Home, Forever: A story of adoption, hope, and the mountains we're all climbing

by Anna Dombkins

When a confronting documentary about orphaned babies moves Anna and Mark to adopt, they begin a journey that will take them far beyond anything they imagined. After years battling Australia’s adoption system with no progress, the young Wollongong couple move their family to Tanzania in search of a different path.

There, in a baby home filled with children in crisis, they meet premature twins—and discover the twins have a severely malnourished toddler brother who has been left behind. In a moment that will change their lives forever, they say yes to all three.

Life in Moshi on the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro becomes a whirlwind of nappies, power outages, snakes, monkeys, and the daily realities of raising five very young children while navigating a daunting Tanzanian adoption process that threatens to tear their family apart.

After years of uncertainty, faith and persistence prevail. But the experience reshapes Anna and Mark’s understanding of what children in crisis truly need. Returning home to Australia, they establish Forever Projects, a charity supporting vulnerable Tanzanian mothers so their babies can grow up where they belong—at home.

This inspiring true story is about family, courage, and discovering that sometimes the greatest act of love is keeping families together.

248 pages, Paperback

First published March 23, 2026

Reviews

[Peter Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful, powerful, gut-wrenching and inspiring book to read. Anna, thanks for your eloquence and for sharing your story with us all. Your story was raw, hilarious, frustrating, inspiring, educational and motivating all in one. If you are prepared to walk away with a changed and encouraged heart, then this book if for you.

[Megan Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book! I literally could not put it down, and was completely immersed in Anna’s story and the story of her children, which was so beautiful to read, and heartwrenching. Anna’s deep love for all her children and compassion for little ones shone through all the pages. It’s a heartwarming story and gives a deep insight into the Tanzanian culture, and especially the realities of abandoned babies and struggling families in Africa. I loved the ending where some of the impacts of Forever Projects were shared. Highly recommend!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and powerful book about ordinary people doing extraordinary things!

[Shelley Cottom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and encourgaing story of ordinary people living an extraordinary life one step at a time.

[Jen Black Kembla · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautifully written, amazing story