Sorry this post has taken me so long to write. Sometime after I promised it crazy began happening and there just always seemed to be better things to post about – like getting our referrals, gettting submitted to court, not to mention all the other wonderful things in our life going on now… So, finally, here it is!
Ok, first the rundown of what our total costs will be:
Agency fee:$5,200
Humanitarian Aid: $500
Home Study: $1,400
In-Country Fee:$10,000
In-Country Fee additional referral (2nd child):$7,000
Notarization, authorization, tanslation: $240
Visas -for us and the boys: $880
US Citizen Imigration Services: $1,710
Travel 1st trip (just Eric): ~$2500
Travel 2nd trip (Eric, SB, +2 babies on the way home!!!): ~$5,000
Grand Total to bring our babies home (get ready for this): ~$34,430
(That does not include the expenses of getting a car that will have enough seats for our newly grown family, stateside re-adoption costs, getting at least one more of everything we need for having babies around.)
Just a side note: I keep taking deep breaths while I write this. It’s a little scary to put this all out there for the world to see and know for sure, yep, we’re crazy!
Most people when they hear that number, though they assumed adoption was expensive, didn’t think it was that expensive. And often, the next question after finding out how much it is, is why?
And I can honestly tell you, I think it makes a lot of sense. The agency fees go to pay our adoption agency here in the States, the people who have worked so tirelessly in helping us, always available for my millions of questions and seriously, just doing SO much. The In-country fees for both boys pay our representative there, pay for the boys’ care in their orphanages, pay all the legal fees for processing our adoption in the courts there. Everything.
The other fees are pretty self-explanatory, I think, but I’d be happy to answer questions in the comments, to the best of my ability.
And in light of what this $34,430 will do – essentially rescue these precious boys out of a life with little love, few chances for success and health, utter poverty, and (most devastating) maybe never knowing the saving grace of Jesus Christ and the love of their Creator and Father in heaven – it seems a small price to pay.
And while I understand that it is in fact a small price to pay and I get where it all goes, I can’t pretend I don’t want to hypervenilate sometimes (or lots of times) when I wonder where it will all come from. It’s true, we don’t have 34+ grand lying around. We don’t have 34+ grand anywhere. But our Father, the same Father to the fatherless, the One who LOVES orphans and advocates for them constantly in His word, DOES! He owns the “cattle on a thousand hills” and He is able to provide this ransom for our boys’ lives.
Here are some ways he has done it so far:
-The generous and sacrificial giving of his people. I was just counting the other day, and we have received $2750 in financial support for our adoption from our family and friends since we announced to close friends and family that we were beginning the application process in October. That doesn’t even include the generosity of my friend Becky with her business Acres of Blessings back in February – and all of you who shopped and liked it, which raised $175!
-Yard Sale Mania! Kimberly, my amazing sister-in-law has spear-headed adoption yard sales for us, and we are about to do our FIFTH in 6 months. Our first two sales in October and December were tiny, but brought in about $300 to help offset the Home Study costs. Our third yard sale, which we had in Janurary, brought in about $800 which was almost enough to pay what we need to both have our dossier authenticated and translated, and to apply with USCIS. Our fourth yard sale, in February, was huge, with tons of donations from our church and community, brought in almost $1,400. We are on our final one this week, we have more donations than ever, and are praying for more than $1,500. These things are tons of work and we need help with them. If you are in the area and can donate a few hours on Saturday, that would be a tremendous blessing. If you’re not in the area but want to help out, go on over to Kimberly’s blog and check out how you can join in the fun! God has been providing abundantly through providing things, people to help sell those things, and lots of shoppers to buy those things.
-And ___________ (fill in the blank). We have great expectation that the Lord will finish the work he has begun and provide for our babies to come home. Please pray that He will continue to do awesome things through his people to show us his power and provision.
I have one more FAQ post coming up: “How Can I Help” so please stay tuned! I am hoping to get it written this week!
I am not at all shocked with the price! We 100% understand about the expense of adoption! Every baby is priceless so really the cost is not important. I don’t know internationally, but domestic adoptions are very much a business and costly because people are willing to pay. God will provide! He did for us and He will for you! When I get frantic about money, I remember the obvious: 1. Money can’t buy you love-duh!
2. You can’t take money with you to heaven. Most importantly, 3. IT IS GOD’S MONEY. He leads us all to use His money for His glory!