Financial Update

Hello everyone! It’s been a few weeks since I posted an update about the financial part of the adoption process. Like so many other parts/pieces of this adoption, the blessings of God regarding the finances are in a simple word – GREAT. Through God’s blessings, He continues to confirm to us that we are living in His will regarding this adoption. He is working in others to give so generously to helping bring Natasha, Alona, and Makc to our family. It is awesome to witness God at work in providing the necessary finances daily. I praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Give generously, for your gifts will return to you later. Ecclesiastes 11:1 NLT

Let me try and give you some idea of what the estimated total expense is, what we have received from numerous friends and family so far, what we have been able to pay from these generous gifts, and what expenses are left and when.

The total estimated expense to bring Natasha, Alona, and Makc home - $40,000
Monies given so generously as of 12/29 - $14,725
Monies still needed - $25,275

Here is how the cost breaks down:
$5,500 agency fee paid!
$1,500 home study paid!
$850 immigration paid!
$1,250 dossier preparation money in account!
$18,000 foreign adoption fee $12,375 still needed
$8,000 airfare $8,000 still needed
(2 adult roundtrips / 3 children one way)
$5,000 in country expenses $5,000 still needed
(lodging / food / in country transportation / misc.)

We need the $25,275 to be in hand before we travel. March is the soonest we could travel because of the children’s availability for international adoption. Please join us in this prayer – God, please provide the remaining $25,275 before March 1, 2009.

Thank you for your prayers and generosity, they are needed and appreciated! If you would like to help us get Natasha, Alona and Makc to our home so we can continue to share the love of Jesus with them, you can send a tax-deductible donation to:
God’s Waiting Children
c/o Borden Adoption
1865 Herndon, Suite K125
Clovis, CA 93611

Please make sure you write “Borden Adoption in the memo of your check.

Blessings <><,

David

Quick Update

Thank you for praying regarding the home study. So many of you asked about it and let us know you were praying. I could tell! It went wonderfully well. We will meet the social worker again next week to wrap up. The social worker is delightful and said she will try to get the home study complete by Christmas. (The social worker is in the final process of adopting twin 3-yr-old girls from Ethiopia). The next step will be to mail it to immigration and pray immigration moves quickly to give approval. We've heard of some quick turn-arounds lately, but it can take around 8 weeks for immigration to approve. So, please thank God for the home study moving along so well and start praying over the immigration employees :)!

As you pray for our kids and situation, please remember and pray for the 7 families from this summer's hosting program who are in Ukraine as I type adopting! Other families are in the paperwork process as we are. What amazing work God was doing this summer (and continues to do)! God is alive and active! Plans are already underway to bring another group of orphans to our area this summer for hosting.

We love you! Jenny

Prayer regarding home study

We have our appointment with the social worker Monday. After this meeting, we will meet one more time with her, and then hopefully our home study will be complete. I spoke with the social worker on the phone and she seems delightful! Please pray it all comes together quickly. We need the home study complete to send on for immigration, another piece of the paperwork pie.

I just have to share a little epiphany I had in the Taco Bell drive-thru yesterday. I know this blog is designed to keep you updated on the adoption. I don't mean to indulge myself with other reports, but these posts are part of the adoption for me. God is teaching me so much through this. I pray as I share it, you might be blessed. Anyway, for the past year or two I have often paid for meals of those behind me in drive-thru lines and Chipotle lines (I've spent a lot of time in a Chipotle line :)). I usually just buy the meal, and tell the person or ask the clerk in the drive-thru line to tell the customer that "Jesus loves them". I've had some AMAZING experiences doing this! God has blessed me like crazy with this. I seriously could write a quite interesting book just on my Chipotle-food-buying experiences! My friend Tonya could testify as she has been with me most of the time!

Lately I haven't been eating out as much. I found myself in the Taco Bell drive-thru and a car pulls up behind me. Immediately I think, okay I need to buy their meal. Next thought is that I can't do that because I need to be careful about spending money. We are in need of like $25,000 and that's just getting started right?! Then I'm reminded by the Spirit that all I have been given is given by God. Surely He's not going to stop giving because I am seeking to show someone He loves them. I was reminded that you "can't outgive God". I don't know who to credit with that quote. I think my husband has said it several times, but maybe I heard it in a sermon??? Anyway, the point is God gives in abundance. Look what He's given us! He wants me to give abundantly! He is an abundant, extravagant giver. I know it because I've experienced it. Why would I want to possibly keep someone else from knowing that (for like $2.80)?? Shame on me. End of the story...I bought the meal, I looked in my rear view mirror to see this 20-something year old kid with a HUGE smile on His face. Not to mention the 50-something year old clerk's expression when she was like why would you do that and I said "just tell him that Jesus loves him." Oh how I pray that you and I will live the abundant life Jesus has for us! With love, Jenny