From red bear to red thread

This is our journey from a paper pregnancy miscarriage to moving through grief while trusting fully in God.

When a country closed the door, God opened the window.  We are not going to let all our paperwork go to waist (or the gracious donations to help us adopt). We will be pursuing a child(ren) in another country (China).  We are working on updating our paperwork and should see our dossier being sent to a new country in the coming weeks. While we are still grieving we are going to push on, because we know this is what God wants.

With heavy hearts

This has been a very trying 5 weeks.  So many emotions and so little we could do.  On 1 Jan our country choose to close their doors to Americans. This is why I have been in a daze for many weeks.  I have forgotten many things, committed to things and forgot about them.  The house has not run well since then also, laundry piled up and flours unvacuumed. We had hoped it was a temporary, maybe lasting a month, but as time went on we realized this was not going to change.  We still had hope, we new as long as our agency was willing to fight for us, we had a chance, a small chance but a chance.  On Tuesday (7 Feb) we received an email from our agency, stating that they will no longer be working in country.  This is very sad, we figured we had a chance as long as we had our agency, but with out them we have nothing. What this means, we will not be able to get our sweet Mika.  Even though we had not met her, we feel she is our daughter.  Our girls feel she is their sister.  We have purchased things over the past few months for her.  She will always be our little girl.  Sadly and with heavy hearts, we no long can pursue our little girl.  So, we cope with the loose and know that this is all Gods will. 

What next?  We have a completed home study, an approved USCIS, and even grant money.  We feel that God would not have given this to us unless He intended us to use it.  So, we will press forward. We are going to continue the adoption process in another country.  We had intended to adopt two children, we just never expected to do it in this order. What will make this time different?  We intend to pursue a special needs child, but this time we do not intend to find her on a photo list. We will leave this completely in God’s hands.  We are going to wait to receive a referral.

Does this mean we are going to forget Mika?  Absolutely not.  Does this mean we do not want her to be adopted? Absolutely not.  Canada can still adopt from country so there is a chance she could still be adopted. And we will do everything in our power to advocate for that.  If she is not adopted, and when the country reopens, we will start the process again and work to adopt her.  Whomever the family is, she will be adopted.  We will pray ever day that He protects her until that day comes. 

We Have A Matching Grant

We have been blessed to receive a matching grant of $2,500 from Lifesong For Orphans.  We have until 18 April to reach this goal.  Here is how it works:

Give by Check
Please make checks payable to Lifesong for Orphans.
In the memo please note your gift preference with "Preference Dismuke # 3342 adoption"
Please mail checks to:
Lifesong for Orphans
PO Box 40
Gridley, IL 61744

Lifesong has been blessed with a partner that underwrites all US administrative and fund-raising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to the need…helping orphans.

Give Online
1. Go to www.lifesongfororphans.org/give/donate
2. Select Give to an Adoptive Family
3. Complete online form and fill in Family Account Number & Family Name Fields with "Preference Dismuke # 3342 adoption"

*Please note that PayPal will charge an administrative fee (2.9% + $.30 USD per transaction). Your donation will be decreased by the amount of this fee.

Individual donations $250 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $250

In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to the named non-profit organization. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.

Thank you from the bottom of our heart for helping us reach our matching goal.

Stuck

Blessings

We have been blessed this week. In the middle of all this chaos we have received grant from Family Outreach.  This is huge when the cost to save a life is so expensive.  The work that goes into an adoption is a full time job, including filling out grant application after application.  I feel like I have used an entire forest during this process.  Adoption should not be this complicated, really it should not.  Some countries have their process so streamed line and it is amazing.  Some only allow special needs adoption (which I feel should be the case for ALL countries). 

Please consider supporting organization that helps lessen the financial burden of adopting families.  Many of these organizations help families adopt special needs children, children who are not accepted in their birth country because of their disabilities.  Children should not be seen by their disabilities but by their abilities.

Faith. Family. Home.

Faith. Family. Home.
In caring for orphans, our hope is to instill faith, family and a sense of home deep into the hearts of every child we are blessed to serve. Please enjoy this month's Mission Moment highlighting the fruit of God's work through us.

Baptized in the Name of the ONE True God...

In a country where the worship of many gods is commonplace, lives of children are being changed and transformed by the working of Jesus Christ, the ONE true God. Lifesong India provides homes for almost 600 children who are all being exposed to the gospel of our loving, merciful and kind Father God.

Baptism has always been a powerful symbol of Christianity. This symbol is especially notable in this culture because through this outward testimony of faith, children are publicly turning away from false gods to rely only on Jesus! Witness the baptism of the girls from one of our homes below. Learn more about Lifesong India >>

"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:38 

Building Children's Home in Guatemala

It's exciting to see the progress of our new orphan care initiative in Guatemala. Construction has started on the family homes that will one day invite orphans with special needs into their doors to give faith, family and a future to children in need. Thanks to many of you for your support in this exciting new project!

Please continue to pray for safety and wisdom as construction continues. Learn more about Lifesong Guatemala: Village of Hope >>

Read more about Faith, Family & Home...

Orphans in Ukraine Find Forever Families -- Through Adoption with Borders, like-minded families and churches in the USA connect with Christian families in Ukraine who are seeking to adopt.  Read Full Story



Planting Spiritual Seeds in Liberia -- Our aim is to help children develop a personal relationship with the Lord and to keep that relationship growing.  Read Full Story



Mehesh, A Life Changed -- "I don't want to think about what my life would be like if I didn't have the opportunity to live at that home (Chitty Memorial Home in Lifesong India)..." Read full story

The Drop Box