Fundraising for Adoption????

When we first set out on the adoption journey...one of the hardest things to look at face to face was the cost. It almost seems like paired up next to "parenthood", the cost is the WAAAAY scarier and WAAAAYY more unknown! I feel like that is a little twisted.

I'm not going to lie, I have had days where I have thought "I love that we are adopting but I hate that most people who have natural born kids don't have to come up with $30,000 to do it." There is a part of me that feels like it is unfair. That is just an honest moment.

When you feel God call you into something, there are usually 2 things that you can do.

1. Ignore it and pretend like you don't feel the nudges that He keeps giving you...which let's be honest...could probably get quite annoying after a while.

2. Follow. Follow and step forward with CRAZY amounts of trust.

Sometimes, I feel like the first choice is easier because it is way more tempting to just ignore something than it is to actually do something about it.

In our first meeting with Bethany Christian Services, our social worker handed us a packet of a whole bunch of different banks that do Adoption Loans. It seemed like that would be a quick cork in the money problem if that is what direction we wanted to go.

Keep in mind, in the adoption process, it is not like a "Here is the huge chunk of money that you will have to pay and you can just pay it off as you feel led." It is more of a "Here is the amount you owe, pay it and we will move to the next step."

So, in my mind...Adoption Loan = Yes!

Then the whole trust thing came into play. We have had some close and important people in our lives talk with us about the Adoption Journey. Their advice?

"Don't do a loan. Trust God for the money. Because if God has brought you into this calling, He will not use debt to accomplish it."

Ok. That looks theoretically AWESOME on paper. Not so much when a bill is looking you in the face for double the amount that you have in your bank account.

So, I have struggled to come to a place where I can confidently say that I trust God to work in some really incredible ways to make this happen. Which is funny...because He has provided in amazing ways already throughout each step of this journey!

I have also really struggled with the fact that we have to ask others around us to support us.
Because seriously, I know very few people who love to ask others, in your most vulnerable state, for help. And I know even less people who LOVE asking for financial support. It is awkward, uncomfortable, and subject to serious judgement.

So if you have ever questioned why someone is fundraising for adoption, have considered fundraising for adoption, or are in the process of doing so...

This is where we have personally landed on this matter...

We can't do it by ourselves. We are doing everything that we can and making every sacrifice that we can make to save money and move forward. But we can't do it alone.

And we don't believe we were called to do it alone. We believe that God has put us in a spot to minister to others and allow others to minister to us. To humble ourselves enough to recognize that we are not in control, that we have to fully trust God, and that it is okay to ask for help in this calling that is not just about us, but about an orphan, and ultimately about living out the gospel.

So is fundraising for adoption okay?

I believe it is more than okay. I believe it is the body of Christ at its finest.