~Welcome to the story of our journey to save another Eastern European princess with down syndrome and an older child! In 2010, we traveled half way around the world to adopt a twenty month old (now three years old) precious girl with down syndrome, Gabby. Now, less than two years later, we are on a mission to adopt another precious little girl that is in the same orphanage Gabby was in, Ava. Not only Ava, but yes....one more "Elaine". That means we are trying to adopt two more children!!!! If you are unaware of the situation in most, if not all Eastern European countries, please continue to read. In these countries children with down syndrome and special needs are most often placed in orphanages and if not adopted by the age of four or five (depending on circumstance), they are transferred to institutions where the likely-hood of them ever seeing outside of the institution walls remain slim to none. Many will live very short lives due to lack of appropriate care. Please don't allow this to happen to our sweet Ava! "Elaine" was fortunate enough to escape a very bad institution but nonetheless is in an institution and is an older child whose chances of coming home if we can't adopt her are not good. Having adopted and fully funding ourselves the previous adoption such a short time ago, we will need all of the help we can get to reunite these two angels and bring their big sister home. We utilized all extra resources with our first adoption and so fundraising is essential with this adoption. Whether it be from your prayers, helping to fundraise, buying from fundraisers, donations, etc...your help is much appreciated and is very much needed in order to make this dream a reality. Thank you so much for following our journey~

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

~The Mustard Seed~


Can you see that tiny spot in the palm of the hand above? The very small little thing is the mustard seed.  Incredibly small right? As a matter of fact, it would be easy to over look. While it is so easy to miss, you can also say it is very difficult to find! It seems strange that something could be so easy and difficult at the same time! Let me tell you it can be! I say this literally and spiritually! You see the Bible teachs us that all we need is faith the size of the mustard seed! That is it! However, sometimes that can be easier said than done.

The adoption process is a very emotionally draining process and therefore can even become physically draining!  Having to worry about the paper chasing, are you filling out the paperwork correctly, are you doing it fast enough, are you going to be fully funded, etc. This list could seriously go on and on. On top of all of the previously mentioned things, you have to continue to keep up with daily life! Its hard! This makes it hard sometimes to find your faith. Its there, you have it, but its just so diminished from worrying so much that its hard to find. 

A couple of nights ago I was organizing our fundraisers on the blog and as I was scrolling down the blog I seen something new. A new number that is! $2,882!!!! Someone or a few people had suddenly donated $505 to Ava (Yulia's) grant! As if this wasn't enough of a shocker, what had happened just before made it that much sweeter.

I had been reading the blogs of other adoptive families and I felt to help a few of them.  I kept telling myself that I couldn't do anything because I was trying to fund my own adoption.  However, after realizing the we could start donating our 10% (tithe) to some of the other families, I decided to help. Jason and I have always preferred to tithe to charities and things they we feel led to tithe to rather than give our money to something because of a requirement or expectation. My suggestion is always follow your heart and give when you feel to give to whatever or whoever you feel to give to.  That being said, we distributed our 10% amongst three different families with fundraising and donations.  No more than 10 minutes later we recieved the $505 donation listed above!!!!! I was speechless! That donation was just enough to give us the extra boost of encouragement we needed. Much more than the size of a mustard seed :) 

PLEASE understand that if you want to recieve, you must GIVE! It doesn't have to be to us, it doesn't have to be to your church, it just needs to be to a person or cause you you feel in your heart to give to!

And always remember, you only need faith the size of a mustard seed to see you through :)

I have full faith the we will get to the next step very soon and see $3,000 :)

~Sylvia~
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