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The best and most considerate of the abortion alternatives, hands down, is adoption. Over time, I’ve found money to be the greatest worry for families considering adoption. When the Lord calls a family to adopt, He usually doesn’t give a 10 year warning so that they can start building their adoption fund. No matter what your financial situation, $15-30,000 is a HUGE burden for any couple to pay in a years time without budgeting for that expense. Watching how the Lord provides for those He calls has been amazing. One of the greatest blessings about the adoption process has been the friendships I have developed through on-line yahoo/google/ adoption boards and through adoption blogs. God has provided in AMAZING ways for those who have heard His call and stepped out in FAITH. It has been a blessing to follow along on their journeys and celebrate what the Lord has/is doing through their obedient hearts!
Many feel that adoption is only for those who can “afford” it, but the majority of the families I have met do not fit that category. I am frustrated when someone tells me that they wish they could adopt but financially they can’t…..yet they have a country club membership, drive luxury cars, and are dressed to the nines every day. If the Lord hasn’t called you to adopt, I understand, but using finances as an excuse is hollow in light of the standard of living enjoyed by so many in our prosperous country. On the other hand, I am humbled and convicted to see what families are giving up in order to fund their adoptions. In many cases after couples have experienced the joy of adoption once, they adopt again. They experience the joy that comes from trusting and following the Lord. Such joy is far greater than the temporary joy the “stuff” this world tells us to cherish. As Mother Teresa stated: It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.
Pride is another roadblock that keeps families from obeying the call of adoption that God has placed on their hearts and minds. They don’t want to ask for help or depend on others to help fund their adoption. What they don’t realize though, is that there are MANY people who WANT to help provide for their adoption. The Lord does not call all to adopt, but he does call us ALL to care for orphans. Financially supporting the adoption of someone the Lord has called, is one way to fullfill that. The Lord loves a cheerful giver!
Below are agencies that I am aware of that offer grants, interest free loans, matching grants, etc:
There are many creative ways to fund adoptions and to involve others in the process. I will list some ideas I can think of and I would love for you to add any others to the comment section below.
*yard sales (many people are glad to donate their stuff)
*having a spaghetti dinner at your church/community center with pre-sold tickets
*getting donations from local businesses and having a silent auction at the spaghetti dinner
*Pancake breakfast at Applebees
*Fundraiser night at Chick-Fil-A
*On-Line Raffle (a local family is currently having one and you can visit their site by clicking HERE)
*walk/bike-a thons
*selling adoption t-shirts/hats/jewelry from a blog (I know one online friend who made over $10,000 this way)
*many jobs offer adoption assistance (one online friend worked part time at Starbucks for a few months and qualified for their adoption grant) (I believe you had to work three months and she either got 3K or 5K, can’t remember exactly, but worth checking into)
*Selling stuff on ebay
*eat out less
* be crafty and use the gifts God has given you to raise funds (click here to see how this 8 year old girl raised thousands of dollars )
*foster/adopt
Don’t forget the $10,000 tax credit you get at the end of the year.
Yes, the financial cost is great, but when the Lord calls He WILL provide. Step out in faith and enjoy watching how the Lord works in / through you and others. Great is thy faithfulness!
