John & Alisa
Matched
Marriage Length
8 Years
Home State
Illinois
Denomination
Nondenominational
Pets
0
Children
Eliana
4 yr
Ava
3 yr
About Us
Hello, we are John and Alisa Rachan.
We met in Spanish class in college at Olivet Nazarene University. We were acquaintances at first, but reconnected after graduation. John reached out to Alisa to get together since he worked at an engineering company close to where she lived. During college, she had a crush on him from afar, so instantly accepted the invitation to dinner. We spent 3 hours talking that evening and felt as if we had known each other for years. Alisa then went to live in Mexico City to do missions work with her nursing degree for a year. God was always working during this time, however, and we reconnected once again after she returned. We started dating a few months later, were engaged after 6 months of dating and married 9 months later.
We have 2 children: Eliana, who was adopted, is 4 years old, and Ava, who is biological, is 3 years old. We have always desired to have a large family and first considered building it through biological means and later through adoption. However, when we struggled getting pregnant and were diagnosed with unexplained infertility early in our marriage, we decided to pursue adoption instead of extensive medical treatments. Eliana’s name means God has provided, and we truly feel that her life was an answer to our prayers in many ways. We have an open adoption with her birth family, and we are so blessed by this relationship. Ava was a surprise gift from the Lord as well, when we did not think that we could conceive. She was born to us about 6 months after Eliana was born. Her name means breath of life, and we are thankful for her life and for the friendship that our two daughters have with one another. They are truly best friends. We have been trying to grow our family for a few years now and are feeling led to pursue adoption once again because of secondary infertility and because of the joy that adoption has brought to us already.
Together as a family, we enjoy playing in our backyard, going to parks and meeting other young families, going on walks/bike rides, exploring the outdoors, doing bonfires, playing board games, and hosting friends and family in our home regularly.
In our lives, there have been both trials and joys. Through it all, we have seen God's faithfulness to provide for us and give us His peace. We are eager to participate once again in the beautiful gift of adoption because we also have been adopted as children into God's family. We hope to provide the best possible loving and caring home for another child, and will strive to teach our children to love the Lord, to be kind and compassionate to others, and to cherish every moment that God gives us.
We are looking forward to growing our family through any of the following adoption opportunities:
Type
Open , Semi-openGender
Any genderRace
Any RaceCircumstances
- Older children up to age Age: 1
- Twins
- Multiples
- Sibling groups up to 2
John's TESTIMONY
I grew up attending VBS programs and weekly kids church services at my local church, Chicago First Church of the Nazarene. I heard the Gospel at an early age at a summer VBS where I feel that I first gave my life to Jesus. I did not fully understand Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection until I entered 7th grade. That year I fully surrendered my heart and life to Christ and received His free gift of salvation. This began a daily relationship with Jesus that continued to grow throughout my high school and college years by reading the Bible and surrounding myself with encouraging Christian friends to support and challenge me. I am continually learning and growing in my walk with Christ as I submit my heart to Him and allow Him to mold me and direct me in every area of my life.
Alisa's TESTIMONY
I was blessed to have Christian parents. I came to Christ at 4 years old with my mom. I did not truly understand completely what being a Christian meant until 8th grade when my grandma passed away. Her life reflected Christ in a very great way. This made me want to reflect Christ as well, like her example. In high school and college, I had some hard and lonely times here and there, but through it all, I continued to press into Christ and He taught me a lot about who he is and how he loves me. After College, I went on the mission-field for a time. I spent about a year and a half living in Mexico City and in rural Mexico. This was a challenging and stretching time for me to be able to find my true identity in Christ and serve him even in my weaknesses. Now, being married for about 7 years, I have been truly blessed with a godly husband who teaches me compassion and encourages me to be more like Jesus, and to follow him whole-heartedly. Being a mom of 4 and 3 and a half year old girls now, Has also taught me a lot about dependence on the Lord, and humility. God has been pruning me in many ways to look to Him for wisdom and guidance in this high calling of motherhood. I do not always do it perfectly, but I’m so glad for the grace of God that helps me get through it every day.
Letter to you
Read MoreOur Christian Commitment
Being a Christian is a lifestyle of every day surrendering our desires and flesh to Jesus. For we are not our own, we were bought with a price. We know that we cannot live in true love and purpose without the help of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ. Christian life looks like saying Yes to God’s will and no to our own, and it is only with the help of the Holy Spirit that lives inside us, that allows us to do this each day, although not perfectly, because we will never reach perfection on this side of Heaven.
We attend a small church called Crossway Fox Valley located about 3 minutes from our home. We love our church family and truly feel blessed to call them family. John leads the worship on most Sunday mornings, and is involved with the men's ministry, and connects regularly with other men in one-on-one discipleship. Alisa is a volunteer coordinator of the toddler and nursery ministry, and is involved in the women's ministry leadership team and leads a young moms connect group that meets twice a month. Together and as a family, we are involved in a Spanish-speaking Bible study that was recently started because more Hispanic families have begun attending the church. We also are a part of the outreach team that coordinates a few large events through out the year focusing on young children and families.
