God is soooo good! We have been praying so hard for the past couple weeks about the funds we need to complete our adoption. Just thinking about the amount that we need almost seems impossible at times. But we know that nothing is impossible with God. I especially started praying for our dossier fee of $3,600, which is due when we send our dossier to Ethiopia, which will prayerfully be around January1. We have raised 1,000 of that through the yard sale fundraiser that we had. Yesterday, Matt got a late tax return check for $900!! We were shocked!!! We were supposed to get this check last year, but for whatever reason it never came, and we completely forgot about it. We know this is God pouring His blessings on us and answering our prayers. We plan on putting $700 toward our adoption, and giving the rest back to God, wherever we feel His leading. We are just in awe of God and his goodness! We now have $1,900 to go in meeting our January 1 deadline and $13,300 in meeting our overall costs. We know God will provide. Please specifically pray that we raise the $1,900 by January 1. We appreciate ALL your prayers!!!
This makes me think of the scripture in Ephesians that says: "God decided in advance to adopt us into His family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ... and it gave him great pleasure...He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his son..." ~ Ephesians 1:5,7
Our adoption by God cost us nothing, but it did cost God His Son. Adoption is costly. Whether in finances, emotions, relationships, time, or effort, adoption does cost so much. But I cannot help but think of what it cost God, and how he was so willing to pay that cost for us. He went through so much pain and suffering, but yet He delighted in bringing us into His family. All the obstacles that we face in this adoption cannot compare to the price that Christ paid for us. Jesus came to be a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28), and we know that God will be our guide in ransoming his precious child from her state as an orphan.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
Inside Ethiopia
November 2007
Inside The Country
Ethiopia Trip
You can read hundreds of books and watch countless stories on suffering in Africa, yet nothing really prepares you for the reality that is Ethiopia. All the things that one sees on the television or reads about in the papers, they are not isolated circumstances and exceptions to the rule; this is the general state of things. People are really dying every day from easily preventable causes and millions of children are in fact being orphaned by poverty, disease, and malnutrition. Most intersections in the capital city of Addis Ababa are crowded with beggars, street children, and mothers with babies on their backs. Every time the car stops, you are immediately surrounded by stretched out hands belonging to a street child, a single mother, or a disabled person dragging themselves towards the car, all in hopes of maybe receiving enough to just eat for one day.
It’s difficult to watch as the crowd around your car gets bigger and bigger. You can’t help but to feel heartless, but after about a minute, the only thing you can do is tell the driver to keep driving, while you are followed by a dozen sad gazes from children whom you weren’t able to give anything to. I say children, but they are children only in age. Their childhoods have been stolen from them, and most became adults long before their due time.
Whether they were forced to leave their homes, lost their parents to HIV/AIDS, or because of some other misfortune, they all have one thing in common—they have seen and experienced hardships beyond what most of us can even imagine..These children have no homes, nothing to eat, nothing to wear and they are in constant danger. To survive they have to beg, steal or become prostitutes. This in turn only isolates them even further, and forces them to live in a state of absolute hopelessness.For most of us it is difficult to imagine what it really means to need. We often desire things and have ambitions for better lives, but they’re not really needs. For millions of Ethiopian children that is not the case. They are in need of most basic items such as a home to sleep in, warm clothes to wear, and a hot meal to fill their bellies. They are in need of assurance that someone loves and cares for them, and that they have hope.
During this season of giving, let us keep in mind those who are less fortunate than us, and do something to change their lives for the better. For many of them, tomorrow will be too late.
~Andrei SkurtuInternational Programs Directorprojects@ChildrensHope.net
DID YOU KNOW?
Every year, more than 80,000 Ethiopian children die from Malaria.
One third of almost 80 million people living in Ethiopia stay alive on less than $1 a day.
Only 31 percent of women 15 and older can read and write.
Safe drinking water is available to only 24 percent of the households.
40 percent of Ethiopian children are severely underweight, 52 percent are stunted, and 11 percent are considered wasted.
There are over 6 million orphans in Ethiopia and approximately half a million street children.
Average life expectancy is less than 45 years, and one in six children die before they turn five years old.
© Copyright © 2007 Children's Hope International Contact Us
Inside The Country
Ethiopia Trip
You can read hundreds of books and watch countless stories on suffering in Africa, yet nothing really prepares you for the reality that is Ethiopia. All the things that one sees on the television or reads about in the papers, they are not isolated circumstances and exceptions to the rule; this is the general state of things. People are really dying every day from easily preventable causes and millions of children are in fact being orphaned by poverty, disease, and malnutrition. Most intersections in the capital city of Addis Ababa are crowded with beggars, street children, and mothers with babies on their backs. Every time the car stops, you are immediately surrounded by stretched out hands belonging to a street child, a single mother, or a disabled person dragging themselves towards the car, all in hopes of maybe receiving enough to just eat for one day.
