“It kind of plugs at your heart a little bit when you think of how many orphans are out there,” said Nancy Cannon, director of central Michigan offices for AAI.

AAI is a national organization specializing in domestic and international adoptions. Last year, their agency in Lansing placed about 75 children, domestically and internationally, Cannon said.

“We probably place about 35 children domestically in the Lansing area,” she said.

By holding this vigil on the steps of the Capitol in downtown Lansing, AAI hopes to draw attention from the people in the area, Kris Burow said.

“It’s to help people become more aware of the need for adoptive parents,” she said. “We’re trying to light a path for future kids to come home and to honor the parents who have brought these children into their homes.”

That’s exactly why Chesaning resident Sue Quaderer decided to attend the vigil.

“I have a granddaughter who’s adopted,” Quaderer said. “We’re really lucky to have her.”

Sharing personal experiences with adoption was an integral part of the vigil. Spartan Motors CEO John Sztykiel and his wife, Joni, spoke about adopting a child and how they’re currently waiting to adopt a little girl from Ethiopia.

Honoring adoptive families is one thing, but those orphans left behind also need to be remembered, Cannon said.

The average domestic adoption takes about 14 months, since the birthmom does all the deciding, and they don’t know who she’s going to select, Cannon said.

They also offer several international adoption programs in places such as Russia, Ethopia, Haiti, Kazakhstan, Guatemala, China, Nepal and Ukraine.

AAI has permanent accreditation (one of only 12 in the country) to do Russian adoptions, Cannon said.

Between 40-50 children come into the Lansing area through international adoptions, said Kris Burow, the international consultant for AAI.

“One of the things that happens with international adoptions is a lot of things change,” Burow said. “Russia has been one of the larger programs — and that’s true in the Lansing area — and China had been very popular but things have changed, and now it’s taking up to three years to receive a referral.”

Besides the other events AAI hosts geared toward raising awareness for families, such as galas and informational meetings, this is the first candlelight vigil they have done, Cannon said.

The vigil closed with everyone’s candles being lit by Rev. John Burow — each candle representing an orphan child who continues to wait.

“We want to remember all the children who are left behind and focus on them, and hope we can give them a forever-family,” Cannon said.