We have more news about our adoption. This time, though, it is very good news! In changing countries from Ghana to the Democratic Republic of Congo, we had some concerns, the added cost of adopting from DRC being a major one. It also saddened us to leave behind the idea of adopting the precious sibling pair we had been matched with. However, God in His sovereignty had all of this worked out for our good and His glory.
First, though we still think of the two little ones in Ghana we had at one time thought would be joining our family, we know that they are in His hands and we rest in the knowledge that He has a plan for their lives as well. He has instead lead us to a pair of little boys, brothers around the ages of 2 and 4. These little guys are in need of a mommy and daddy and it appears that God is calling us to fulfill that role for them. We are so thankful for the opportunity to adopt a sibling group--and a pair of brothers at that! Sibling groups, children older than the age of 3, and boys in general often do not find adoptive families. God has been so good to allow us the chance to take these boys into our home and love them as our own.
We are preparing to formally accept the referral for these boys tomorrow. The first fee due at this time to the adoption agency for the adoption of these children is $12,300. On the day we received the official referral (last Friday), the amount of money we had raised was....$12,400! Isn't God amazing? This past week, through so many situations, God has reminded us that He is in control of this process and that we can put our full trust in Him, knowing that He will do what is best for us and for our children (both here with us and in Africa), and that He will be glorified through this.
His name be praised!
Please continue to pray for our family as we proceed. Our next step is to assemble our dossier, a packet of documents that will be send to the Congolese government. Our next fee of $11,800 will be due at that time. (We are sharing the exact financial information with you in hopes of being an encouragement to others considering adoption. The cost was one major reason we waited for three years before finally beginning the process to adopt. But we can see now that God is providing as it is needed and we hope to show others that as well.)
We are thankful for the blessings He has showered on us this week and trust His hand to continue to be upon us as we proceed through this adoption.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Saturday, May 18, 2013
An Eventful Week--Adoption Journey Update
We have had a very eventful week in regards to our adoption. Early in the week, we received the news that the government in Ghana has suspended all international adoptions. This news was extremely disheartening to say the least. The two little ones we were planning to adopt will not be joining our family after all. We are grieved over this fact, but we also know that God is sovereign over all aspects of this process, and we trust His will to be accomplished.
We began looking into other options before us. In addition to their Ghana program, our placement agency has a program in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Interestingly, Congo (also commonly called DRC) was our first choice of country, however when our agency presented us with the profile of the two siblings in Ghana, we felt a connection with them and decided to pursue adoption from Ghana. God does not make mistakes, and there is a reason for our interest in both the Congo and Ghana. There is also a reason for the suspension of adoptions in Ghana. God is directing this process, and we will follow His leading wherever it takes us. We know He will bring just the right children into our home at just the right time and from just the right place.
Along with that news and the subsequent emotional and mental adjustment which has followed, we also received the news that our homestudy is complete and has been approved. This is a very big step and it is such a blessing to have completed this particular step in the overall adoption process.
Another exciting threshold was reached this week as we hit the $10,000 mark in our fundraising efforts. Through some generous gifts, sales of several larger items, and a yard sale just today, God has provided this amount, and we continue to trust that He will bring in the rest of what we need. However, one aspect of the change of country that is particularly disappointing is the fact that adoption from the Congo costs a considerable amount more than from Ghana. Because of this fact, we will most likely be adopting only one child instead of the two we had hoped to be able to adopt. God can do miracles, of course, and if He wants us to have two little ones from Africa, He will send the funds we need.
The amount we would need for the adoption of two children from the Congo would be closer to $50,000. Yes, you read that right. That's a lot of money, isn't it? Again, we trust that God will provide what we need to accomplish what He has in mind in this, but we also want to be wise and to step out in faith only as He leads. We need much prayer for wisdom in this regard.
Over the next few weeks, we plan to share some aspects of life in the Congo that particularly made an impression on us as we were researching options of countries from which to adopt. As one of the most poverty stricken nations in the world--a country torn by war and civil unrest--it is a very needy part of the world. There are many children orphaned by war, the AIDS crisis, and extreme poverty. Many children die of diseases like malaria and typhoid. God has touched our hearts for the people of the Congo.
