Families look a lot different now than they did just 50 years ago. Interracial marriage is widely accepted, adoption and foster care mean that children with bad home lives are given hope in a forever family, and it’s not uncommon for a family to be made up of parents and children of different ethnicities and skin types.

Aaron and Rachel Halbert are strong believers that the racial turmoil in our country—and predominantly where they are from in the south—should never mean sacrificing a child’s opportunity at having a family!

In fact, they believe it’s their duty to embrace the beauty in our differences. After struggling for years to conceive, Rachel and Aaron turned to a different method of creating a family: adoption. They proudly welcomed a little boy and a little girl—both with darker skin—into their forever family.

The pair adopted two African-American kids and found their lives changing in a magical way. The Halberts hadn’t intended to have any more children, but then they heard about the National Embryo Donation Center, a Christian embryo bank that ‘saves’ the excess frozen embryos that are created during a couple’s IVF treatment.

Usually those embryos – which comprise just a few cells – are destroyed or given to science once their biological donors successfully implant one. But Christian centers accept ‘donations’ that can then be ‘adopted’ by couples having trouble conceiving. The look on this proud papa’s face as he holds their three little ones says it all.

While the glances and criticism for their interracial family have been unpleasant at times, the couple couldn’t be more pleased with their decision. Not only is it wonderful that Rachel was able to have a child, but the Halbert family of seven is also a live example of what God has called us to as brothers and sisters in Christ.