Our family currently consists of 5: Myself (Matt), my wife Jessica, and our three children Sophie (6), Elijah (5), and Ezekyal (4). After 4 years as a family of 5, we will soon be a family of 6!
Our adoption story started in 2012 when we decided to adopt internationally from Ethiopia. We went through the process, got all of the paper work complete and the first part of the money paid only to find out that the country was shutting down their inter-country adoption program. In the middle of that process, my wife and I accepted a call to be international missionaries in Haiti and started an organization called All Things New that we still run today. Our calling was to an orpahnage in Haiti and to start a ministry around that orphanage. After we moved to Haiti, we moved from an international adoption to our first domestic adoption and we were matched to a birth mother in 2015 and Sophie was born in November of that year. When we received her passport, our family moved back to Haiti, but about a year after Sophie was born we started the process of adoption again thinking it would take a few years. Elijah was born 15 months and 1 day after Sophie and we adopted him and then moved our now family of 4 back to Haiti. 15 months and 5 days after Elijah was born, Ezekyal was born in Haiti at the home of some friends of ours. Through a lot of crazy circumstances that I cannot explain here, we began to pursue a domestic adoption of Ezekyal as permanent residents of Haiti. Political and social circumstances forced us to move our family, including Ezekyal because we had custody of him both in America and Haiti at this time, back to America. On March 31 of this year, after more than 3.5 years of Ezekyal living with us, his adoption was finalized and his last name officially became “Bush.”
In the midst of adopting Ezekyal, we knew that our family was not yet finished growing, and early in 2022 we were chosen by a birth mom to adopt another son. Her due date is June 6, 2022 and we are very excited.
Because of our position as missionaries that raise funds both for ourselves and for our ministry, we have not attempted to fundraise for any of our adoptions after Sophie was born. We decided to save up as much money as we could and take out loans for the rest. We did not want to seem greedy or to go to the same people for our ministry in Haiti and for our decision to adopt. Thanks to a combined $8000 matching grant from Orlando First Baptist Church + Lifesong for Orphans, however, we have the opportunity to raise $8,000 with all gifts tax deductible and Lifesong will match every donation dollar-for-dollar. Because of the matching funds and the blessing that this would be to our family, we have decided to try to raise money for this adoption.
We also know that when other people are a part of our adoption and our lives, you can be updated with what is going on and you can pray with us and for us through the process. Please, if you give to ATN, do not feel obligated to do this as well, but we did not want to miss this wonderful opportunity.
We believe that adoption is in the very heart of GOD as we are all adopted as His sons and daughters, and we cannot wait to meet our new son through this process. Thank you in advance for your prayers and for your financial donations to our family.
STRIPE charges an online processing fee (2.2% +.30 USD per transaction)*. Your donations will be decreased by this amount. You may also send a check payable to “Lifesong for Orphans”. In the memo line please write “Bush 10023”, to ensure it is credited to our account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 9, Gridley, IL 61744.
Lifesong has been blessed with partners who underwrite all U.S. administrative and fundraising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to the adoption.
- In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to Lifesong for Orphans. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.
- Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Individual donations of $50 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $50 will gladly be sent upon request.
- *3.5% fee for donations given with an American Express card
