Ok, so I apologize for the delay in updates. Life has gotten away from us. Many of you already know from family or Facebook that Andrew and I have been accepted to continue our adoption process with America World Adoption Agency. We will be adopting a baby boy or girl from Ethiopia in whatever time frame the Lord sees fit. We found out our acceptance to the program on our 3rd anniversary! There is no more perfect of a gift we could ask for! We hope to complete the process in one year; however many pieces of the puzzle must fall in to place before this can happen.
So many people ask, “Ok, so what is next?” Good question! The most major item on our agenda is to ask for prayer as this process takes root. We know that without the Lord’s blessing and guidance we will stay stagnant in our attempts to move forward with this adoption. Now to work on the “roots” of the process with the Lord’s blessing. This part is called the “paper pregnancy.” In order to move on to the next steps of the “paper pregnancy,” we need to come up with $5,000. This initial start-up cost covers the background check, home-study, and initial agency fee. Wow, $5,000 up front!!! This is only about 1/5th of the cost of the adoption.
What in the world is all that money going for you may ask? Well, here is the breakdown for you:
- $5,000 – AWAA program fees
- $2,000 - Home study
- $175 - Adoptive parent training
- $500 - Background checks & documentation
- $400 - Document notarization, certification, authentication
- $150 - Courier Service
- $1,000 - Post-Placement deposit
- Dossier Service & translation
- $7,500 - Orphanage donation/international fee
- $250 - International specialist consultation
- $1,400 - $2,500 - 1st trip in-country travel (2 adults)
- $2,400 - $4,000 - 1st trip airfare (2 adults)
- $1,400 - $2,500 - 2nd trip in-country travel (2 adults)
- $2,400 - $4,000 - 2nd trip airfare (2 adults)
- $400 - Child visa/embassy fee (1 child)
- $700 - $2,500 - Post adoption costs
- $100 - $1,000 – miscellaneous costs (doctor visit, social security card, postage, long distance calls, etc.)
We have had many people question our desire to adopt, especially internationally. In all actuality, we have done our research. Unless you are adopting from the foster care system, the cost is relatively similar with money being reallocated to helping with birthmother costs and marketing yourself as prospective parents. Don’t get me wrong, I applaud the parents that decide to go this route. I am also very thankful for the birthmothers that decide to give their children up for adoption instead of taking the “easy” way out with abortion. For us, it wasn’t really the cost that made up our minds. It was the desire that the Lord has placed on our lives for international missions. Part of this is, I believe, is international adoption.
We talked about taking a loan out to cover part of the amount, but we have talked with a friend of ours that told us to let people know our hearts and let God work. We do not want to ask for money necessarily, but prayer. However if you feel the call to help financially, please know that we will see any help as a major blessing on our path to making the dream of becoming parents a reality.
We know that God is in control of the finances and how quickly the adoption process goes. We are looking to set up a couple different fundraisers to help with the cost. One will hopefully be through Adoption Bug. Another will be some sort of coffee fundraiser. We would also love to have a garage sale, if anyone is willing and able to donate a garage to us to have one in.
We continue to covet and desire your prayers, love, and support throughout the process! Our lead verse for this adoption process is Matthew 18:5, “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.” Please post this verse somewhere to remind yourself to pray for Andrew and I as we continue down this road!
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