We are excited to share that we’ve been matched with a little boy from the Philippines! We hosted Andrew through the Summer of Hope program during the summer of 2024, at which time we had the opportunity to meet and get acquainted with our incoming bundle of energy for four wonderful weeks. The adoption journey has been long, but it is worth all the waiting when you can put a face to it all. As soon as we saw our little Andrew’s face, it was and is worth everything for that precious boy.
It was March 2021 when we took our first official step toward adoption. It is no secret that the adoption process is expensive—not just in money, but also in time and emotions. Our decision to pursue international adoption was simple: Brian is half Filipino, so let’s adopt from the Philippines.
We decided to pursue international adoption through a Hague-accredited program, which requires more paperwork but also ensures that children are not being trafficked. Under Hague accreditation, potentially adoptive children undergo an abandonment process in which all avenues are taken to contact immediate or extended relatives to ensure there are no local familial ties before they are considered for international adoption. All communication is accomplished through government agencies and thus takes more time as child profiles are matched with adoptive family profiles.
The birth of our biological children also played a part in our decision to adopt future children. Liisa literally flatlined during the birth of our first daughter while she was in emergency cesarean surgery. As we approached the birth of our second child, we knew it was high risk. While the pregnancy and time before birth went smoother, the cesarean was still difficult, and the recovery was even harder. We wanted more children after that, but God gave us peace about pursuing adoption for future children instead of rolling the dice for a third biological child.
As with all other adoptive families, we’ve been background checked, psychologically evaluated, home studied, trauma educated, and patience tested. The adoption process is not for the faint of heart, and it is also very rewarding. We look forward to bringing our son home.
Many have supported us prayerfully and financially, and we have decided to continue our crowdfunding through Lifesong. We have been transparent about the support we’ve received and we’ve also continually updated our contributors throughout the process. We plan to keep that going.
During the spring/summer of 2024, we moved to a larger home with more land. During the Covid years, we lived in a 1,100 square foot house, where we had our second child, Brian started working from home part time, Liisa started a bakery business, and we started to homeschool both our children. Our target of three years in the former house turn into eight years as the housing market skyrocketed, and we were left wondering when we would move on. When we started the adoption process, we knew we were going to need a larger home and trusted God to provide. We are thankful for our new home!
In April, we will have been in the new house for a year. During this year, we have lost what was left of the equity carried over from the sale of our previous house, due to two basement flooding situations, legal interactions with the former homeowners, and repair of a damaged vehicle that hit a deer. All this has drained the money we had intended for adoption.
Also in 2021, Liisa started her bakery business to help financially support our adoption. By God’s grace, through Liisa’s hard work in her business, and through the generous donations of supporters, we’ve been able to stay mostly debt-free throughout the entire adoption process. We have so much to be thankful for!!
A few years ago, we bought a puzzle featuring landscape from the Philippines. It is with this puzzle we plan to honor our financial donors, as each $20 donated will buy the donor a spot on a puzzle piece. We will be writing the names of our donors on the back of the pieces so that when you turn the puzzle over, we will have the financial supporters all pieced together behind the puzzle.
Now that we are officially matched with our son, we continue to seek financial support for the rest of the process and for the travel expenses we need to plan for in the next several months. If you’ve made it this far in reading our story, first of all thank you for reading! We also humbly ask you to consider supporting us financially. We could not do all this without you! As we have up to this point, we will be posting updates as the process progresses.
To our prayer partners: thank you!
To our financial participators: thank you!
To our God and Savior: all glory to You, and thank You for adopting us into Your 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 “McDivitt 11483”, 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