As our eventful week comes to an end, we see that God's hand is in all of the events which have taken place. He will bring his purposes to pass, and we can rest in the knowledge that He means it all for our good and for His glory.
This adoption journey sure has been exciting, and it's barely just begun!
We began looking into other options before us. In addition to their Ghana program, our placement agency has a program in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Interestingly, Congo (also commonly called DRC) was our first choice of country, however when our agency presented us with the profile of the two siblings in Ghana, we felt a connection with them and decided to pursue adoption from Ghana. God does not make mistakes, and there is a reason for our interest in both the Congo and Ghana. There is also a reason for the suspension of adoptions in Ghana. God is directing this process, and we will follow His leading wherever it takes us. We know He will bring just the right children into our home at just the right time and from just the right place.
Along with that news and the subsequent emotional and mental adjustment which has followed, we also received the news that our homestudy is complete and has been approved. This is a very big step and it is such a blessing to have completed this particular step in the overall adoption process.
Another exciting threshold was reached this week as we hit the $10,000 mark in our fundraising efforts. Through some generous gifts, sales of several larger items, and a yard sale just today, God has provided this amount, and we continue to trust that He will bring in the rest of what we need. However, one aspect of the change of country that is particularly disappointing is the fact that adoption from the Congo costs a considerable amount more than from Ghana. Because of this fact, we will most likely be adopting only one child instead of the two we had hoped to be able to adopt. God can do miracles, of course, and if He wants us to have two little ones from Africa, He will send the funds we need.
The amount we would need for the adoption of two children from the Congo would be closer to $50,000. Yes, you read that right. That's a lot of money, isn't it? Again, we trust that God will provide what we need to accomplish what He has in mind in this, but we also want to be wise and to step out in faith only as He leads. We need much prayer for wisdom in this regard.
Over the next few weeks, we plan to share some aspects of life in the Congo that particularly made an impression on us as we were researching options of countries from which to adopt. As one of the most poverty stricken nations in the world--a country torn by war and civil unrest--it is a very needy part of the world. There are many children orphaned by war, the AIDS crisis, and extreme poverty. Many children die of diseases like malaria and typhoid. God has touched our hearts for the people of the Congo.
As our eventful week comes to an end, we see that God's hand is in all of the events which have taken place. He will bring his purposes to pass, and we can rest in the knowledge that He means it all for our good and for His glory.
This adoption journey sure has been exciting, and it's barely just begun!
Monday, May 6, 2013
On Many Fronts
There are times in life when there are challenges on so many fronts, it seems a bit overwhelming. This past week has been one of those times for our family.
On the adoption front, we had our final homestudy visit with our social worker, and are now awaiting her final report, which will be sent to our placing agency, the Social Welfare department in Ghana, and any organizations to which we will apply for grants. The completion of the homestudy is a very important step in the adoption process, and we are looking forward to having that part of the process behind us so that we can move on to the next step toward bringing our little ones home. We are also in the midst of preparing for two yard sales, which we will be holding on May 18th and May 25th. (If you live near us, look for us in the vacant lot beside Pizza Hut.)
On the friendship front, we spent last weekend at the Mass HOPE homeschool convention. We had an opportunity to spend time in sweet fellowship with some very dear brothers and sisters in the Lord. We also were very blessed to visit with a very precious friend of ours who was recently diagnosed with a very serious form of cancer. Her faith in the midst of this affliction and the peace she and her children radiate has been such a beautiful thing to behold. Her example of simple trust in her Savior is inspiring.
On the family front, my daddy, who has struggled for many years with several challenging health problems, is in the hospital with congestive heart failure and a blood clot in his lung. There is a chance that the medication they are giving him for the blood clot could cause bleeding ulcers in his stomach. His kidneys are not handling the medications well, either. Obviously, it is a difficult situation.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
So many things to pray about. What peace it brings to go to Him with our burdens, knowing that nothing takes Him by surprise!
