Here's the "skinny" on our funding situation compared to where we were this time just last year.
With John-Patrik's adoption costs we were very fortunate in that the website we found him on (Reece's Rainbow) was specifically designed to raise grants for each of the children they advocate for. When we found little JP he already had $7523 raised for him. Plus, once when we were officially matched with John-Patrik they raised nearly $1400 more for the "Family Fund"... totaling about $9000. Another huge blessing is that we were approached by a young lady in Oklahoma (Kelsie) who decided to start a fundraising organization for special needs adoptions and found us through our blog's link on Reece's Rainbow's website. She raised $5000 for us; people she'd never met! Friends, this amazing girl literally shaved her head as a fundraiser for us! Along with so many incredibly generous people's donations we met our goal. God, through these amazing people, started us out with most of our financial needs met, leaving us with a relatively small amount to raise over a 13 month period.
...Which brings us to Miss Milanija May's adoption fundraising status. I'll put it in the most precise way: We have over double the amount we're responsible for - needing to be raised in about half the time (abt. 8 months) with no grants.
This is our need: $15,740 before we can travel. (In about 3 - 4 months) If we end up needing to bring our oldest son, Jake, with us to be our nanny (because we'll need to bring JP with us) it will be $19,640. We're not sure if we'll need to yet or not, there's still a few things to check on before we'll know. [We did learn that bringing Jake will be necessary, $19,640 IS our new goal.] Thankfully, we were able to get our dossier sent off and I believe we will meet the Nov. 9th deadline. PRAISE GOD! That means we should be able be matched with Milanija ASAP!! Our I-800a immigration application was also approved for Milanija!! Things are progressing very quickly, so much faster than John-Patrik's adoption process.
Friends, I am not ashamed to ask for help. I know that it's within God's power to provide for our needs through His people. Ephesians 3:20-21 reminds us that... "He is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. AMEN."
Because of my responsibilities regarding John-Patrik and the boys I am limited in my abilities for both time and energy to do super involved fundraisers. Any help would be greatly, and I mean GREATLY, appreciated. The fundraising website we're going through is enabling all donations to be TAX DEDUCTIBLE and can found up and to the right of this post.
Thank you,
Meg and the fam. :)
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Monday, October 5, 2015
About Miss Milanija...
I wanted to share a little more about our sweet Miss Milanija to give you a glimpse into how amazing she is:
You'd never know she was in need or so handicapped by her personality. She is cheerful, helpful, and happy. It didn't seem like her circumstances had dimmed her spirit at all. She is sharp as well caring. We were told that she has proportional dwarfism as well as the other 2 diagnoses. She will be 6 in December and she wears a 2T; she's tiny. She is half the size of the other children her age but twice the size in personality! She will fit into our family dynamic beautifully; these boys of ours need a little sister to boss them around! :)
When we met Milanija she did not have a walker or a wheelchair. The orphanage just could not afford it. They are on a very tight budget, even rationing out diapers. (each child is allowed 5 diapers a day, for example). Keep in mind, this little one has Spina Bifida and Hip Dysplasia. She was literally dragging herself around with her upper body. It broke our hearts watching her having to do this, but she never skipped a beat. In fact, she was faster than all of the other "able-bodied" children in their room of 8. Nothing slowed her down, she would whip around that floor like it was her domain. ...because it was and, she knew it!
This creative, "out-of-the-box" little thinker figured out a way to get around a bit easier though. Milanija found a broken dolly stroller someone had long ago donated and used it as a walker, bless her heart. We are not the only ones to see this unique amazingness in her. Periodically, different groups of people in Vilnius will visit or volunteer in the orphanage. At some point during one of these times she captured the attention of someone who ended up including her in a T.V. special and a subsequent fundraiser for a wheelchair for her. Now she finally has a wheelchair of her very own that will come back with us. I think she calls it her "wheels".
Over the past several months Rich and I have been looking at our house through the eyes of a wheelchair-sporting Sassafras. Some changes are obvious; next year we'll need hard floors throughout the top floor for sure. We'll need some kind of step-stool for the bathroom sink and maybe the kitchen too. But other changes to the house we'll figure out once she's here, I guess. Unless one of you have any wisdom you'd like to impart?
You'd never know she was in need or so handicapped by her personality. She is cheerful, helpful, and happy. It didn't seem like her circumstances had dimmed her spirit at all. She is sharp as well caring. We were told that she has proportional dwarfism as well as the other 2 diagnoses. She will be 6 in December and she wears a 2T; she's tiny. She is half the size of the other children her age but twice the size in personality! She will fit into our family dynamic beautifully; these boys of ours need a little sister to boss them around! :)
When we met Milanija she did not have a walker or a wheelchair. The orphanage just could not afford it. They are on a very tight budget, even rationing out diapers. (each child is allowed 5 diapers a day, for example). Keep in mind, this little one has Spina Bifida and Hip Dysplasia. She was literally dragging herself around with her upper body. It broke our hearts watching her having to do this, but she never skipped a beat. In fact, she was faster than all of the other "able-bodied" children in their room of 8. Nothing slowed her down, she would whip around that floor like it was her domain. ...because it was and, she knew it!
This creative, "out-of-the-box" little thinker figured out a way to get around a bit easier though. Milanija found a broken dolly stroller someone had long ago donated and used it as a walker, bless her heart. We are not the only ones to see this unique amazingness in her. Periodically, different groups of people in Vilnius will visit or volunteer in the orphanage. At some point during one of these times she captured the attention of someone who ended up including her in a T.V. special and a subsequent fundraiser for a wheelchair for her. Now she finally has a wheelchair of her very own that will come back with us. I think she calls it her "wheels".
Over the past several months Rich and I have been looking at our house through the eyes of a wheelchair-sporting Sassafras. Some changes are obvious; next year we'll need hard floors throughout the top floor for sure. We'll need some kind of step-stool for the bathroom sink and maybe the kitchen too. But other changes to the house we'll figure out once she's here, I guess. Unless one of you have any wisdom you'd like to impart?
- Changes that were worth the cost?
- Changes that seemed worth it at the time but, in reality, didn't really help at all?
I'd love to hear your insight!
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