By Natalie BennettWednesday 25 Aug 2021The Morning Wake-up with JordanaInspirational StoriesReading Time: 2 minutes

The Morning Wake-Up’s Kristian & Eliza had such a great conversation with proud parents Paul and Julie-Anne Staines that the interview has two parts!

With a big fan base here on the Sunshine Coast, this is a very exciting week for us all, as Alberto Cambell-Staines travelled to Tokyo, to run the 400m in the Para-games.

In this inspirational and faith-filled interview, Kristian and Eliza chatted with long-time friends Paul and Julie-Anne Staines about the journey God took them on as a family, meeting and then adopting their son Alberto Cambell-Staines. Listen to part one of their conversation in the player above.

Proud dad Paul gave us a glimpse into the important role the Sunny Coast community played in the journey, “He’s got a big connection back to the Sunshine Coast because we taught at a Christian school up the coast”.

“They helped us to go to Jamaica where we met our son (Alberto) and adopted him. So, if it wasn’t for the good old Sunny Coast,” Paul said.

Alberto Campbell-Staines with his parents Paul and Julianne Staines

Orphaned at three months in Jamaica, Alberto was adopted by Paul and Julie-Anne Staines.

“We were working there with the Salvation Army at the school for the blind and visually impaired. And we met Alberto there,” Julie-Anne said.

“He was at the orphanage, he would come down to the school when I was teaching him in grade one. And it was amazing. After about a year, God spoke to us. And God said to me, ‘Julianne, you should think about adopting Alberto’.”

Alberto Campbell-Staines as a young child, with his parents Paul an Julianne Staines

Part Two: Interview with proud parents Paul & Julianne Staines

Image sourced: facebook.com/AlbertoCampbellStaines