The costs of adoption can be overwhelming but it's important for us to keep in focus that "if God is for us who can be against us?" and that as we are faithful, He will be faithful to provide. We tell our children again and again that the costs that are involved are not for buying a person, but for the paper work. The costs of adoptions and legal systems are there for the protection of the child in the process. Sadly, this is a corrupt world and people will take advantage of people, even vulnerable children. The regulations, processes, and paper work trail, as lengthy as it is, stands for the best interest of the child when working with an ethical and reputable agency. Many countries are sincerely reorganizing their adoption processes due the vast number of human trafficking problems and corrupt motives for adopting children. We have done our research, prayed about it, checked references,called for recommendations and reviews, and feel very comfortable with the agency that will be guiding us along the way in our adoption journey.
All of the adoption costs don't just go to one entity. There are several steps to adoption most of which cost something: processing of paper work, government processing, medical reports, background checks, application fees, the people who represent us, the adoptive parents, those representing the child, and those who make this paper trail move. Let's not forget the travel expenses. Many countries require more than one visit and let's face it, flying over the ocean isn't cheap.
The bottom line is that God is calling our family out on a journey of faith and love. No matter what the cost, the wait, the obstacles, we are going to trust Him to see this through.
Deuteronomy 10:18 "He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing."
The following is a run down of our expenses for international adoption with Ethiopia (currently as we know it)
fees to Home Study Agency and for requirements needed
$550.00 Application Fee for Home Study Agency
$56.25 Criminal Record Check (per adult person)
$12.00 MVA Record Report (per adult person)
$60.00 I had to obtain 2 Birth Certificates
$60.00 Physician appointments (approx. co-pays)
$24.00 HIV/TB Testing
$?? Vaccinations needed for international travel (totaled near $900.00)
$150.00 Travel/mileage charge from Home Study agency
$139.00 10 hours of required course training
$1,350.00 Completion of Home Study to agency
fees to Adoption Agency
$ 250.00 Application Fee to Adoption Agency
$2,250.00 Agency Service Fee #1
$ 500.00 Dossier Preparation Fee
$2,250.00 Agency Service Fee #2
$6,095.00 Foreign Fee
$ 425.00 Authentication of Dossier
(above green totals approx. $15,000)
fees due with acceptance of child's referral to us
$6,095.00 Foreign Fees
$2,000 Children foster care which includes medical care for the 2 children we are matched with for our adoption
$4,900 Sibling adoption (*note: change of course and adopting one child at a time -we see how God leads)
(Totals $12,995.00)
other requirements
$ 900.00 Post Placement Services
$ 720.00 USCIS fee for I600A
$ 230.00 Child's Visa
= $1,850
travel costs
$ 300.00 for Todd and Erin's Visa
$1,200-$3,500 Airfare (per person) *two trips required. (2 adults, 2 trips each, 1 child one way!)
$??? Hotel/Meals
(travel totals approx. $15,000+)
Green color fees are those that our current savings will cover.
Red color fees are those that we are trusting the Lord for ways to provide for us.
Blue color are from the LORD's PROVISION through fundraisers! These numbers were all once RED! Praise the LORD!
Strike through/crossed out are those that are paid
*UPDATE: 12/2014
With the change of child placement to us from two children to one, (read about that decision here) we are saving the expenses of the second child's processes for another adoption in the future - or for whatever the Lord leads us in adoption/foster care-we feel that was given with purpose for another so we want to keep that fund as intended. There have been additional expenses in our waiting time. Our home study expired after one year so we had to update that. New appointments and fingerprints yet again. Each month that our child is in the foster home, we pay for his care at $350.00 a month. This has an unknown end amount until we get him home with us. We continue to press on and trust the LORD to provide for us as HE HAS so incredibly in times past.
$700 Updated home study
$100 Doctor appointments
$80 Fingerprints renewal
$30 MVA records
$350 monthly foster care fee (we've got at least 5 months more to go. $2,100)
$300 FedEx mailings overseas and in country
$250 PAIR documents to be authenticated
$200 Agency POA renewal
$500 Dossier Updates and authentication (NEW as of 2/2015)
= $4,260.00
(And in March we just spent near $200.00 in FedEx charges then another $275 that was unexpected for the travel escort of a person involved with our US Embassy interview. I hope there aren't too many more surprise bills!)
