Hiawatha family adopts two more children from Ukraine, give update on 15-year-old who left the country

HIAWATHA, Iowa (KWWL)- After weeks of prayer that the Ukrainian teen they are in the process of adopting was okay, a Hiawatha family received the news they have been waiting for weeks to hear.

Jenna and Scott Breckenridge had been praying that 15-year-old Artem was still alive as the Ukrainian city he was in came under siege in the Russian attack. They had lost contact with Artem earlier in March and had been distraught ever since. 

"I was just coming to terms. I'm just like, I don't, I don't foresee him getting out, and I was trying to mentally and emotionally prepare myself for that," Jenna said. "That's when I got word that they were evacuated."

Artem is alive and made it out of Ukraine. She says that Artem's orphanage in Berdyansk was evacuated, and they are currently in Italy. 

"We know he's safe, and we can talk to him every day, which is a blessing," Jenna said. "We are very, very thankful that he is safe and that the other children there are safe as well."

Jenna and Scott said that Artem has been told he will stay in Italy until "the war is over." They aren't sure what that will look like, but he is holding up well.

"He is in good spirits. Most days, they keep them busy," Jenna said. "They have a lot going on there to keep the kids occupied."

The Breckenridge family also adopted three other children from Ukraine last September.

In early March, they added Hardin, a boy from Ukraine. Since arriving on March 5, he has dived into life in his new home. He started school after Spring Break, joined a soccer team and now wants to get a job.

Then this past Tuesday, Kate, a girl from Ukraine, arrived in the U.S. Scott and Jenna said both are adapting to their new home well.

"We are rearranging the whole house," Scott said. "Getting everything acclimated and trying to make room for everybody."

The last month has been challenging for the Breckenridge kids. Even though they are in Iowa, they are still affected by what is going on in their home country. They all have friends and family who are still in the country.

"It is just a lot for them, and it is hard to process. There are family and friends that they can't reach right now," Jenna said. "Just yesterday, there was a sibling group of four. Our kids heard from three of them that they were safe after over a month of not hearing from them at all. But one of them, we still haven't heard from."

They are still trying to figure out how to get Artem home to the United States and Iowa, but Jenna is just happy he is safe. 

 "Truly knowing that Artem is safe, that if anything, is all we can ask for at this point. So we know whatever happens will happen for a reason," she said. "We're just trying to keep up with everything else day by day."

For now, Artem is in limbo, and Scott and Jenna don't know what will happen to him. The Ukrainian government wants to keep all orphans in Europe, meaning the adoption process is on hold.

"There's so much hearsay, and we don't know what is true and what is not true, what will happen with the ministries," Jenna said. "It is truly just waiting and praying for the best."

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst and Congresswoman Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks were two of 38 lawmakers to sign a letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken asking the State Department to help American families that have already begun the process of adopting Ukrainian orphans. The letter asked the Department of State to urge the Ukrainian government to establish a consular office in Poland to process the paperwork required for adoption.