Our Personal Journey Toward Adoption

Our journey toward adoption started about three years ago with a prompting from God's Spirit. It gradually came upon us that adoption was something we should consider. We began researching adoption on the internet. It was overwhelming to discover the shear volume of information available on the internet in regards to adoption! A search on Amazon.com revealed several popular books on the topic of adoption, leading us to purchase some, which I (Kim) very promptly read. One book in particular, Adopted for Life by Russell Moore, spoke to my heart in a very deep way. Sharing what I had learned with Gilbert, we discussed our thoughts on the idea of bringing children into our home in this way. We both felt absolutely sure that God was calling us to do this, but the question became the timing. We knew it was something we would be doing in the near future, but it did not feel like the right time yet.

Through the years that followed, we talked often of our dream to adopt. We read more and did more research into our options. We talked with some of our friends who had adopted. We prayed for God's leading and for Him to show us when the timing was right to begin the process.

We were drawn to international adoption, mainly because of the realization that there are 163 million orphaned children around the world waiting for families. There are so many children in need, we found ourselves wanting to be the family for some of these little ones.

About three months ago, while looking at a photolisting of waiting children (children available for adoption, but not easy to place in homes because of certain physical conditions or simply because they are older than toddler age or are part of a sibling group) on the website Rainbowkids.com, we came across a listing for a sibling group of three little ones ages 1, 3 and 5 years old. We called the agency that had listed them to discuss their requirements for adopting these children. We were informed that the agency was not willing to work with us because of our family size. So we contacted several more agencies, asking them many questions about their requirements for adoptive families and about the adoption process in general. One particular agency stood out from the others, and so we began the application process with them. We finally felt like now was the time to pursue what we had been dreaming about for all those years. We started our homestudy process as well.  The homestudy must be done by a licensed agency within the adoptive family's state. Our homestudy agency has been highly recommended by several families we know who have adopted in recent years.

Filling out the paperwork for both the homestudy agency and the placement agency, collecting the necessary documents (proof of income, birth certificates, marriage license, etc.) took us about three weeks. Before we had even completed the paperwork portion of the process, our case worker from our placement agency told us about a brother and sister in Ghana who were available for adoption. She sent us all the information the agency had on them at that time. She also sent us their pictures. The little faces in the pictures looked so sad, I couldn't imagine what they had already experienced in their young lives. The hearts of our entire family were stirred toward these two children.

In the adoption process, being matched with a child is called getting a referral. When we officially accept the referral, which me must do within a matter of days from now, we must also send in the first agency fee of $9,400. We were not expecting the referral so quickly, and do not have the full amount at this time. We simply do not have the funds needed. We are in the process of selling some things, which should raise a portion of that first fee amount. We have also received some donations, which will help. One delightful aspect of this is that our children have each made their own donation to our adoption fund in proportion to their personal resources. Even our five year old son has proudly made a contribution. What a joy it has been to see them all so committed to bringing these two little ones into our family!

Once we have accepted the referral, we must send in the necessary forms to be approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) to adopt internationally. Then we must submit our dossier, a packet of documents sent to the Ghanaian government, petitioning them for approval for the adoption of these children. At the time we send the dossier, we will need to send the next fee of $9,000. This step in the process will come about four weeks after the referral is accepted.

The next step is to travel to meet the children and go through the court process to officially adopt them. Then we return home without them to wait for the US Embassy in Ghana to issue their visas. That is also when the remaining $10,000 agency fee will be due. At that point, we will again travel to Ghana, this time to bring the children home with us. What a happy day that will be! In the midst of concerns over funding and mountains of paperwork, we are trying to keep our eyes fixed on that day.

We expect the process to take several months to complete. Please pray with us for these children and for the funds to bring them home to us. God has touched our hearts for these children and we are stepping out in faith, trusting that he will provide the means to make this possible.