 2018, near the beginning of their adoption journey.

Six long years later, we -- Heather's sister, Jen Gramata, and Heather's best buddy since second grade, Kristy Etheridge -- are resurrecting this fundraiser because Heather and Tim are finally about to bring their precious daughter home.

At the end of June, they plan to fly to Burkina Faso, Africa. When they return to their home in Pennsylvania two weeks later, they will be a family of three--plus their two sweet pups, Luna & Kenzie.

Akila, Heather and Tim's beautiful soon-to-be daughter will be 3 years old.

The Past 6 Years

Since 2018, Heather and Tim's family, friends, coworkers and some kind strangers have donated $6,000 towards this overseas adoption. If you are one of these generous donors, thank you. It has meant the world to Tim and Heather and has shown them they aren't alone on their long journey to becoming parents.

This couple has experienced one delay after another: A long wait list to be matched with an orphan. Military coups in Burkina Faso. Government delays in both countries. Staff changes at their adoption agency. A global pandemic. And much more.

As of May 2024, they have just booked their flights and hotel and are planning to fly to Burkina Faso at the end of June.

About Akila and her Current Home

Located in West Africa, Burkina Faso is a difficult place for a child to grow up, even if that child has a family. Terrorism, extreme poverty, and malnutrition are just a few of the challenges facing the country.

Akila is one of Burkina's many young orphans. She has lived in an orphanage since she was an infant.

Akila will turn 3 years old next month, just a few weeks before finally meeting Heather and Tim in person. They have been able to see each other via video calls, and Heather and Tim have had the chance to send Akila clothing and other gifts.

The Cost of Adoption

When we began this fundraiser, Tim and Heather had already put thousands of dollars toward the adoption. We wanted to ease their burden, and many of you made that possible. Thank you.

Burkina Faso and the U.S. are both members of the Hague Convention, which requires both countries to stringently adhere to laws protecting all parties involved in an international adoption. This is a good thing. But it also means there are many expenses, as agency workers and attorneys in both countries follow every detailed step to ensure the process is above reproach.

Some of the many costs include fees from the adoption agency as well as “in-country” fees for things like court costs and medical check-ups. A big part of the expense is also Burkina Faso’s mandatory 15-day stay within its borders once it’s time to make the adoption official.

This community already came together once to raise $6,000 for this long-awaited adoption. We -- Jen and Kristy -- are humbly asking you to help us do it again.

One of the last big expenses is the cost of the flights -- $7,000.

We have set the new total fundraising goal at $12,000. By raising another $6,000, we hope to cover the majority of the costs of Tim, Heather and Akila's flights.

Tim & Heather's Story

Heather and Tim met in high school and have been married since 2008. They have always dreamed of being parents. In June 2015, they welcomed a beautiful 9-month-old baby boy into their home through a local foster-to-adopt program in Pennsylvania.

They fell in love with Alex instantly. He was recovering from severe physical abuse and neurological trauma, and he showed delayed developmental ability for his age.

Heather and Tim worked with a team of doctors to nurse him back to health. Over the following 2 ½ years, this fragile baby boy grew into a strong, smart, vivacious, and affectionate toddler as Heather and Tim served as his foster parents.

This little boy was not only enamored with Heather and Tim but also with their loving extended family and their two dogs. In a gut-wrenching turn of events, he was returned to his previous home in November 2017, against the adamant recommendation of his pediatric psychologist and in spite of the bond he had established with his foster family from infancy to age 3 ½.

In spite of their tremendous grief, Tim and Heather decided it was still their mission to adopt a child in need; their new dream of adopting from Burkina Faso came to light.

Becoming a Family of Three

Heather and Tim are exceptional parents. Everyone who saw them in action with Alex can attest to that. They both have said they believe one of the reasons they were put on this Earth is to give a child a safe and loving home; we believe that with of our heart.

Thank you for giving what you can to to help bring Akila home to her forever family. Your support not only alleviates some of the financial burden of adoption, it shows this beautiful family that they are not alone -- they have a community of friends, family and even strangers walking with them.