John & Donna M.
China 2014
Just as each child is unique, each journey to adopt is unique as well. This is our adoption story. For our family it all began with an invitation. At a women's convention in 2002 God spoke to me and said: "if you are willing I will fill those arms with a child." At the time I was a homeschool mother of three sons. The youngest was 7. My husband and I were very content and focused on raising our family as it was. Car seats and diapers a distant memory, sport practice and learners permits on the horizon. But then there was this invitation. After much discussion and prayer John and I decided that all God really wanted at this time was a yes, were we willing. So knowing full well that we could not make this happen without a move of God we began praying that God would prepare our family to be a sanctuary for a child. What happened next at the time seemed like that God had changed His mind. He went quiet about the child. Looking back it is now very evident that God was using that time to do just what we had prayed, He was preparing us for the journey ahead. In 2006 God stirred the dream again, this time with an urgency to move forward. We were still far from able to make this happen on our own. Being a homeschool family meant being a one income family, and therefore the financial side of adoption seemed to the natural eye an impossible obstacle to overcome. But once again God spoke: "It is easier to bring the resource to a willing heart, than a willing heart to the resources." So we stepped out. We started praying about from where God wanted us to adopt.
In June of 2006 we fell in love with the daughters of China. It was not the best time to do that. Waits times were beginning to grow. Our adoption agency at that time tried very hard to persuade us to select another country. We tried but never once did we feel released for China once we fell in love with it. Our agency encouraged special needs but at the time those words seemed scary and without a direct word from God we were unsure about that so we took our place in a long line waiting for a "healthy" daughter from China. We waited, we did fundraisers, we waited, I started cleaning the church to raise money, we waited, my husband started cutting the church grass to make money, we waited. All the time we were getting older, our sons were getting older. Finally, after much seeking about whether to go special needs or not God spoke these words to me: "What is special needs?" and with those words I understood to Him who is all powerful what fear is there in special needs, He could meet any need and He would help us to overcome. With this new understanding we changed our homestudy and moved forth with a new purpose. On New Year's Eve we saw our oldest daughters face on a waiting child list. By April we were the parents of a delightful 2 year old. As Sara settled into her new life her medical needs were addressed. She had three surgeries in the first 19 months home. She has a series of cast's to repair a club foot. At three Sara walked with the help of a brace for the first time. At four she walked without the brace. Even today Sara's healing journey continues and with each new victory God is revealed once again as her loving father.
Even on the flight home from China with our oldest daughter we knew our family was not complete. In January 2013 we once again began the paperwork to bring home a daughter from China. We selected Bethany Christian Services Adoption Agency for the adventure. Once again we were very aware that the biggest obstacle would be the financial needs, once again we set about to do all we could and trust God to do the heavy lifting. We had yard sales, we hosted a murder mystery dinner event, and we had Bunco parties, created another cookbook, and made homemade canned relish to sell. Whatever we could find to do we did, but it fell short of the needed amount. In the late winter/early spring 2014 we saw the face of our second daughter, Lara. She was on waiting child list. There was some confusion about what her exact medical diagnoses were. But we had been there before so we prayed for God to turn our hearts toward her if she was our Lara Anne. Sure enough He was faithful and soon we knew she was to join our family. More paperwork, more planning, more insurmountable financial needs. There comes a time when everyone you know has given what they desire to give. When it is just not possible to hold one more yard sale...when you run out of self. At that point we stood, We filled out three grant applications, and we prayed. We moved forward with the travel plans and we prayed.
This is the point when A Child Waits enters our story. They were one of the three foundations that we applied for a grant. A Child Waits did more than just give us a monetary gift for our daughter. They brought forth a refreshing word of encouragement at a time when it was much needed. Raising a special needs child is one of the most rewarding experiences there is. But it also comes with a drain on resources, to say otherwise would be misleading. and as we stepped out this time we had a better knowledge of what laid ahead of us and therefore more in need of encouragement with this grant A Child Waits lifted a portion of the burden and offered refreshment at a crucial time. We will be forever grateful for this gift.
If I could say one thing to a couple deciding if adopting a special needs child was right for them it would be: never let fear make the decision for you. Your age, your financial condition, and your ability all come under God's authority. He knows it all and if He says you can, you can and you will. God will never use fear or fear of lack to guide you in a decision. He guides us with His calm, reassuring voice. And these children are so worth the journey.
The M. Family
In June of 2006 we fell in love with the daughters of China. It was not the best time to do that. Waits times were beginning to grow. Our adoption agency at that time tried very hard to persuade us to select another country. We tried but never once did we feel released for China once we fell in love with it. Our agency encouraged special needs but at the time those words seemed scary and without a direct word from God we were unsure about that so we took our place in a long line waiting for a "healthy" daughter from China. We waited, we did fundraisers, we waited, I started cleaning the church to raise money, we waited, my husband started cutting the church grass to make money, we waited. All the time we were getting older, our sons were getting older. Finally, after much seeking about whether to go special needs or not God spoke these words to me: "What is special needs?" and with those words I understood to Him who is all powerful what fear is there in special needs, He could meet any need and He would help us to overcome. With this new understanding we changed our homestudy and moved forth with a new purpose. On New Year's Eve we saw our oldest daughters face on a waiting child list. By April we were the parents of a delightful 2 year old. As Sara settled into her new life her medical needs were addressed. She had three surgeries in the first 19 months home. She has a series of cast's to repair a club foot. At three Sara walked with the help of a brace for the first time. At four she walked without the brace. Even today Sara's healing journey continues and with each new victory God is revealed once again as her loving father.
Even on the flight home from China with our oldest daughter we knew our family was not complete. In January 2013 we once again began the paperwork to bring home a daughter from China. We selected Bethany Christian Services Adoption Agency for the adventure. Once again we were very aware that the biggest obstacle would be the financial needs, once again we set about to do all we could and trust God to do the heavy lifting. We had yard sales, we hosted a murder mystery dinner event, and we had Bunco parties, created another cookbook, and made homemade canned relish to sell. Whatever we could find to do we did, but it fell short of the needed amount. In the late winter/early spring 2014 we saw the face of our second daughter, Lara. She was on waiting child list. There was some confusion about what her exact medical diagnoses were. But we had been there before so we prayed for God to turn our hearts toward her if she was our Lara Anne. Sure enough He was faithful and soon we knew she was to join our family. More paperwork, more planning, more insurmountable financial needs. There comes a time when everyone you know has given what they desire to give. When it is just not possible to hold one more yard sale...when you run out of self. At that point we stood, We filled out three grant applications, and we prayed. We moved forward with the travel plans and we prayed.
This is the point when A Child Waits enters our story. They were one of the three foundations that we applied for a grant. A Child Waits did more than just give us a monetary gift for our daughter. They brought forth a refreshing word of encouragement at a time when it was much needed. Raising a special needs child is one of the most rewarding experiences there is. But it also comes with a drain on resources, to say otherwise would be misleading. and as we stepped out this time we had a better knowledge of what laid ahead of us and therefore more in need of encouragement with this grant A Child Waits lifted a portion of the burden and offered refreshment at a crucial time. We will be forever grateful for this gift.
If I could say one thing to a couple deciding if adopting a special needs child was right for them it would be: never let fear make the decision for you. Your age, your financial condition, and your ability all come under God's authority. He knows it all and if He says you can, you can and you will. God will never use fear or fear of lack to guide you in a decision. He guides us with His calm, reassuring voice. And these children are so worth the journey.
The M. Family
