I copied a bit from a fellow adopting parent, Cate. Since I am not tech savvy I can't link her blog, but she said it well and I will add to at the end!!
An interesting thing has happened in the last couple of weeks. Several people have asked either me or friends of mine why there are fundraisers for adoptions. Some have even questioned whether it is right or not to give towards an adoption. I know many people, even in the Christian world, feel if you do not have the money, you shouldn’t do it. I think there are a couple of things going on at the heart of this resistance. Hopefully, if we can get a discussion going, we can root out anything that is not based in a biblical worldview.
All of the fees involved in adoption are too heavy a burden for one couple to bear. Often I liken the costs involved in adoption to delivering a baby in a hospital without insurance. With a newborn or tragic illness often even with insurance, the co-pays could devastate a family financially. We never look at a child with cancer or a premature delivery and ask “why are there so many doctors involved or why did 3 nurses visit her in one day. Those costs are ridiculous.” They are. But we don’t blame the family and say they chose this. We are to bear one another’s burdens, help to ease the heavy weights on shoulders and remove the ache of oppression. In all medical/adoption situations “the system” most certainly is the oppressor. It needs to change (another option in ministering to orphans would be helpful reform). But we also need to help those under that burden.
When we go through trials, God makes the impossible possible and usually uses His people to do it. Examples of Rahab, Ruth and Elisha come instantly to mind.
We are given excess in wealth to bless those in need. I cannot think of another need greater than a waiting child. Hear me, the family, the parents, aren’t the ones in need. It is the child. (1 John 3:17) I think so often we in a desire to protect the heart of the child, sugar coat the reality of the life of an orphan. I think there is an American air of, “he will be okay, there are opportunities here, he can pull himself up, etc.” But the emotional damage of not having a mother and father is devastating. The need for a godly family, let alone a family at all, is imperative.
This is the note I posted before on Facebook, which I will resend to those not on Facebook at a later date. We do need your help!
We are very excited and happy to announce that we are in the process of adopting 2 young children/babies from the Congo! Adoption has been something we have wanted to do "some day", and that day has come. We hope that you will all share in the joy and welcome our children when they come to their forever home!
But for now, there is a lot to do. The stack of paperwork is high, the costs are higher. We can not do it all alone. We need your help! We have two fundraisers planned, and hopefully at least one more in the future. (ideas welcome!) Our first fundraiser is a huge yard sale. The sale will be the last weekend in August. Anyone who has put together a yard sale knows that it is a lot of hard work, but when done well the profits can be plenty. This is how you can help:
1) Give us donations! Clean out your kids closets, your CD collection, your kitchen cabinets, your garage- we will sell anything! If you can contribute and hold your things until a couple weeks before the sale it is appreciated, but you can donate at any time as we do have storage in our attic. It would be SUPER helpful if you could organize what you donate by labeling bags/boxes, or even better yet tagging them (but we don't expect you to do that!). Anything that is worth $1 or more, we will take and attempt to sell (and donate the rest)
2) Help us sort and tag! The week before the sale we would love help bringing everything together and organizing and pricing. Please let us know if you would be willing to donate a few hours of your time.
3) Helps us set up and sell! The morning of the sale we will need early morning help. If you can be available to come in the wee hours and help us we will not turn down your help! If you can assist in selling any time during the sale we have an apron and some $1s with your name on it! Just a couple hours would be a tremendous help to us.
4) Spread the word! We will be advertising, but you can help advertise the sale as well as tell others that we are looking for donations. Some larger, higher dollar items will go a long way in helping us reach our goal.
5) Pray! Please, do this anyway:)
The second fundraiser I will be hosting is a jewelry party. This will be held in early November- just in time for you to start thinking about buying those holiday presents;) The host of the show will be donating 30% of the sales to our adoption fund. So come out, bring your friends, get some shopping done and help us at the same time!
We appreciate you all being part of our lives, and continually pray that the process will have few bumps in the road and we can be adding to our family in a unique way that will not only change these orphans lives, but will change other's lives as well. Feel free to ask questions or check in with our process at any time!
If you can help in any way feel free to FB message or email at happygal34@hotmail.com. Or drop donations on my porch if you know where that is!
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