It’s difficult to watch as the crowd around your car gets bigger and bigger. You can’t help but to feel heartless, but after about a minute, the only thing you can do is tell the driver to keep driving, while you are followed by a dozen sad gazes from children whom you weren’t able to give anything to. I say children, but they are children only in age. Their childhoods have been stolen from them, and most became adults long before their due time.
Whether they were forced to leave their homes, lost their parents to HIV/AIDS, or because of some other misfortune, they all have one thing in common—they have seen and experienced hardships beyond what most of us can even imagine..These children have no homes, nothing to eat, nothing to wear and they are in constant danger. To survive they have to beg, steal or become prostitutes. This in turn only isolates them even further, and forces them to live in a state of absolute hopelessness.For most of us it is difficult to imagine what it really means to need. We often desire things and have ambitions for better lives, but they’re not really needs. For millions of Ethiopian children that is not the case. They are in need of most basic items such as a home to sleep in, warm clothes to wear, and a hot meal to fill their bellies. They are in need of assurance that someone loves and cares for them, and that they have hope.
During this season of giving, let us keep in mind those who are less fortunate than us, and do something to change their lives for the better. For many of them, tomorrow will be too late.
~Andrei SkurtuInternational Programs Directorprojects@ChildrensHope.net
DID YOU KNOW?
Every year, more than 80,000 Ethiopian children die from Malaria.
One third of almost 80 million people living in Ethiopia stay alive on less than $1 a day.
Only 31 percent of women 15 and older can read and write.
Safe drinking water is available to only 24 percent of the households.
40 percent of Ethiopian children are severely underweight, 52 percent are stunted, and 11 percent are considered wasted.
There are over 6 million orphans in Ethiopia and approximately half a million street children.
Average life expectancy is less than 45 years, and one in six children die before they turn five years old.
© Copyright © 2007 Children's Hope International Contact Us
Monday, November 12, 2007
Why International Adoption?
Many of you may be wondering what lead Matt and I to adopt internationally. Many of you know that we have 2 beautiful biological boys, and have no problems with fertility or labor and delivery. Because of this, we have answered many questions about why we have decided to adopt at all. This blog may help you understand our decision.
A special verse in the book of James tells us : "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress." (1:27) That doesn't mean that adoption is right for everyone, we realize this. But this scripture lead us to adopt. As Matt and I grew up in the same chuch, we got to experience many international mission trips together, and through these we met many beautiful children that were in desperate need of food, shelter, love, and most of all forever families. During these trips, on many occasions, we felt God tugging on our hearts to one day adopt a child.
Matt and I married in 2002, and right away we began praying about adoption. We prayed that God would show us when the time was right to start the process and lead us down the path He wanted us to go. We started our family by having 2 precious boys, Izaiah and Braylon. Even during our pregnancy's, we continued to research international adoption; the countries, adoption agencies, the process, ect... We gathered as much information as we could. Finally, when Braylon turned 2, we decided we were ready to add to our family. We continued to pray for God to show us His will for our family. Through MANY confirmations, we knew God was calling us to add a daughter to our family from Ethiopia. We decided to adopt an infant girl, and have chosen to use Children's Hope International to help us through this process.
We know this decision to adopt will not be easy. We have already witnessed some of that through this long and difficult process. We have been researching Ethiopia culture every chance we get to help our daughter have a respect for her culture. We have become members of an Ethiopia adoption support group that meets once a month in Cincinnati. We are trying to prepare ourselves for the negative comments and strange looks we will get. Still, we know we can't be prepared for everything, but know that God will be with us every step of the way. He never promises that everything will be easy, but does promise to never leave us.
Often people comment on the blessing we will be to our daughter. But, we know she will be more of a blessing to us. We have already been blessed through this process. Just hearing our boys pray every night for their baby sissy and listening to them talk about her is such a blessing!!
Another question we recieve a lot is, "How do you bring a child into your home that has nothing in common with you?" Different skin color, culture, language, ect... The answer to this is we know we will have many differences, but know we have the same Christ, and we believe, that is more than enough.We're aware that her Ehiopia background will be important one day to our daughter. As such, I've researched Ethiopia, got Ethiopian recipes, have connected with other Ethiopian adoptive families, and have began purchasing Ethiopian children's books. But more importantly, we stress the fact that our primary heritage is not in our ancestors or family genealogies or birthplaces, but at the cross, in Christ alone.
We know that we can not change the world by adopting one child from Ethiopia, but we do know that we can make a difference in this 1 child and prayerfully will help others answer that calling to adopt. Adoption is truly a miracle and does make a difference!!