On the adoption front, we had our final homestudy visit with our social worker, and are now awaiting her final report, which will be sent to our placing agency, the Social Welfare department in Ghana, and any organizations to which we will apply for grants. The completion of the homestudy is a very important step in the adoption process, and we are looking forward to having that part of the process behind us so that we can move on to the next step toward bringing our little ones home. We are also in the midst of preparing for two yard sales, which we will be holding on May 18th and May 25th. (If you live near us, look for us in the vacant lot beside Pizza Hut.)
On the friendship front, we spent last weekend at the Mass HOPE homeschool convention. We had an opportunity to spend time in sweet fellowship with some very dear brothers and sisters in the Lord. We also were very blessed to visit with a very precious friend of ours who was recently diagnosed with a very serious form of cancer. Her faith in the midst of this affliction and the peace she and her children radiate has been such a beautiful thing to behold. Her example of simple trust in her Savior is inspiring.
On the family front, my daddy, who has struggled for many years with several challenging health problems, is in the hospital with congestive heart failure and a blood clot in his lung. There is a chance that the medication they are giving him for the blood clot could cause bleeding ulcers in his stomach. His kidneys are not handling the medications well, either. Obviously, it is a difficult situation.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
So many things to pray about. What peace it brings to go to Him with our burdens, knowing that nothing takes Him by surprise!
Thursday, May 2, 2013
New Life in Spring Time
Spring time means new life. Around here, there is lots of new life in spring time. We have new little chicks scurrying around, fresh green shoots popping up from the ground, and little lambs following after their mothers on wobbly legs. This little guy was born not long ago. I love the fact that his mamma's fleece is snow white, while his is completely black.
Spring also means mud pies and baths every night!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
The Struggle of Fear and Faith
Years ago, I read a book entitled Hinds' Feet on High Places. It is considered by many to be a Christian classic. Written by Hannah Hurnard, it is the story of Much-Afraid and her journey to follow her Shepherd to the High Places. Her companions on this journey are Sorrow and Suffering. Coming from the family of Fearings, she is often pursued and even tormented by members of her family all along her journey. It is a beautifully written allegory which spoke to me on a deep level. I have not read it in recent years, but the book came to mind again just this morning as I was reflecting on a certain situation we are facing right now.
At times, I feel like Much-Afraid, pursued by the Fearing family, stumbling along the path to the High Places, Sorrow and Suffering ever by my side. Much-Afraid is disfigured and feels unlovely, and yet the Shepherd loves her and tenderly guides her on her journey. She is broken, yet He cares for her and when she finally reaches the High Places, she is made whole.
After the loss of our baby, facing another pregnancy was a fearful experience. Yet the Lord of Love, my Shepherd, tenderly guided me through the steep and rocky path and has brought me such joy and healing through the gift of our Olivia's little brother.
Knowing His faithfulness in trials, trust and peace should come easily. Yet, I also know the very real truth that sometimes God's will is not how we in our humanness and frailty would wish it to be.
We are again facing unfamiliar and possibly very challenging territory in regards to our adoption. Adoption, and international adoption in particular, is by nature an unpredictable experience. There is significant cost in terms of both time and money. There is also a lot of waiting involved. Trusting God even when fear is close at hand is a conscious decision. Faith cannot be said to be trusting God in the absence of fear; rather it is, in the face of fear, trusting that God will bring you through the fear, the uncertainty, the pain that may be before you.
I have been very candid here is hopes of being an encouragement to others who may be struggling with fear right now. I can tell you from personal experience that the Lord is trustworthy. Face your fear with faith, believing that His will is perfect. I am at present attempting to take my own advice.
