This past week we were pleasantly surprised to get a card and pictures of our little girl opening the care package we sent her! Our social worker said it is very unusual to hear from them after the packages are received! I was so excited! Her caretakers sent us a nice little note. They said that Joy was so ecstatic and was ready to "go home already"! Hopefully, any day now, we will get the official paperwork so we can file the I-800! I am praying that this part goes quickly. It has been more difficult than ever to wait, knowing that our little girl is halfway around the world.
This is what Joy wrote to us:"Mommy, Daddy, Natalie and Micah,
I miss you and I'm excited to see you. I love you all! Joy."
We got the bunk beds up and have transformed Natalie's room to make room for her little sister. We are ready...everything except for the money. We put the country fees on the credit card because we had to pay it immediately. That credit card is due this week and we are still $600 short. We will also need the money for the post-placement fees and the balance of the travel expenses that will not be covered by our Show Hope grant! I am thankful and amazed for what God has provided. I am trusting Him to provide the rest!
If you would like to be a part of this amazing journey that God has called us on, you can donate by going to www.mission127.com and clicking on the donate button, or you can donate directly through paypal on the side of this blog. It takes God's people working together to accomplish His plan. It takes someone willing to provide a home for a little girl; but it also takes many people together willing to help out with the finances, because adoption has many, many expenses. Thank you to so many who have joined us and supported us in this journey! You have helped a little girl in the Philippines come to know the love of a family and also the love of her Father God!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Prayers requested
I'm requesting your prayers today for several things:
1) We really need Joy's paperwork from the Philippines this week. We need to get our I800 filed in plenty of time so that our previous paperwork doesn't expire! Please pray with me that we get that paperwork TODAY!!!
2) I've had a little case of the "nerves" lately! I know we are doing what God called us to do, but every once in a while panic overtakes me. "WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE WE DOING?" Adopting a six year old girl has its challenges. Adopting one with special needs has even more challenges! I haven't written much about our little girl, and I honestly can't say much until she is in our arms, but she was on the special home finding list. Someday I might write a little bit more about her particular needs. Honestly, right now, although we have read her paperwork, had her file reviewed by physicians, and prayed about it, we don't really know the extent of the special attention she will need. Please pray that we will be able to be the family that she needs and that God will heal her completely, both emotionally and physically.
3) Finances. Yes, here it is that awful word again when you are talking about adoption! We have been incredibly blessed and I know God is going to provide the rest of our finances or provide a way for us to work more to be able to fund this adoption without debt. BUT....we have been praying and have come to the conclusion that we would like to take our children with us. Adoption is not just about the parents and the child when there are other family members involved. Adoption is about the whole family. I believe it would be good for Natalie and Micah to see where Joy is coming from. It will be good for them to have an understanding of where she has been and what she has been through. I believe it will be good for Joy to meet the whole family at once and know that we are all in this together. However, plane tickets are running at about $1300 a piece right now....so if this is supposed to happen, we are going to need God to intervene on our behalf! Please pray for a miracle and for God's continued guidance!
Thank you so much to my fellow Christ followers who are upholding us in prayer during this adoption journey!! Your prayers mean so much to us!! There have been times I have been discouraged or worried or overwhelmed and just knowing that there are others crying out to God on our behalf has been an encouragement!
1) We really need Joy's paperwork from the Philippines this week. We need to get our I800 filed in plenty of time so that our previous paperwork doesn't expire! Please pray with me that we get that paperwork TODAY!!!
2) I've had a little case of the "nerves" lately! I know we are doing what God called us to do, but every once in a while panic overtakes me. "WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE WE DOING?" Adopting a six year old girl has its challenges. Adopting one with special needs has even more challenges! I haven't written much about our little girl, and I honestly can't say much until she is in our arms, but she was on the special home finding list. Someday I might write a little bit more about her particular needs. Honestly, right now, although we have read her paperwork, had her file reviewed by physicians, and prayed about it, we don't really know the extent of the special attention she will need. Please pray that we will be able to be the family that she needs and that God will heal her completely, both emotionally and physically.
