LBC Echo Fall 2022 - 9

would take together. " (My mom) never knew she
would have a child until she met me, " Elisabeta said.
The bond between the little girl and the single
woman on a missions trip was immediate, but
the process to become a family wasn't easy. With
international adoptions shut down at the time, Karen
returned to the U.S. alone after first meeting young
Beti, then researched ways she could legally adopt
the girl.
" The only way to get me out was for her to quit her
job and move to Romania, " Beti said. " So she did. She
had to move and become a citizen of the country
and had to learn Romanian. She had to go through
courts so many times. She had to go to a judge in
my small town first and then the capital of Romania.
It took 10 years to adopt me. On Aug. 5, 2008, the
judge finally said yes. (But) we could not come
home until Dec. 16, 2008. "
Today, she and Karen live in Louisville, Ky., and Beti
continues to be thankful that God intertwined their
stories and for the sacrifices her mom made to
adopt her. For years, Beti had experienced bullying
throughout her childhood because of her Englishspeaking
skills and for being an orphan. Through it
all, Beti recalls her mom being her biggest support
system.
" She was the one who always helped me with
homework, " Beti said. " She was the one who stood
up for me when it was hard. She was the one who
had to move me to different schools because (kids)
would bully me. "
After attending many schools where Beti felt
unwelcomed, " I found Lancaster Bible College, where
these teachers have cared for me, " she said.
Beti always had the desire to go to a small Christian
college. She felt a nudge to look into Lancaster Bible
College | Capital Seminary & Graduate School when
she searched for sports-related majors at Christian
colleges. Although Beti admits she never heard of
LBC | Capital prior to her search, she and Karen began
to pray, asking God if it was the right opportunity.
" God showed me that I would like Lancaster Bible
College, " Beti said.
Having the ability to earn a degree remotely was one
aspect about LBC | Capital that caught her attention.
" I am a homebody, " she said. " You do not need to be
in person to get a degree. " For Beti, being able to
stay close to her biggest cheerleader, her mom, was
especially important to her.
Beti's passion for the field of Sport Management
comes from watching sports with her grandparents.
In fact, the relationship Beti has with her family has
helped mold her into the young woman she is today.
She shared, " I chose Sport Management because
I get to do what I love by being somewhere with
sports, and (I) want to share God's Word where I end
up working. "
But first and foremost, Beti's desire is to serve God
in her career path, and that comes from her mom's
influence. " One thing my mom inspired me to (do is)
love everyone as Jesus did. She showed me that you
can love people anywhere you live. "
Beti and Karen are both looking forward to Lancaster
Bible College's next graduation ceremony on Dec. 16,
2022, which marks 14 years to the day since Beti first
came to America with her mother-and three days
before Karen's birthday.
" You never know when God (will) affect someone's
life, and for me, that was my mom, " Beti shared.
" Without my mom, my life would not be the same. "
Learn more about LBC | Capital's Sport Management
program, both at the bachelor's and master's level
and either in person or online, at lbc.edu/hpe.
You never know
when God (will)
affect someone's
life, and for me,
that was my
mom. Without
my mom, my life
would not be
the same. "
- Elisabeta Barrentine ('22)
ECHO 23ECHO 9
http://www.lbc.edu/hpe
LBC Echo Fall 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of LBC Echo Fall 2022