"We feel we would give anything if only we could, in actual experience, live on the High Places of love and victory here on this earth and during this life--able always to react to evil, tribulation, sorrow, pain, and every wrong thing in such a way that we would be overcome and transformed into something to the praise and glory of God forever. As Christians we know, in theory at least, that in the life of a child of God there are no second causes, that even the most unjust and cruel things, as well as all seemingly pointless and undeserved sufferings, have been permitted by God as a glorious opportunity for us to react to them in such a way that the Lord and Savior is able to produce in us, little by little , his own lovely character." ~Hannah Hurnard, from the Preface of Hinds' Feet in High Places
At times, I feel like Much-Afraid, pursued by the Fearing family, stumbling along the path to the High Places, Sorrow and Suffering ever by my side. Much-Afraid is disfigured and feels unlovely, and yet the Shepherd loves her and tenderly guides her on her journey. She is broken, yet He cares for her and when she finally reaches the High Places, she is made whole.
After the loss of our baby, facing another pregnancy was a fearful experience. Yet the Lord of Love, my Shepherd, tenderly guided me through the steep and rocky path and has brought me such joy and healing through the gift of our Olivia's little brother.
Knowing His faithfulness in trials, trust and peace should come easily. Yet, I also know the very real truth that sometimes God's will is not how we in our humanness and frailty would wish it to be.
We are again facing unfamiliar and possibly very challenging territory in regards to our adoption. Adoption, and international adoption in particular, is by nature an unpredictable experience. There is significant cost in terms of both time and money. There is also a lot of waiting involved. Trusting God even when fear is close at hand is a conscious decision. Faith cannot be said to be trusting God in the absence of fear; rather it is, in the face of fear, trusting that God will bring you through the fear, the uncertainty, the pain that may be before you.
I have been very candid here is hopes of being an encouragement to others who may be struggling with fear right now. I can tell you from personal experience that the Lord is trustworthy. Face your fear with faith, believing that His will is perfect. I am at present attempting to take my own advice.
"We feel we would give anything if only we could, in actual experience, live on the High Places of love and victory here on this earth and during this life--able always to react to evil, tribulation, sorrow, pain, and every wrong thing in such a way that we would be overcome and transformed into something to the praise and glory of God forever. As Christians we know, in theory at least, that in the life of a child of God there are no second causes, that even the most unjust and cruel things, as well as all seemingly pointless and undeserved sufferings, have been permitted by God as a glorious opportunity for us to react to them in such a way that the Lord and Savior is able to produce in us, little by little , his own lovely character." ~Hannah Hurnard, from the Preface of Hinds' Feet in High Places
~Kimberly
Saturday, April 13, 2013
A Challenge from Eric Ludy
Last month, we had the privilege of meeting Eric and Leslie Ludy. They were the keynote speakers at Homeschoolers of Maine's annual convention this year. Just before we attended the convention, while doing some research on adoption, we came across this message by Eric Ludy. The Ludy's are adoptive parents and talking with them about adoption, as well as hearing their messages, in particular the one entitled "The Sacred Claim: the Power of a Poured Out Life", caused us to pause and marvel at God's timing. His care of His children is evident in so many little details of life. We were encouraged and challenged by the Ludy's adoption stories.
Perhaps the following message, entitled "Depraved Indifference" will challenge you as well.
Monday, April 8, 2013
All Natural Household Cleaners
Several years ago, we began a quest to see how many everyday household necessities we could make from scratch from a few raw ingredients. I discovered skills and recipes that have helped us reach this goal and it has been such a satisfying experience. Because several members of our family have allergies or chemical sensitivities, making our own cleaning products and soaps has helped us avoid the skin reactions that we used to struggle with. Making our own products with all natural ingredients has also saved us a great deal of money. Of course, we like the fact that we can be more self-sufficient and less dependent on a big store to supply our needs. We can mix a large batch of whatever we are making, and it lasts our big family much longer than most store bought cleaners or soaps would.
Our all purpose cleaner is a very simple combination of white vinegar (I have also used apple cider vinegar, which we make ourselves), water, Borax, and essential oils. Vinegar has natural antibacterial properties and is wonderful for achieving a streak-free shine on windows, mirrors, and chrome fixtures. Here is the recipe with the amounts I generally use:
All Purpose Cleaner
1 c. vinegar
1 T. Borax
10 drops essential oil (My favorites are tea tree, lavender, orange or lemon. I have just recently started using Young Living Thieves as well.)
