Family Friday: "Adoption is hard...and worth it"

We find ourselves at yet another Family Friday! Please join me in praise with Greg & Charisa and their growing family and as they share the pure FAITHFULNESS God has shown them in their journey...

This adoption was an adoption of faith almost from day one!  We signed on with our agency in February and were excited to again add to our family through the miracle of adoption. Greg found out that his position was being cut and he would lose his job, along with the $5000 adoption credit his company would give. Yikes!

There were so many questions at that time—where would he find a job? Would we have to move? What about the adoption? Did we hear God wrong?  We chose to have faith and believe God had something in store for us and He did! Greg was offered our job with our local food bank which lines up with his heart for helping the vulnerable! We were blessed as he only had to go two weeks without a job.  

In March we received the referral of a beautiful baby boy whose name means “Praise.” We were excited and quickly fell in love.  The Monday of the week we were leaving, I received that DREADED phone call.  Our little one’s mother came to court and changed her mind and took him home.  My first emotional reaction? I am done. Adoption is too hard. I can’t stand the emotional roller coaster anymore.  I AM DONE!  

Even in the midst of this God was working and moving. My caseworker called my husband first and told him to come home. We cried, prayed, asked many why’s and just sat in silence.  

As we continued to pray God asked me, “Who is adoption about? You or the child that needs a home?”  I began to realize, (I knew it down deep but it finally rose to the surface of my heart) that this was a good thing.   If this little baby’s mom changed her mind and could raise him—than that is who he should be with! How could I be upset with that?  Was I grieving?  Yes—for the loss of the child who we thought would be our son. However, I was so happy that this child could be raised by the mother that carried him, named him, and loved him.  

Fast forward a couple of days and we received another referral of a tiny little boy, Teshale, whose name means “Better One.” I can’t even begin to tell you how that confirmed everything for us. God has blessed us immensely and looking back we can see how everything worked according to His plan.  

July 15th we were in Ethiopia for court and met our son. He was our son! The bond was immediate and we knew this was the child God had for our family. We came home September 10^th 2011 and are doing well. We are more than blessed.

Adoption is hard. It is emotional.  It is full of bumps, curves, and road blocks. It is worth it. 

I now have so much more of a picture of what Christ endured for me.  I have a glimpse of His heartache and passion.  As I sat and cried over that first little boy I imagined how God weeps over those that He longs to have as His children.

Thank you Lifesong for being part of our story. Your encouragement and affirmation played a vital role in our adoption journey.  We appreciate you so much!

-Greg & Charisa

Family Friday: John & Meredith

Time for another Family Friday feature!

Let me introduce to you John and Meredith, 2nd-time adoptive parents from China.  They returned home this spring after their adoption of little Sam.

Please listen in as the share some of the joys, struggles and excitement of God's gift of adoption!

This was our second SN adoption from China within two years. We would have been unable to afford this adoption without the grant we received from Lifesong (& Jeeah's Hope Adoption Fund). Because we were familiar with China adoptions, this experience was very simple and smooth--but of course not fast! We had a wonderful experience with our agency as well as our adoption process.

Lifesong was so helpful and worked with us every step of the way. We so appreciate that Lifesong helped us to walk this path.

One major 'God-thing' through our process was that Sam was a child with special needs--a heart baby. He was born with an ASD. When we brought him home and had his heart checked by the cardiologist, God had healed him!!

Family Friday: Craig & Tessy

Listen in to the powerful adoption testimony from Craig & Tessy as they adopted Zalen Moise from the Democratic Republic of Congo...

Adoption changed my life.  I will never be the same.  Our family will never be the same.  I am so thankful.

Through the process of adoption it was as if I was allowed to peek into the mystery of how much my God loves me.  The lengths of love and sacrifice that He is willing to go through to make us His children.  His deep desire to adopt each of us no matter where we are at or what we have been through. 

I remember at times being overwhelmed with the piles of paperwork and red tape required to get my son home.  I remember the countless fundraisers as we attempted to meet the financial deadlines looming before us.  I recall the beautiful blessing of relief when a letter would arrive in the mailbox with a donation that was in the exact amount that we needed to meet our current financial need.  One of those letters was from "Lifesong for Orphans" right before we traveled. 

Our adoption didn't follow the normal pattern of "wait..wait..wait" that many have to endure.  Our paperwork moved quickly and travel time was upon us before we were ready.  There was no time to host another fundraiser, it was time to travel.  An answered prayer arrived just in time.  A few weeks before we needed to make travel plans we received a generous, just the amount needed, grant from Lifesong.

This happened throughout our journey, God supplying our every need just in time. It was many times through the body of Christ who sacrificed time and money to demonstrate the wonderful love of Christ to our family.  It was overwhelming.  It was a blessing.  It was an answer to our prayers.

-Craig & Tessy, Adoptive Parents

Family Friday: Robert & Tammy

Robert and Tammy had been discussing the idea adoption since they were first married.  In fact, early on they started saving, preparing for the cost of adoption. 

After having two daughters biologically, Robert and Tammy started researching and looking into the specifics of adoption.  God was obviously at work in their hearts as he moved their eyes and ears to the cry of the orphan in our own country of America. 

As they stepped deeper into their adoption journey, they were surprised by the high costs involved in adoption. Realizing they hadn't saved near enough, they began to sell some of their belongings, hosted yard sales, and picked up odd jobs to offset their deficit.  They also partnered with us at Lifesong for Orphans and set up a fundraising account for their friends and family to give in a way that was safe and tax-deductible. 

Through several twists and unexpected turns, they were finally matched with a little girl, Gabriella Faith. 

It is such an honor to be chosen to be her family. Adoption, for us, was a glimpse into the ultimate love…God’s love. It wasn’t easy, but we would do it ten times over to get our Gabby.

I hold our little girl, and I am so thankful that Gabriella is a part of our family. She so easily could be an orphan cared for in foster care. She so easily could have been an abortion statistic. Instead, she is our precious baby girl that adored. Her two big sisters love her so much. None of us can imagine our family without her. It amazes us all how God put our family together so perfectly. 

-Robert & Tammy

Love Made a Hard Decision - One Changed Life

The rusty old door in the fence was opened by the little girl with huge brown eyes.  Maybe it was her warm coat that she wore on this hot day that hid any fears that she might have had.  Did she know that her life was about to change forever?

Elshaday is a small six year old girl in the Upper Kindergarten class at the Lifesong School in Ziway, Ethiopia.  She has lived with her elderly grandparents ever since she became an orphan at two years old.  Her favorite subject is English and she spends much of her free time jump roping.

Her elderly Grandpa’s love for her was evident, but his poor health kept him in a bed or chair.  The meager wage her Grandma makes washing clothes by hand and spinning cotton has the family still depending on charity to survive.  

The Grandpa begged us to find a home for his granddaughter.  He was old, unemployed and felt helpless to care for dear Elshaday.  Academically, Elshaday was  at the bottom of her class and the Grandpa told us he couldn't teach her things he didn't know himself.  He desired his granddaughter to get a good start in life, but he knew he could never provide food, education or health. 

Love made a hard decision.

Elshaday has now moved into a forever family with a new Mom and Dad to love, protect and provide for her.  She is now living at Samuel’s Home, a vision project by Misgana Ministries, with nine new siblings.  Samuel's Home is designed for vulnerable children, like Elshaday, who no longer have family that can care for them.  She now has a permanent, Christ-following family and hope springing into her future.

Elshaday...One Changed Life!

"God places the lonely in families..." Psalm 68:6

(Thanks to Ann Meyer, Ethiopia Vision Team Member, for relaying this story)