A special verse in the book of James tells us : "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress." (1:27) That doesn't mean that adoption is right for everyone, we realize this. But this scripture lead us to adopt. As Matt and I grew up in the same chuch, we got to experience many international mission trips together, and through these we met many beautiful children that were in desperate need of food, shelter, love, and most of all forever families. During these trips, on many occasions, we felt God tugging on our hearts to one day adopt a child.
Matt and I married in 2002, and right away we began praying about adoption. We prayed that God would show us when the time was right to start the process and lead us down the path He wanted us to go. We started our family by having 2 precious boys, Izaiah and Braylon. Even during our pregnancy's, we continued to research international adoption; the countries, adoption agencies, the process, ect... We gathered as much information as we could. Finally, when Braylon turned 2, we decided we were ready to add to our family. We continued to pray for God to show us His will for our family. Through MANY confirmations, we knew God was calling us to add a daughter to our family from Ethiopia. We decided to adopt an infant girl, and have chosen to use Children's Hope International to help us through this process.
We know this decision to adopt will not be easy. We have already witnessed some of that through this long and difficult process. We have been researching Ethiopia culture every chance we get to help our daughter have a respect for her culture. We have become members of an Ethiopia adoption support group that meets once a month in Cincinnati. We are trying to prepare ourselves for the negative comments and strange looks we will get. Still, we know we can't be prepared for everything, but know that God will be with us every step of the way. He never promises that everything will be easy, but does promise to never leave us.
Often people comment on the blessing we will be to our daughter. But, we know she will be more of a blessing to us. We have already been blessed through this process. Just hearing our boys pray every night for their baby sissy and listening to them talk about her is such a blessing!!
Another question we recieve a lot is, "How do you bring a child into your home that has nothing in common with you?" Different skin color, culture, language, ect... The answer to this is we know we will have many differences, but know we have the same Christ, and we believe, that is more than enough.We're aware that her Ehiopia background will be important one day to our daughter. As such, I've researched Ethiopia, got Ethiopian recipes, have connected with other Ethiopian adoptive families, and have began purchasing Ethiopian children's books. But more importantly, we stress the fact that our primary heritage is not in our ancestors or family genealogies or birthplaces, but at the cross, in Christ alone.
We know that we can not change the world by adopting one child from Ethiopia, but we do know that we can make a difference in this 1 child and prayerfully will help others answer that calling to adopt. Adoption is truly a miracle and does make a difference!!
Adoption Update
Oh what an exciting month this has been in our adoption journey!!! We are moving right along in the process, but not without a few road blocks along the way. We have been so busy getting paperwork ready to send to Ethiopia. I never dreamed this would be so hard! We sent our first dossier draft to our adoption case worker last week. This is a huge milestone for us in this process. It just gives us hope that we are almost ready to send everything to Ethiopia and wait to be matched with our daughter. Our caseworker noticed that Matt's passport reads Matt Oaks Robison, instead of his full legal name, Matthew Oaks Robison. This is our little road block that we have stumbled upon. Ethiopia is very strict about all the documents matching exactly, and each will have to have our full names. So, Matt has applied for a renewal passport, and it should be here within 2-3 weeks. We will have to wait to correct our dossier documents until we have his new passport number. This has been very frustrating, but we know this is ALL in God's plan in matching us with the daughter of His choosing.
We have also been concentrating on raising funds to bring "Layla" home. We had a yard sale in Harrodsburg, the first weekend in October, and it was a HUGE success! We were so blessed by all the generous donations we recieved to put in our sale. Thanks to everyone who helped in any way!! We raised over $1,000 in one weekend! Thank the Lord! We have now applied for 2 adoption grants and are praying that we recieve them! We still have around $15,000 to raise counting travel and all adoption fees. Thanks to all who have supported us through monetary funds and prayer. We really appreciate everything! We know that this is God's plan for our family and know that God will provide everything that we need.
Please continue to pray that we raise the remainder of funds needed and we get all our paperwork completed and ready to send by January 1 (date we are shooting for). Also, pray for Layla, and her birth mother who is possibly carrying her now.
We have also been concentrating on raising funds to bring "Layla" home. We had a yard sale in Harrodsburg, the first weekend in October, and it was a HUGE success! We were so blessed by all the generous donations we recieved to put in our sale. Thanks to everyone who helped in any way!! We raised over $1,000 in one weekend! Thank the Lord! We have now applied for 2 adoption grants and are praying that we recieve them! We still have around $15,000 to raise counting travel and all adoption fees. Thanks to all who have supported us through monetary funds and prayer. We really appreciate everything! We know that this is God's plan for our family and know that God will provide everything that we need.
Please continue to pray that we raise the remainder of funds needed and we get all our paperwork completed and ready to send by January 1 (date we are shooting for). Also, pray for Layla, and her birth mother who is possibly carrying her now.
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