See Moment Special Needs Chinese Orphan, Lucy, 6, Meets Adoptive Parents In Houston [Video]

The video (see below) shows the emotion-filled moment on Monday night, when a special needs Chinese orphan, Lucy, 6, with Down syndrome, arrived in Texas from an orphanage in China and met her adoptive parents for the first time.

Houston couple Brent and Audrey Shook, who already have five biological children of their own, had taken the decision to adopt Lucy before she arrived in Texas, and had started the necessary legal process to adopt the little girl.

The five biological children of the couple were present at the airport on Monday to welcome their new sister from China, who has lived her whole life in a Chinese orphanage.

According to Audrey Shook, she and her husband, who live in the Woodlands suburb of Houston, have always wanted to adopt a special needs child from China. But the couple was forced to put the decision on hold when they began having children of their own. They felt they were ready to take the step after having five biological children.

The couple had fallen in love in Lucy when they saw her singing and playing in a video produced by Austin-based Great Wall China Adoptions (see video below), the agency running a program to find new homes from special needs Chinese children in the U.S.

“I’ve always loved kids with special needs, especially kids with down syndrome. She (Lucy) is beautiful and sweet and we just can’t wait for her to be ours.”

Audrey’s partner, Brent, said, “We felt called to embrace somebody that needed a family and be their forever family. We don’t see it as we are going to help her, we see it as she’s going to help us with our lives.”

Audrey was overcome with emotion when she saw Lucy for the first time. She formed an instant bond with the little girl when she saw her at the airport.

She greeted Lucy, saying, “Hi, Hi, I’m Momma.”

Lucy appeared to repeat the word “momma.”

KHOU reports that 30 Chinese special needs orphans also arrived in Houston Monday at the George H.W. Bush Intercontinental Airport. Unlike Lucy, most of the children have not found permanent homes, but they will be hosted for four weeks by foster parents in the hope that the families will take a final decision to give the children permanent homes.

According to the Daily Mail, 16 of the children that arrived on Monday are staying in the Houston area, while 14 left for other parts of the country.

Suzanne Faske, who adopted Joy — a special needs child — several years ago, told KPRC that she never regretted the decision.

“I’m happy that the kids can have a family. They get to see what it’s like to be a part of a family and somebody that loves for them and cares for them.”

Shannon Phillips, with Great Wall China Adoptions, said, “These are the kids that are unwanted, they are the kids nobody else wants, they’ve been sitting on lists for their entire life or sitting in an orphanage.”

Great Wall China Adoptions is looking for more families willing to host special needs Chinese orphans. Interested families may click here for more information.

[Images: via KHOU, GWCA]