Place the above ingredients in a spray bottle and add warm water to fill the bottle. Shake well.
All natural oven cleaner is something we discovered fairly recently, and we have found that it actually works much better than the chemically laden versions.
Oven Cleaner
Baking soda
Water
Vinegar
Make a paste with baking soda and water. Spread on the inside of the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Spray inside of oven with vinegar and water mixture (equal parts) and let the fun foaming action begin. Then wipe the inside of the oven with a sponge. It should come off fairly easily, though you may have to apply some elbow grease as well.
Today was laundry detergent making day. We make a five gallon bucket of laundry soap every three months or so for our family of eight.
Laundry Soap
1 c. washing soda
1/2 c. Borax
1 bar Fels Naptha
Grate Fels Naptha into small saucepan. Add water to cover grated soap. Heat over low heat, stirring continually until all the soap is melted. Put washing soda and Borax in 5 gallon bucket, then add melted soap. Stir to mix. Add water until it reaches the top of the bucket, stirring mixture until completely combined. Let sit overnight. In our extra-large capacity washer, we use about 1/2 cup per load.
Homemade dish soap is something we have only recently started to make. It does not suds up like the conventional type, but I see that as a good sign that there are no harmful detergents included in the ingredients.
Dish Soap
1 3/4 c. boiling water
1 T. Borax
1 T. grated soap (I use my own homemade soap, but any kind of regular bath soap would work)
15- 20 drops essential oil (lemon or orange oil are perfect for this)
Mix Borax and soap, then pour boiling water over the mixture. Wisk until soap is completely melted. Let cool 6-8 hours, then transfer to a squeeze bottle. Shake to combine.
None of these recipes takes much time or effort, yet it is so satisfying to make our own versions of each of these things. And did I mention that it saves a lot of money?
Our all purpose cleaner is a very simple combination of white vinegar (I have also used apple cider vinegar, which we make ourselves), water, Borax, and essential oils. Vinegar has natural antibacterial properties and is wonderful for achieving a streak-free shine on windows, mirrors, and chrome fixtures. Here is the recipe with the amounts I generally use:
All Purpose Cleaner
1 c. vinegar
1 T. Borax
10 drops essential oil (My favorites are tea tree, lavender, orange or lemon. I have just recently started using Young Living Thieves as well.)
Place the above ingredients in a spray bottle and add warm water to fill the bottle. Shake well.
All natural oven cleaner is something we discovered fairly recently, and we have found that it actually works much better than the chemically laden versions.
Oven Cleaner
Baking soda
Water
Vinegar
Make a paste with baking soda and water. Spread on the inside of the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Spray inside of oven with vinegar and water mixture (equal parts) and let the fun foaming action begin. Then wipe the inside of the oven with a sponge. It should come off fairly easily, though you may have to apply some elbow grease as well.
Today was laundry detergent making day. We make a five gallon bucket of laundry soap every three months or so for our family of eight.
Laundry Soap
1 c. washing soda
1/2 c. Borax
1 bar Fels Naptha
Grate Fels Naptha into small saucepan. Add water to cover grated soap. Heat over low heat, stirring continually until all the soap is melted. Put washing soda and Borax in 5 gallon bucket, then add melted soap. Stir to mix. Add water until it reaches the top of the bucket, stirring mixture until completely combined. Let sit overnight. In our extra-large capacity washer, we use about 1/2 cup per load.
Homemade dish soap is something we have only recently started to make. It does not suds up like the conventional type, but I see that as a good sign that there are no harmful detergents included in the ingredients.
Dish Soap
1 3/4 c. boiling water
1 T. Borax
1 T. grated soap (I use my own homemade soap, but any kind of regular bath soap would work)
15- 20 drops essential oil (lemon or orange oil are perfect for this)
Mix Borax and soap, then pour boiling water over the mixture. Wisk until soap is completely melted. Let cool 6-8 hours, then transfer to a squeeze bottle. Shake to combine.
None of these recipes takes much time or effort, yet it is so satisfying to make our own versions of each of these things. And did I mention that it saves a lot of money?
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