This summer, we were amazed and overwhelmed by the love shown to us by our Illinois friends at our Garage Sale Fundraiser. Friends from multiple suburbs generously donated sale items, tables, time, and prayer for our event. Many people spread the word about the sale and we had a fantastic turnout. We were overjoyed and encouraged by dozens of friends who came out to visit.
The sale was a giant success! We exceeded our $2,000 goal for the weekend and were able to smoothly move forward in the next step of our adoption process. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
After the sale, I looked for my sister and her husband to thank them again for hosting and coordinating all the details (i.e. sending countless emails, coordinating a half dozen car loads of donations, and giving up their normal garage to qualify for temporary hoarder status...) over the previous weeks to pull the whole thing off. The funny thing was, when I found her, she had been looking to find us. Locked in her fierce embrace, I was taken off guard as I heard her say, "Thank you. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your adoption." We would be forever grateful for their generosity and help, and here she was thanking us. But as I listened to her explain, I knew exactly what she meant. She was experiencing what we had encountered over the past months: witnessing God move among people firsthand. She had witnessed people come forward to help in amazing, generous, and creative ways.
You see, adoption IS for EVERYONE. Certainly, not everyone is called to bring a child into their home, but everyone has adoption written on their hearts (Ephesians 1:5-6). EVERYONE can be part of adoption. EVERYONE is called to be (James 1:27). Whether it's financial (sponsoring a child, buying a t-shirt, running a fundraiser marathon, or purchasing a piece of furniture for a new nursery), social (spreading the word about the global orphan crisis, organizing friends to help support orphans or buying fair trade), emotional (notes of encouragement, open- ear visits, or respite care), political (legally advocating for children or lobbying for continued tax credits), physical (making meals, giving a car ride to the airport, or baking sweets for a fundraiser), or spiritual (committing yourself to prayer and fasting), YOU can make a difference in the life of an orphan and an adoptive family. YOU can be part of adoption.
And just when you think you are blessing someone else, you'll find yourself blessed. After all, you're part of a greater plan. My precious sister was speaking the prayer on our own hearts- "thank you for allowing me to be part of this". It reminds me of physical pregnancy- the point when you begin to feel the thumps of tiny feet and elbows in your belly and you realize the power and significance of the miracle God is working right inside of you.
We began this journey with the intention of blessing two children and finding ministry in Africa. Little did we know that we would receive such blessing, such protection, such love. We are forever thankful to our God who has devised it all.
We will never forget the special people who have shown us such kindness and support during this journey to our children. All of their names have been lovingly written in our adoption journal, and our family considers it a privilege to pray over each one of them regularly. Our list goes on and on. And so does our story. Thank you for joining us and being part of it.