We began this journey about 12 years ago when we lived in Korea. Our hearts were first stirred as we visited a childrens Orphanage and the reality of the orphan became know to us. We were told we could not adopt while in country and had to wait until we resided back in the U.S.
Fast forward about a year. Settled and attending our first adoption meeting. We were seeking what route to take and found out I was pregnant with baby #2. Adoption was on hold. Most agencies will not allow you to aadopt if you are pregnant or have a child under 2 years of age.
Fast forward again, 2 years later. Jason was returning home from a year long deployment to Afghanistan. We had experienced severe complications with baby #2 and wished to begin the adoption process right away. Again, as we sougfht an agency we found out we were again pregnant with baby #3.
Here we go again - another move and another even scarier delivery. This time our prayers were focused on beginning and completing an adoption. We now had 3 incredible girls and wanted another child. Zachary's story is incredible. But, I will save that for another day of writing.
When Zachary was just 2 months old we moved to Japan. We enjoyed our 4 children but still wanted more. We were blessed beyond measure but our hearts longed for more children. Finding no options for adoption being overseas we again turned to God and our medical doctors to re-evaluate my past pregnancies and deliveries and see what they would say. The head of the OB/GYN department gave us the thumbs up to try and get pregnant and as Gods word clearly says...He opened my womb and blesssed us with our second son, baby #5 and minimal complications.
The desire to adopt again still never went away... Jeremiah was growing, Jason was traveling.. At the same time I would research adoption agencies searching for a possibe way to adopt again. This time our hearts motive was not for just a bigger family but to reach these orphans for Christs name, to give them God!!
Jason was doing some traveling and visiting orphanges in his off time. I meanwhile stumbled across "Orphan Ministry" in my online research and ordered some information on how to start an orphan ministry in our church.
We had no idea at the time how God was stirring our hearts and for what purpose. Moving forward a few months. Jason was now home and we began to go through the Orphan Ministry material together and decided with 6 months left in Okinawa to begin an Orphan Ministry to try to reach the 8 orphanges and claim these kids for Christ.
Wow !! God did a mighty work in such a short time. A few churches joined us and we began a program called English Time. Singing praise and worship, prayer and english games with snacks. All in the name of Jesus... It is encouraging as we left Okinawa to see the ministry continue and now over a year later to hear how the ministry has grown and how they are continuing to love these children in the name of Jesus.
So, where does this adoption come in?? Remember Jason was visiting orphaneges in the Philippines. Well our oldest daughet and I were able to go on a missions trip to the Philippines before we left Okinawa and work in an orphanage for 10 days. Again, being in the presence of orphans is what awakens your heart to love them like Christ loves them. We came home and Jason and I knew the whole purpose of this trip was that God had a child/children for us in the Philippines.
We found an agency, began the paperwork as we traveled across country in our RV with our 5 children from the west coast to the east coast. As we built our home and settled on our land ... The same week we were able to begin looking at profiles of children - a sibling group came up that seemed to prompt our hearts. Jasons response was if it is Gods will it will all work out. We contacted our agency and inquired more about these children. We requested they be put on hold for us while we complete our Home Study. We wrote to the board in the PI and requested the children be put on hold while we completed our home study. When we recieved their answer - that yes they would consider us to adopt it was great news. It was the first of many steps to walk in this journey.
Our 1st adoption was domestic - this adoption would require so much more. The paperwork seemed endless. We were working with 2 agencies. Our adoption agency in one state and our home study agency in another state. One month into the hoemstudy our agency contacted us to say they would be handing us off to another agency. This would mean re-doing some paperwork. But, it could have been so much worse.
Fast forward.... Our home Study went so smoothly and quickly. Our social worker was awesome! We recieved our final copy last week, only to find several errors. I actually sat and did more editing before I began to write our story... We pray that if all goes as scheduled our dossier will be sent off to the Philippines next week.
We begin the process of waiting to hear if we are approved / matched with these beautiful children. There are 4 children in this sibling group and along with our 5 current children we will be joyfully blessed with 9 children. We adopt now for different reasons but with the same heart of giving them a life of knowing Christ. Just as we were adopted by God through His Son Jesus. Joseph adopted Jesus and so many other beautiful accounts of adoption. We know Gods heart ... James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world...
We trust God to provide for what He has called us to do. I have been bought with a price and my life is His and His alone. When I stand before the one true Living God- I long to hear the words "well done" ....
Now we wait...... To answer the financial question I am asked often... How can we afford to adopt for a second time... God always provides. Do we have all the money- no. But that is ok. We have sold our RV and that will cover most of the adoption. We still have some expenses, travel for 6 and a new car becasue we will not fit in our truck. A 15 passenger van is next for us. But for today I do not worry about where these things will come from. I rest well knowing God is our provider..
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