Adoption is...

My friends, adoption is redemption. It's costly, exhausting, expensive and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him.

 Derek Loux

Victoria

Fundraiser for a special girl named Victoria,
Click the link and see what we are doing.

http://www.facebook.com/events/411568358898824/

A Little Background

Those who know us, know our hearts are for children and raising them to know and trust Jesus.

  But I will back up a bit. 

 Andrew and I met on a blind date.  I thought he was just okay until I knew he Loved Jesus and Loved kids.  God knew exactly what and who I needed in my life.  We have been married now 20 years. Over the past 9 years we have had the opportunity to serve over 30 children in our home either as foster parents or respite.  We stopped for awhile when my mom was sick and dying of alzheimers ( she lived with us for 10 years)  We have our biological 3 teenage daughters Cassandra, Samantha, Grace, and  our son James ( adopted from foster care) and a foster baby who is 1 year old.  Cassandra our oldest has cerebral palsy, James is on the autism spectrum and our hearts and lives are drawn to the special need kids.  We have been a part of birth to three in home therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, water therapy, and speech therapy for our children.  

We have felt that God has always led us to the scripture in Matthew 25 where he says, " If you have done it to the least of these you have done it unto me."

So, we asked ourselves who and what is the least of these?  And then waited for God to show us how to help them.  One day while at a church I saw Mandy Rhodes speaking about the children from Bulgaria.  My heart was saddened and yet joyful for those 2 boys.  I really didn't understand the huge impact it would have on my heart or my family.  So like everything I googled and learned about Reeces Rainbow.  Once learning facts about baby houses verses mental institutions my heart broke.   Here is my post on my facebook wall on August 21st that sums it up. " I've been reading a book by Kay Warren called Dangerous Surrender, what happens when you say yes to God. I highly recommend it. It reminds me of how I felt emotionally first learning about Reeces Rainbow, first "ya that's nice people are helping the kids over there" to becoming Disturbed in my spirit about what I was seeing and hearing and fighting those feelings, to being broken= Gloriously Ruined by God moving my heart, my plans , my ME KINGDOM. I know I have read others from RR who have had this same experience, from casual bystander to crying and grieving for days, wondering if you will ever be the same again. The fact is if you totally Surrendered NO you won't ever be the same again, you will live with more purpose and drive then ever before. Anyhow, still working through this book, and just thought for those who are grieving as they follow the Reeces facebook blog and website God is doing something in your life and it's okay to grieve, He will put the pieces back together in your heart the way he needs them to be."
So if I haven't bored you, this is our journey into international adoption of children in dire circumstances.  We do not know who God is leading us to adopt at this time.  Could you keep us in your prayers?
Thanks for coming along !
Sandra