If the title of this post has already made you confused let me explain...
I am often asked about why we chose to adopt from Russia. People are shocked when they hear how much it costs and they can't believe we wouldn't go the more "affordable" route by adopting through foster care or domestically. I understand that the "cost" of adoption is a big deal. After all, we are the ones trying to raise almost $45,000. So the cost is a big deal to us too.
The difference is that we didn't go into adoption looking for an "affordable" child. It's not always like shopping for a sweater and trying to find the best deal. Hence the name of this post. I'm all for finding a deal. For those of you who know me, you know this is true to the fullest extent. But sometimes there are things in life that this doesn't apply to. Adoption CAN be one those.
The truth is that children need families. That's the bottom line. So if your financial situation in life limits where and how you can adopt then I understand. But sometimes God calls you to something that's beyond your means and capabilities. Not because he wants you to suffer under the pressure and stress but because He wants you to trust him to do something miraculous.
We see this in the Bible when God tells a guy named Joshua to walk around a fortified city wall and blow on some instruments to make the walls fall down. Not a great military strategy if you ask me but God knew what He was doing. Just read Joshua 6 and tell me that doesn't sound crazy.
If that doesn't strike you as weird how about the time He told Gideon that He would hand over the Mideonites but only if he would get rid of most of his army and go in with 300 men. To make it even more "God style" Gideon and his men just needed to stand around the camp, break some pitchers and blow their horns and the whole camp would go into panic and undo themselves. Gideon and his men just got to watch. It's in Judges 7, trust me.
In both of these stories God called these men to something bigger then they could have imagined and they had to make a decision. They had to decide to obey God or follow logic. They chose to be obedient and God was more than faithful to come through for them.
Lenski and I started this process by WANTING to adopt domestically. Not because of affordability but because we heard that there is a need for families willing to adopt children of other races. So we set out on that path. We had all the money we would need for that. But God came in and turned things upside down like He often does. He called us to something that seems beyond our reach. But we had to decide if we would trust Him and be obedient or make the "good financial" decision and stay in the USA. Despite the fear that came from looking at the numbers we decided to go with Russia. And I'm so glad we did. We've been able to see God work in miraculous ways. Now it's time you see it too. Here's what he's done in just 4 months:
$4,160 has been sent to us as donations
$361 in change has been collected and donated
$1,098 was made by selling things people gave to us
$500 was given to us by a church unexpectedly (They struggle to pay their bills)
$398 has been raised and donated by our 8 year old cousin
$200 was given to Lenski as part of an award he won (Lenski's never won an award like this)
$760 has been miraculously refunded to us from our mortgage, gas and insurance companies
$2,360 was raised at a 3 day garage sale selling items you donated to us
$550 is how much Lenski will make from speaking engagements that he was unexpectedly asked to do
That alone is $10,387 and that's not even the total amount we've raised. It also doesn't include the fundraisers that are coming up or grants we intend to apply for.
I am so thankful that we heard God's calling and responded with obedience instead of listening to our fears. What an amazing thing it is to see God working in such crazy ways.