Going to turn $2,366.66 of the $4,260 need into BLUE to show God's provision as that was our donation total for 2014! THANK YOU!! This leaves us with a current standing (2/15) of $1,893.34 and somehow God's got it covered!!! We are grateful and in awe!
You may be thinking, wow, that's a lot of red numbers, and yes, it is (and WAS! As the Lord has provided in amazing ways! Remember, all those blue numbers, we started out as a need !). Trust me when I tell you that Todd and I are sensible people and we have thought this through. Though there is no logical sense to it, there is a level of faith to it! Looking at these numbers spun us into deep conversations about what risks we are putting out there. Speaking for myself, I am an extreme planner and like to have a grip on, well, I'll confess- I'm a control type. But no, we haven't lost our minds we just opened our hearts and can't resist this calling on our lives.
We have chosen to take the plunge and put our trust in God where our mouth is. We have spoken that "God is good","He will provide our needs","Trust in the Lord," and such, but have we really? Or have we still tried to gain control over life's tough situations not fully trusting God with the impossible? Well, this level of releasing control, a step-of-faith, and letting room for complete surrender is a first for us in this financial area of our lives. Sure God has seen us through many, many tough situations. He has answered our prayers before, He has surprised us with blessings, He has shown us pure miracles of healing and provisions, and He has guided us in decisions that only His peace could bring. He has already proven Himself true to us over and over in amazing ways. And this is just God's involvement in our family. Let us not forget the miracles through the ages that are much greater. For us, this...this amount of financial need is a deeper impossibility for us without God. It's not God that we question, it's ourselves letting go and having the faith to let God. The more we let go, the more room for God to show His power!
When we first started praying and seeking about adoption, we questioned about our current family and their needs. God spoke to us and said, "trust me with your family." Then we looked at our finances and questioned how we would ever pay for this and what risks we would be taking. God spoke to us and said, "trust me with your finances." We have His peace and we are confident that He will see this through.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understandings. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."
This song by Mercy Me is called "You Are I Am." It shares the truths of God's power from the proof of the miracles of the past, present, and the future miracles that He holds in store for His people. Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
I AM Bible verses: John 6:51, John 8:23, John 8:12, John 8:58, John 10:9, John 10:11, John 10:36, John 11:25, John 14:6, John 15:1, Ps. 46:10
If God can shut the mouths of lions, part the sea, raise the dead to life, then surely God can handle our adoption journey. Nothing is impossible with God. These are His children and we are praying the He will bring them home.
We are excited to experience and excited to share with you God's power we will see through our journey to adopt! Thanks for visiting and please Stop by often!
All of the adoption costs don't just go to one entity. There are several steps to adoption most of which cost something: processing of paper work, government processing, medical reports, background checks, application fees, the people who represent us, the adoptive parents, those representing the child, and those who make this paper trail move. Let's not forget the travel expenses. Many countries require more than one visit and let's face it, flying over the ocean isn't cheap.
The bottom line is that God is calling our family out on a journey of faith and love. No matter what the cost, the wait, the obstacles, we are going to trust Him to see this through.
Deuteronomy 10:18 "He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing."
The following is a run down of our expenses for international adoption with Ethiopia (currently as we know it)
fees to Home Study Agency and for requirements needed
fees to Adoption Agency
(above green totals approx. $15,000)
fees due with acceptance of child's referral to us
$4,900 Sibling adoption (*note: change of course and adopting one child at a time -we see how God leads)
(Totals $12,995.00)
other requirements
$ 900.00 Post Placement Services
$ 720.00 USCIS fee for I600A
$ 230.00 Child's Visa
= $1,850
travel costs
$1,200-$3,500 Airfare (per person) *two trips required. (2 adults, 2 trips each, 1 child one way!)
