A large cost.
Our grants and our fundraisers sure helped take a HUGE dent out of the cost. Still, there was significant other funds that we needed to come up with. There are a lot of ways to save money when you really need to. Though it is not always easy to "go without" in a culture that is all about more, more, more, I clearly see now that any small sacrifice we had to make was not nearly as big as it seemed at the time. We lacked no good thing this past 16 months. Skipping eating out, coffees, shopping, vacations,etc. is such a minor thing in hindsight. We read some interesting books and did some good studies during the process which really helped us keep perspective:
*Book- Crazy Love
*Book- No Longer A Slum Dog
*Andy Stanley Podcasts: Breathing Room (4 parts)
I recommend all of these!! None of the books/studies was about adoption per say, but Aaron and I both saw many parallels. Live simply so others can simply live. Be radical to obey Jesus and the live out the heart of the gospel. Giving up something so somebody else can have something. I love Andy Stanley's quote:
"Creating breathing room financially may lower your standard of living but raise your quality of life.” Sometimes we think we need to continually raise our standard of living to achieve the "American Dream" but we are trying to fight that. Don't we already have enough? What is enough and will we ever get there? I guess all I'm saying is that it is an honor to penny pinch for our adoption. We wouldn't have felt right about asking people to donate or support our fundraisers if we weren't also doing everything on our part. I have seen God clearly provide over and over again. From the random gold coin we found in the basement and sold for $140, to the rearranging of our budget, to our grants! God is very creative.
SO what was the cost, exactly? Don't pass out.
Agency Fees: $23,000
Home Study and local social worker fees: $2500.
Birth State Legal/Social Worker Fees:$7,000 (estimate...we don't have a final number since the adoption is not finalized yet)
Travel (two trips)l: $6,480
Birth Mother Expenses: $5,150
Miscellaneous (profile books, adoption classes, doctor visits, fingerprinting, background checks, etc.): $1,374
Grand Total: $45,504
Grants (2): $7,500
Fundraisers(garage sales, dinner nights, basketball tournament, babysitting, tutoring, cleaning, burp cloth sales, pop cans, straight donations, etc.): $13,203
Personal Funds: $24,801
I guess we are adopting because...
1. We liked the idea of having a bigger family and didn't feel the need for any additional kids to be born biologically.
2. We see the need.
3. God asks Christians to care for orphans. We felt this call personally on our family in the form of adoption.
4. We're a bit nutty.
So there you have it. And praise God who is maker of all things...that we have made it through this process without a loan or any debt! There was a point that we did decide to apply for an interest free adoption loan. And we were approved. But praise God we ended up not needing to take it! It may take us a couple years to recovery financially but, as I said before...we have lacked no good thing and continue to have all of our needs met. God is good. All the time.
Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."