Why are you a search angel?

 Why do you do this?

This is something most every single client has asked me.

I had to begin by asking myself the same question. I did some soul searching and pondered this important question throughout many cases, before coming up with some reasons. 

One of the obvious reasons is because I love genealogy. I have been studying family trees for over 20 years. In my discoveries I have found some secrets and also found out a lot of family legends are untrue. If I hear one more person tell me their "great grandma was a Cherokee Indian..." I started out making tree's for family and friends and branched out.

I also have very strong roots to family and friends. I am one of those people who have the same friends from high school and elementary school. I never had to move around as a child. I have lived within 3 miles of my childhood home my entire life. 

I have always had adopted family, a good bit of my kids friends called me mom or aunt heather. 

I try to help anyone if I can. It has always been something that has been a blessing and a curse. Because I feel deeply, I feel deeply. I will give freely of myself until I am exhausted. I don't accept monetary help or offerings very easily. In fact, I am proud to say I have never accepted a dime from any of my cases. (I pay a lot for all of my memberships each month.)

My grandfather was raised in a children's home. He aged out at 18. There weren't many good things that came from his experience there. I recognize that sometimes people have hope in their future by finding their family. 

The feeling I get from helping an adoptee find their birth family is something that I go off of until there is another case solved. Even if it's not a happy reunion, I know that I have offered closure to someone who may not have ever gotten those answers. 

I recognize my gift and will continue to use it to give away. I think of the typical gift, usually the anticipation of "what could be inside" is better than actually finding out what is inside. This could be said in the case of the adoptee when first requesting my services. 

How am I ever worthy of the gift that God has bestowed upon me?

 I can never be. I am entrusted with family secrets and raw emotions. Many adoptees feel like they are "dirty little secrets" to their birth families. There is shame, anger and denial. There is excitement and hope in the voice of every client when we speak. I usually hear doubt and uncertainty as well. I am sometimes kept at a professional level and other times made a friend.  I love it when a client calls me to let me know how their reunion went, and especially when I get photos for my scrapbook. 

It is my hope that I can continue for many years. I have already surpassed cases I could count on all of my fingers and toes. I am a dreamer. I dream big. I want to solve as many cases as years in my life!  If God sees fit to empower me with the knowledge to continue,  I will persevere for all of those separated at birth. 

Search Angel is a silly term, I hardly feel like an Angel and could never compare. For lack of a better term I continue to use it. 

Heather Jackson

Volunteer search Angel

Hope giver

Parent finder

Investigator

Tree Maker

Friend