***This is an article I wrote for the newsletter of Jeeah's Hope, a local adoption and foster care ministry which has been a tremendous help for us along the way. The article is sort of a summary of our adoption journey so far. We're almost there!***
International
adoption has been a dream of ours for many years. For me, the call began when I
was in college, babysitting a little girl adopted from China. I used to stare
at her, silently praising God for rescuing her from the streets and bringing
her into the safety of her loving home. Since that time, when I
dreamed about my future family, I prayed that God would give me
adopted children, even if that meant not having biological children.
After
only two years of marriage, we felt ready to adopt, but we weren’t sure where
to start. Thankfully, God led us to a church community where adoption is
celebrated. Some friends at church had already adopted two precious children
from India, and God had provided most of their adoption expenses, so we started
asking questions. We knew we couldn’t fund an adoption ourselves, but surely
God would provide for us as He had for them. We just had to take a leap of
faith.
Our
first home study visit with Lifeline was in October 2011. As we explored our
options, it became clear that an adoption from India would be the best fit for
our family. We signed on with Island Coast International Adoptions, and
received a referral in December.
We
didn’t know what to do with the referral! Here was this file and photograph of
a beautiful, four-year-old girl. We had a choice. Did we want her? Of course we
did! Did we have faith that God would provide the means to bring her home? Sort
of. We needed some encouragement.
We
found the encouragement we needed through fellowship with other adoptive and
foster care families within the Jeeah’s Hope community. Many of these families
have already adopted one or more children. They all have unique stories. They
have completed the piles of paperwork. They have waited, with their hearts in
their throats, to hear news of their adoptive children. They have been through
the disappointments. They weren’t surprised or discouraged by delays in the
process. They understood the significance of each step of the process, and
wanted to celebrate with us. Jeeah’s Hope has been a safe place for us
throughout this adoption process.
When
we heard that Jeeah’s Hope could offer financial assistance through matching
grants or no-interest loans, we had little faith that we could match $4,000, so
we considered applying for the loan. Thankfully, we were urged to apply for the
matching grant instead, so we did. We strove to raise the funds we needed. We
shamelessly asked friends and family for donations, and we participated in
fundraisers galore. But you know what? It turns out we were right about not
being able to match that $4,000 grant on our own strength. Only God could do it,
and He did. The funds came in through unbelievable, amazing, and humbling
channels. Our faith has grown so much through this process, and our passion for
adoption is stronger than ever.
God
has shown us, through providing the support we needed to adopt our daughter,
that adoption really is His perfect plan for our lives. "Anna" really is our
daughter, and He will do everything to bring her home into His family.
Adoption
is a picture of God’s love for us. We fully believe that God has allowed us to
go through this process in order to give us a glimpse of His never failing love
for us. He really did seek us when we were strangers. He really will love us no
matter what. As believers in Him, we really are forgiven our sins and made
perfect in His sight. When God looks at us, He sees our brokenness and loves us
anyway. Without Him, we would all be orphans.
Praise
be to God, who promises:
“Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
6 I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
6 I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
Isaiah
43:5-7
