Fundraising...

Fundraising ...
is incredibly humbling. 
I have spent weeks making a list of local businesses to contact for donations. Today I am editing my lists and doing as many requests online as possible to save paper/stamps. 
For those who have not heard, we are having an Adoption Dinner with Silent Auction on November 30. More info to come when I figure it out. ;)
We are also going to do a yard sale in 5 weeks because the neighborhood is sponsoring it, not because yard sales are my thing ;)

I will admit the first time someone asked me to support their adoption, I was a little confused, but once I knew more about the process I was honored to help out, and wished I could give them everything they needed immediately. It's easy for someone to wonder,  "why on earth do people choose international adoption when it costs so much?"  It's also easy for someone to assume that "2 people with good jobs should be able to come up with the money on their own." I wouldn't blame anyone for having those questions, so let me answer them...just in case.

1. Why international (when domestic seems like it would be cheaper)? 
-Actually, we have researched domestic as well. It's only a slight bit cheaper, depending on the agency, because you generally don't have to travel around the world. We have not completely ruled out domestic, but we feel led to Korea. 
Also, just a little FYI-Domestic adoption in Kentucky also requires that the infants are in foster care with you for the first 20 days, giving the birth parents time to change their minds. While that is awesome for birth parents, I'm not sure I can handle knowing that my child might be taken away.

2. Why can't 2 people with good jobs raise the money?
Good question. Why can't we? We could but it would take like 5 years and I'm not getting any younger.  We have all the normal costs that everyone else our age has (house, cars, medical bills, broken AC, root canals..). I don't know of any peers in our age group who have this kind of money sitting around....

Some details about adoption in Korea:
- adoption cost will be approximately $28,340
- travel will be at least $2-3000 but could be more if we are required to travel twice
- Korea has an unspoken rule that they want to see that you have a good amount of money saved beyond the adoption costs, enough to support the child

BUT the good news:
- the Federal Adoption Tax Credit refunds (through taxes) up to $13,160 for adoption expenses
- Zach's employer will refund $8000 (after the fact)

We do not have $30,000 sitting around, though that would make it so easy. Adoption is not easy but we believe God will provide what we need to do this. We are incredibly blessed by an employer with adoption assistance and so grateful that the tax credit was continued, but we will have to pay that money up front and be reimbursed later. The other issue is that I will need to stay home with our kiddo for 10-12 weeks, which will mean no income for me during that time.  We are both working hard to save money for both the adoption and the time afterwards. We know kids aren't cheap!

Part of the reason we do fundraising is because we need to bridge the gap between what will be covered later and what will not be reimbursed at all. We are hoping to raise $4-5000 to help offset those costs. The other reason we are doing this is because we have been a part of helping others raise funds for their adoption and it was a blessing to us to be part of it.  We want our friends/family to have the opportunity to be a part of that blessing as well. We all know how good it feels to give someone the perfect gift and see the joy it gives them- how much better would it be to experience that feeling when you help someone bring home a child who desperately needs someone to love him (or her). I know when I have helped friends, even in small ways, it has blessed me tremendously.  I am a "fixer"- I hate when people are desperate for something in their life and want to help them. This is an opportunity to be that help.

This is the quote I remember when I get tired of working my 3 jobs...
"My friends, adoption is redemption. It's costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much.  When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him." -Derek Loux

We don't want anyone to feel obligated to give us large sums of money. We want those who love us and support us to give if and how they feel led. If they feel led to pray for us or come help us paint the nursery, we will be blessed.  If they come eat at our dinner and do their Christmas shopping at our auction, we will be blessed. If we get encouragement, we will be blessed!

It's true that we want to be a family, but even more than that, we want to give a child a family. I can't think of anything we have ever or will ever do that is more important.