3) Finances. Yes, here it is that awful word again when you are talking about adoption! We have been incredibly blessed and I know God is going to provide the rest of our finances or provide a way for us to work more to be able to fund this adoption without debt. BUT....we have been praying and have come to the conclusion that we would like to take our children with us. Adoption is not just about the parents and the child when there are other family members involved. Adoption is about the whole family. I believe it would be good for Natalie and Micah to see where Joy is coming from. It will be good for them to have an understanding of where she has been and what she has been through. I believe it will be good for Joy to meet the whole family at once and know that we are all in this together. However, plane tickets are running at about $1300 a piece right now....so if this is supposed to happen, we are going to need God to intervene on our behalf! Please pray for a miracle and for God's continued guidance!
Thank you so much to my fellow Christ followers who are upholding us in prayer during this adoption journey!! Your prayers mean so much to us!! There have been times I have been discouraged or worried or overwhelmed and just knowing that there are others crying out to God on our behalf has been an encouragement!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Humbled and Amazed!
This adoption journey has been one step of faith after another, especially concerning finances. When we began this journey, we thought to ourselves...how in the world are we going to come up with over $20,000 on a youth pastor and administrative assistant's salary????? And yet here we are toward the end of our adoption journey and we have paid for almost all our expenses without debt! We only need about $3500.00 total to pay the balance of our expenses! This even covers the travel! (Depending on the cost of the airline tickets, we have a grant that will cover a huge portion of our travel.) If you have questions about the cost of adoption and why it costs so much, I have posted a breakdown of our expenses in a previous post, or feel free to e-mail me! I will be happy to talk to you about it.
I just want to take a moment to say thank you to all who have stepped out to help us with our adoption expenses. We have made some personal sacrifices, but there is no way we could have done this on our own! When I started compiling the list of all those who have contributed, I was humbled and amazed. When God asks you to step out in faith, He WILL provide, often through others who will step out in faith with you. He does not leave you alone!
I just want to take a moment to say thank you to all who have stepped out to help us with our adoption expenses. We have made some personal sacrifices, but there is no way we could have done this on our own! When I started compiling the list of all those who have contributed, I was humbled and amazed. When God asks you to step out in faith, He WILL provide, often through others who will step out in faith with you. He does not leave you alone!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to these people for helping to bring our little girl home!!!! I pray God will bless you greatly! James 1:27 says, "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." This is just one way you have helped care for an orphan and make her an orphan no more! Some gave $10.00, some hosted fundraisers, some gave $500 or $1000, but together every dollar has helped us get to where we are today!
Kristi & Darin Amsler
Bob and Jennifer Ater
Bruce and Mary Bracker
Joyce Bonnet
Brent and Miriah Garrard
Linda Greggory
Sharon Gocke
Sam and Marilyn Griffin
Carrie Jo Haakinson
Willis and Lisa Haamacher
Shirley Hawk
Norb King
KYM
Chris and Summer Lewis
David Lewis
Larry and Carol Lewis
Stephanie Lush
Kristie and Andrew Lundgren
Cleve and Joann McBride
John and Mary Morse
Ralph and Arlene Morse
Brian and Becky Neugent
Gabe and Anita Oxford
Kent and Paige Parrish
Marc and Christy Prasch
Cathy & Gerald Philips
Darren Sapp
Darryl and Chrystal Schulte
SHOW HOPE Grant
Joyce Temple
P.S. If you would like to help us get the last portion of our adoption fees, you can donate through the paypal link on the side of my blog, or mail a check to Mission 127, PO Box 99086, Louisville, KY 40269. God bless!
P.S. If you would like to help us get the last portion of our adoption fees, you can donate through the paypal link on the side of my blog, or mail a check to Mission 127, PO Box 99086, Louisville, KY 40269. God bless!
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