James Benstead’s household grew to include two children the day he and his wife adopted a 4-year-old boy in Japan.
Guided by their Christian faith, the British nationals, both 35, chose to open their home to a child a year younger than their biological son — a decision that thrust them into a child welfare system that rarely encounters all-foreign couples.
The situation was uniquely complex: the boy was born in Japan to Nepalese parents, and had been naturalized as a Japanese citizen. He also has Down syndrome.
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