$??? Hotel/Meals
(travel totals approx. $15,000+)
Green color fees are those that our current savings will cover.
Red color fees are those that we are trusting the Lord for ways to provide for us.
Blue color are from the LORD's PROVISION through fundraisers! These numbers were all once RED! Praise the LORD!
Strike through/crossed out are those that are paid
*UPDATE: 12/2014
With the change of child placement to us from two children to one, (read about that decision here) we are saving the expenses of the second child's processes for another adoption in the future - or for whatever the Lord leads us in adoption/foster care-we feel that was given with purpose for another so we want to keep that fund as intended. There have been additional expenses in our waiting time. Our home study expired after one year so we had to update that. New appointments and fingerprints yet again. Each month that our child is in the foster home, we pay for his care at $350.00 a month. This has an unknown end amount until we get him home with us. We continue to press on and trust the LORD to provide for us as HE HAS so incredibly in times past.
$700 Updated home study
$100 Doctor appointments
$80 Fingerprints renewal
$30 MVA records
$350 monthly foster care fee (we've got at least 5 months more to go. $2,100)
$300 FedEx mailings overseas and in country
$250 PAIR documents to be authenticated
$200 Agency POA renewal
$500 Dossier Updates and authentication (NEW as of 2/2015)
= $4,260.00
(And in March we just spent near $200.00 in FedEx charges then another $275 that was unexpected for the travel escort of a person involved with our US Embassy interview. I hope there aren't too many more surprise bills!)
Going to turn $2,366.66 of the $4,260 need into BLUE to show God's provision as that was our donation total for 2014! THANK YOU!! This leaves us with a current standing (2/15) of $1,893.34 and somehow God's got it covered!!! We are grateful and in awe!
You may be thinking, wow, that's a lot of red numbers, and yes, it is (and WAS! As the Lord has provided in amazing ways! Remember, all those blue numbers, we started out as a need !). Trust me when I tell you that Todd and I are sensible people and we have thought this through. Though there is no logical sense to it, there is a level of faith to it! Looking at these numbers spun us into deep conversations about what risks we are putting out there. Speaking for myself, I am an extreme planner and like to have a grip on, well, I'll confess- I'm a control type. But no, we haven't lost our minds we just opened our hearts and can't resist this calling on our lives.
We have chosen to take the plunge and put our trust in God where our mouth is. We have spoken that "God is good","He will provide our needs","Trust in the Lord," and such, but have we really? Or have we still tried to gain control over life's tough situations not fully trusting God with the impossible? Well, this level of releasing control, a step-of-faith, and letting room for complete surrender is a first for us in this financial area of our lives. Sure God has seen us through many, many tough situations. He has answered our prayers before, He has surprised us with blessings, He has shown us pure miracles of healing and provisions, and He has guided us in decisions that only His peace could bring. He has already proven Himself true to us over and over in amazing ways. And this is just God's involvement in our family. Let us not forget the miracles through the ages that are much greater. For us, this...this amount of financial need is a deeper impossibility for us without God. It's not God that we question, it's ourselves letting go and having the faith to let God. The more we let go, the more room for God to show His power!
When we first started praying and seeking about adoption, we questioned about our current family and their needs. God spoke to us and said, "trust me with your family." Then we looked at our finances and questioned how we would ever pay for this and what risks we would be taking. God spoke to us and said, "trust me with your finances." We have His peace and we are confident that He will see this through.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understandings. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."
This song by Mercy Me is called "You Are I Am." It shares the truths of God's power from the proof of the miracles of the past, present, and the future miracles that He holds in store for His people. Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
I AM Bible verses: John 6:51, John 8:23, John 8:12, John 8:58, John 10:9, John 10:11, John 10:36, John 11:25, John 14:6, John 15:1, Ps. 46:10
If God can shut the mouths of lions, part the sea, raise the dead to life, then surely God can handle our adoption journey. Nothing is impossible with God. These are His children and we are praying the He will bring them home.
We are excited to experience and excited to share with you God's power we will see through our journey to adopt! Thanks for visiting and please Stop by often!
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