Vision For Raising A Child
Parenthood is a divine calling that God gives to help a child be instructed in the way that he or she should go. The only true way that we can help a child spiritually is by being connected to Jesus every moment of every day, and by trusting in him to help us. We desire to be examples of godliness and love to a child and to teach him/her in the home to live for Jesus. God is the one who does the work, but our job is to be the sowers of the seed, and to trust Him with our children. The key to helping a child spiritually is to first have a relationship with Jesus ourselves, then also intentionally discipling our children in the home. Another main way we desire to help a child spiritually is to be connected to the body of Christ as a family, seeking wisdom and guidance from other parents that love the Lord and have gone before us in discipling their children.
we will strive to raise a child in the teaching and instruction of the Lord by daily reading Scripture and Bible stories together, discussing as a family, and praying with one another. We will seek strength and wisdom from the Lord to show our children what it means to follow Christ and pray daily for our children to receive Christ’s salvation.
ABOUT John
John is 35 years old. He grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois with his parents and younger brother. He currently works as an engineering program manager at a consulting company in the plastics industry. He serves as a worship leader on Sunday mornings at our church.
He enjoys playing guitar, singing, hiking, biking, playing ultimate frisbee, mentoring young men in the church, being silly with his girls and spending time with friends and family.
According to Alisa: John is gracious, humble, and genuinely cares for people. He loves the Lord, and is the best dad to our precious little girls, and the best husband I could ask for. He loves us so well and is our steady rock. He is not afraid to be silly and crazy at times and he brings so much joy to our family.
EXTENDED FAMILY
Alisa's family is nearby. Her parents Mimi and Bibi live a half hour away and her mom visits twice a week. Her oldest sister Bethany and new husband Adam, and her middle sister Janae and husband Ryan and 3 children Emry, Cohen and Parker all live nearby as well. Her niece Emry (7 yrs.) and twin nephews Cohen and Parker (5 yrs.) love to play with their cousins and visit often.
John's family lives locally. His parents, Nana and Papa live about an hour away and come to visit often. His brother Steve and wife Megan, and new baby girl Lydia live nearby as well. John has 3 grandparents that we visit a few times a year.
We are both very close to our families and are encouraged and supported well by the tight-knit relationships we have with one another. They are all very excited to welcome a new child into our family and pray often for us and for the child that will be placed in our care.
Alisa's niece and nephews: Emry (7 yrs old), Cohen and Parker (Twins 5 yrs old).
John's parents and Grandparents on his dad's side.
John's Grandpa on his mom's side with John's brother and niece Lydia (8 months)
John's Parents: Nana and Papa with the grandkids
John's brother, Steve, and his wife, Megan
John's Extended Family
WORK & EDUCATION
John graduated from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL in 2011 with a Bachelor's of Science in Engineering Degree. He currently works as a Engineering Program Manager at a consulting company for plastic parts.
Alisa also graduated from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL in 2012 with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing degree. She worked in Mexico for a year and a half after college and then came back to IL and worked for a home nursing agency caring for patients specifically with Trachs and ventilators for 5 years until Eliana and Ava were born and is now a stay-at-home mom.
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
John enjoys hiking, biking, and,spending time with his family. Playing outside with his daughters is one of his favorite activies! John also enjoys singing and playing guitar, leading worship at church, and spending time with friends.
ABOUT Alisa
Alisa is 34 years old. She grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. She is the youngest of 3 girls. She has a nursing degree, but currently is a stay-at-home mom. She enjoys playing with her two sweet girls, speaking Spanish, doing yardwork, organizing, exploring the outdoors, running, meeting up for playdates with other young moms, spending quality time with her family, and hosting gatherings in her home.
According to John: Alisa is kind, compassionate, gentle, hard-working and selfless. She is an incredibly supportive wife and an amazing mom to our girls. Alisa exemplifies the love of Jesus so well and will gladly care for anyone in need.
EXTENDED FAMILY
Alisa's family is nearby. Her parents (Mimi and Bibi) live a half hour away and her mom visits twice a week. Her oldest sister Bethany and new husband Adam, and her middle sister Janae and husband Ryan and 3 children Emry, Cohen and Parker all live nearby as well. Her niece Emry (7 yrs.) and twin nephews Cohen and Parker (5 yrs.) love to play with their cousins and visit often.
WORK & EDUCATION
Alisa also graduated from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL in 2012 with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing degree. She worked in Mexico for a year and a half after college and then came back to IL and worked for a home nursing agency caring for patients specifically with Trachs and ventilators for 5 years until Eliana and Ava were born and is now a stay-at-home mom.
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
Alisa enjoys playing with her two sweet daughters, speaking Spanish, doing yardwork, exploring the outdoors, running, meeting up with playdates with other young moms, spending quality time with her familty, and hosting gatherings in her home.
Eliana
Eliana was adopted. She is super spunky, fun-loving, energetic, creative, intuitive, observant, and loves nature and bugs. She wants to be a police officer and a baker when she grows up! She loves reading books, coloring, playing with sand and Play-Doh, athletics, and tumbling.
Ava
Ava is biological. She is compassionate, independent, brave, and silly. She loves her dolls, stuffed animals, her Chicago Bears shirt, and being outdoors looking for roly-polys. She wants to be a "fire truck" when she grows up.
ABOUT OUR HOME
We live in a split-level 3-bedroom home. We have a fenced-in, spacious backyard where our children love to run and play and explore.
We live in a very friendly community with wonderful neighbors and several families with young children. We want our home to be a place of refuge and safety for our children, where they can learn, grow, and interact with the world around them.
