We are adopting from India!
Why Adoption?
We have each always wanted to adopt, but couldn’t quite put words to it until recently. We believe earthly adoption is a shadow of the adoption we have as sons and daughters into the family of God. Scripture repeatedly points to this reality because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. We were all created to be in unity with the Lord God; without Jesus, we could not do that. We are so grateful to the Lord for his generous gift of adoption into His kingdom, and take up the command as followers of Christ to care for the orphan. We both feel very convicted that children need a strong mother and strong father and trust that Yahweh will continue to equip us to care for a child brought to us through adoption.
Why India?
Plainly speaking, India has the largest population of orphans in the world. The lack of access to medical help and the cultural caste structure leads to many children being cast aside due to their medical/emotional needs and lack of appropriate care. This alone is enough to drive us to adopt from India although we feel strongly convicted by the Lord beyond this.
Per the Joshua Project, we are sad that India has the greatest challenge in sharing the gospel as half of the population of completely unreached people groups (not a single piece of access to the good news of Jesus) live in India. We are excited to learn more about India through our adoption process, visiting India, and bringing home a child from India with the opportunity to show them the gospel in our everyday lives while incorporating respectful practices to honor Indian culture. We hope to continue partnering with missions in India, specifically to proclaim the name of Jesus to the nation beyond our adoption.
We are open to any gender child, with a range of medical needs between age 0-5. We prefer to keep birth order with our children (meaning no one older than Auggie) but are not completely opposed. The needs most often seen in adopted children from India are: blindness, deafness, HIV positive, and limb difference. We are open to these and have sought medical advice from our pediatrician and doctors from our church to help us gather the information we need to take care of our child. We will not know all the details of the needs fully until we are in the States, since the practice of medicine in India is different than here.
We are prayerful in our consideration of bringing a child with medical needs and emotional needs into our home and its sanctifying effect on our family as a whole. Without our personal Lord Jesus, we would not feel confident in our adoption decision. But because we walk with the Lord, and have a strong Biblical community, a supportive family, and a safe home, we are excited to welcome another child into our home! We know that it will be sanctifying on all of us and pray it leads Valley and Auggie to see the gospel as our story of adoption in the Kingdom of Yahweh.
What’s Next?
Adoption costs roughly $40k all in to bring home one child. This includes all agency fees, immigration fees, travel fees, home study fees, training fees, etc. We have been so graciously picked by Lifesong for Orphans to receive a matching grant of $5k towards our adoption. Therefore, anything sent in up to $5k will be matched by Lifesong and go directly to bringing our child home safely. We are asking you to prayerfully consider joining us in our process of bringing home our next child.
We ask that you join us in prayer for the following:
- Salvation among the unreached in India
- The Lord’s sovereign hand to protect our child wherever he/she is in India
- Ask the Lord to convict your heart for the orphan and widow and lead you to action in His Will alone
- Isaiah 62:10 over our adoption process
- That our hearts would be prepared to bring home a child from a vulnerable background
- That the Holy Spirit would sustain us daily as we are sensitive to His leading to parent all the children entrusted to our care and discipleship
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 “Nedza 11209”, 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