Mississippi couple with five children adopts three sisters from Colombia

By Cecil Hannibal

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    RANKIN COUNTY, Mississippi (WAPT) — The Allen house is full — full of music, full of memories and full of children.

“I really didn’t think about children at all, so this has surprised me; what God has written for our lives,” said Aprille Allen.

When Aprille and Trent Allen got married 18 years ago, they imagined maybe having one or two children, but life doesn’t always go according to plan.

“I thought maybe a couple of boys, a couple of girls. Maybe even one or two, you know? Just one of each, but never eight,” Trent said.

The Allen family has grown rapidly over the years, and even more so after adopting sisters Eliana, Aurora and Millie from Colombia in 2021. You could say now it’s a full house.

“When I walk in and they attack me with hugs, it’s a very good feeling. I love it, and I wouldn’t trade it. It’s priceless,” Trent said.

On any given day, you’ll find a heated competition of their favorite board games, or football in the backyard. As the kids play, you’ll notice in the background two signs on a tree. They serve as a solemn reminder of what helped this blended family come together.

Several years ago, the Allens tried multiple times to have another child.

“There were two miscarriages, children that went to heaven before they were born, and that’s how I describe it. It was very painful, very hard,” Aprille said.

But they felt, if they still had room in their home and hearts for another child, why not try to adopt?

They began the process through Lifeline Children Services. They were still unsure if it was the right choice until they saw a picture of the three girls.

“I felt like I couldn’t breathe, and I’ve heard stories like that before and never understood them at all,” Aprille said. “I had seen photos of hundreds of children, and this was the first time that happened.”

So, the family of seven packed up and went to Colombia to bring the girls back here to Mississippi.

There have been many challenges, like the language barrier or having different cultures, but kids are always full of surprises.

“The children made this easy because they started connecting with each other instantly, even without language, just through play,” Aprille said.

The Allens said all the kids are now learning Spanish. They’ve even started watching soccer when the Columbia national team plays. The Colombian girls have even started to love what they call American football.

For mom and dad, the marker nearby with the names of children they never got to meet has taken on a new meaning.

“A reminder to me that their lives were very short. God created them with purpose,” Aprille said.

And that purpose led to a house fuller than ever — full of kids and full of love this Christmas.

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