Don't get me wrong, I had heard the adoption process was not cheap. There are a lot of fees and legal aspects you have to go through. There are a lot of people working hard to make sure that everything is taken care of in a legal and ethical way (Praise God for that). However, the numbers astounded me....around $30,000. I immediately went into panic mode, wondering why God would clearly call us to do something that we clearly could not afford. Surprise...we do not have 30 grand stored up...are you shocked? Um, yea I didn't think so. Just keeping it real. I got discouraged! I began to wonder how people do this. How do everyday people afford to step up to the calling and give orphans a home and a family.
I started reading other families adoption blogs looking for answers and light was shed. What the heck did we do before social media? Every family that I ran across, said the same thing "If you feel called to adopt, do not let the money hold you back. God will provide for what he has called you to do." Whew...we weren't the only ones thinking this. All of these families were fighting for their children financially. Not only were they being wiser with their own finances in order to save money for the process, but they were fundraising. I am reading this GREAT book for anyone who is in the process of adopting or considering it in the future. It has a ton of great fundraising ideas and resources.
The thought of fundraising to bring a child into your family can put a bad taste in some people's mouths. Why would you ask other people for money for something YOU want to do? Here's the deal, there are over 147 million orphans in the world. How can we solve this problem if realistically families cannot afford this alone (especially one income families)? While not everyone feels called to actually adopt, there are many people who want to do good and help others, some by bringing home an orphan, some by utilizing the monetary blessings God has bestowed to them. That is where fundraising and donations come into play.
The way I am trying to look at it is like this, by fundraising and accepting donations, people who feel led to give are having a part in something bigger than themselves. They are part of bringing our son home. So many people give to charities or causes where they may not even know the individual who will benefit from that (those things are GREAT and needed), but supporting an adoptive family puts a face, a name, and a story to your donation. You are not just helping that family get a child, you are helping that child get a family. What an awesome lifelong gift!
I am having to REALLY trust God on this one, because when I look at the numbers, I want to cry and back out. But then God reminds me that all things are His.....even money. He can give it and he can take it away. He can work miracles and he can touch hearts and prompt people to give. When I am tempted to stress over how we will pay for this, I find comfort in these verses:
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-34:
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4
"Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare."
Psalm 40:5
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap the harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9
"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:14
"He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:24
Oh thank you Lord for your Word and how it speaks life into me! How it can calm my fears, my anxieties and bring PEACE! Nothing better than that my friends. God holds true to his word and I know he will see us through this process in all aspects, including finances. He may even use some of you who are reading this right now, and I am humbled and grateful for that.
Unless you are close to someone who has adopted or have looked into it yourself, you probably, like me, have a distorted view of what adoption costs. I wanted to show you an example of the fee breakdown so that any of you who feel inclined to donate or participate in on of our fundraisers, know exactly where your money will be going. So here it is:
Fees:
ESTIMATED ETHIOPIA ADOPTION COSTS
AGENCY FEES
Application Fee $250.00
Lifeline Children's Services Fee $5,500.00
Orphan Care Sustainability Projects *** $1,500.00
Home Study Fee* $1,500.00
Post Adoption Services $750.00
Post adoption services to be paid to local provider for out of state families.
There will be a home study fee given by the home study provider in your state for which you
will be charged a fee (typically $1500-$3000) for all families that live in states in which Lifeline is not licensed.
Out-of-State Residents:
Agency Fees listed above are to be paid in 4 installments.
Paid with application $ 250.00
Paid upon application acceptance $ 2,583.33
Payable at the completion of home study $ 2,583.33
Paid when dossier is sent to Ethiopia $ 2,583.33
Out-of-State Fees $8,000.00
OUT OF POCKET U.S. ADOPTION EXPENSES
Fingerprint Fee (For Home Study) $108.00
Passport pictures (8 copies) $20.00
Passports for two parents $240.00
Citizenship and Immigration Services Fee (includes fingerprinting for 2 adults) $890.00
NCFA Parent Training $195.00
International Adoption Clinic Seminar $150.00
Birth Certificates (1 copy of each) $26.00
Marriage License (1 copy) $13.00
Dossier Authentication $575.00
FedEx fees (dossier sent to Lifeline) $45.00
FedEx fees (authenication shipping) $300.00
Referral Fee for one child*** (Due when accepting referral) $9,700.00
Medical Reports for home study (varies depending on health insurance coverage)*
Medical Reports for dossier (varies depending on health insurance coverage)*
Estimated Subtotal $ 12,262.00
Total U.S. Fees (Out of State) $ 20,262.00
IN-COUNTRY EXPENSES WHILE IN ETHIOPIA
Note: Based on two trips for two people, adopting one child.)
Airfare (tickets for 2 and return flight for your child after second trip) $ 7,000.00
Hotel Accomindations $ 700.00
Parent Visas $ 80.00
Transportation in Ethiopia $ 500.00
Child's US Visa Fee $ 230.00
Food (per person) $ 200.00
Estimated Total of In-country Expenses $ 8,710.00
Estimated Overall Fees for an Ethiopian Adoption
TOTAL ADOPTION COST $ 30,472.00
Is that overwhelming or what? So, now you can see how this all adds up. Now you can see why we will be doing fundraisers. Hope you will join in all the fun that is to come through our fundraisers. Check in tomorrow as I officially introduce you to one of our fundraisers that will be ongoing throughout the adoption process. It just might "perk" up your day. See you then!
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