All Aboard!

I love sharing some behind the scene stories that come in with the donations for the Pass It forward adoption fund. While I don’t always know the story behind every donation, when I do get to hear even a little bit of the it- I am so deeply touched. God is so good.

Several times now I have received donations from families who are in the adoption process themselves.

Did you catch that?

They themselves are doing all they can to SAVE- fund raising, going without, cutting back- to bring a child home.

.

Yet they still give.

They still know that God, in all his glory, is BIG ENOUGH to cover it ALL.

They still understand that even though they don’t have the answers of how they could possibly raise that amount of money themselves-they are to give. What a beautiful picture of true faith.

For you see- the adoption journey cannot be about ONE child finding their way home-but about EVERY child finding their way home.

The whole purpose behind the Pass It Forward adoption Fund is that it wasn’t just about MY family. It wasn’t about MY family being blessed by someone else and therefore having the money to adopt. It wasn’t about MY family and the child WE would bring home. It is about ALL OF THE CHILDREN and families who are willing and waiting.

I truly believe with all of my heart that by pulling together for one cause more can be accomplished then I ever thought possible.

I realize that many times we already feel so stretched we do not see how we could possibly give any more.

So, how about being willing to ‘give up’ something instead?

How about eating beans and rice even one meal a week if you already are not- and then passing on what you saved to another family who is trying to adopt?

Do you have any talents? Can you sew perhaps? How about making something and selling it on eBay, etsy or craigs list and passing the money you make onto someone else trying to adopt?

Perhaps you could clean out your closets and have a garage sale and give the proceeds to another family who is trying to bring a child home.

Don’t have time for a garage sale? How about bringing a pickle jar to work with you and setting it next to vending machine? How about asking your coworkers to jump on board and help your pickle jar overfloweth.

Don’t have a vending machine- consider bringing candy bars and selling them for $1.00 to collect money for a families adoption.

The possibilities are endless… but if all of us just do something- give or give up something- our time, our talents, our resources- just one small sacrifice- we can make a HUGE difference in the lives of a child.

And if you are in the adoption process- how about teaming up with another adoptive family? While bringing home Mya from Guatemala my friend Michelle and I did an adoption cookbook. We pulled together our talents- I collected most of the recipes and pictures and Michelle and her husband used their talents to format the cookbook. Then we had them printed together and we both sold them in our separate states. We shared the work, we combined our talents and our time- and we both benefited.

One thing I have always loved and admired in particular about the Hispanic community is how they are known to pull together- and do life together. A friend of mine and I were talking about how often times when there is a wedding in the Hispanic community, the families all pitch in and create the most beautiful, most amazing wedding because everyone gets involved. One family member is in charge of the cake, another family member is in charge of decorations, etc, etc. What a beautiful picture of God’s love and what a beautiful statement of what it’s all really about. Can you image if we all lived like that? If we all pulled together and helped carry each other through? I'd love to see the adoption community do just that.

So often times we are conditioned to believe that we have to do it all on our own. That we shouldn’t need anyone else’s help. We shouldn't ask for help because that would be admitting we are weak. And yet the bible points out over and over that we are to come along side our brothers and sisters. That we are ALL a part of the body and the body cannot work properly without all of the parts working together.

So no matter who you are, where you are, if you are adopting or have a heart for adoption- can I encourage you to jump on board NOW.

Do something- anything.

Give up something, get creative, offer your help, your prayers, your encouragement- and I promise you that you too will be blessed.

Trust me, with 147 million orphans in this world –it’s going to take us all- together.