More of God's Provision!

A few months ago we applied to Shaohannah's Hope for an Adoption Grant. Based on the wait times they gave us I figured we would hear something sometime in late April or early May. So I was starting to hope to see a letter from them every time I checked the mail. Yesterday their letter came. This is what it said:

Dear Ray and Lisa,

On behalf of our co-founders, Steven Curtis & Mary Beth Chapman, and the Shaohannah's Hope team, we rejoice with you in your decision to step out in faith to experience the miracle of adoption. It blesses us that you have chosen to make Shaohannah's Hope a part of your adoption process, and we are pleased to inform you that you have received an adoption assistance grant in the amount of $3000.

YAY!!!!! We're so blessed! The letter went on to talk about how and when the money will be sent to our agency, America World. Shaohannah's Hope ended the letter by saying, "It is our prayer for your family that you and those walking this path with you will see God glorify Himself throughout the adoption process- as he proves Himself to be faithful, provides the finances from various sources, and as He reveals His great love and care for the child that you are adopting." We have definitely seen God glorify himself throughout this process, not just with our finances, but with everything. We're so excited to be building our family this way!

Some of you have asked us where we stand on the money end of things. I've listed all the expenses for the adoption below. We have already paid the Application & Paperchase fees, as well as the Dossier Submission and Waiting fees. I put the expenses we still need to pay in orange font. Remember that in the last couple of months we have received $2000 in gifts toward our adoption, and now the $3000 adoption grant. So that can be deducted from the total I put at the bottom. We've also been trying to save as much money as we can, and we're throwing around the idea of an adoption fundraiser. Anyway, here are the numbers:

APPLICATION & PAPERCHASE

Application Fee $250

1st Installment of Program Fee (w/Pastor's discount) $750

Home Study $1,650

Additional Home Study Documentation Prep. Fee $0
Home Study Visit Travel Fees
(could include mileage, hotel, and food costs) $0
Documents/Background Checks/Passports (estimate) $150
USCIS Fee & Update Fee + Fingerprinting $830

Notarization, Certification & Authentication $400

Courier Service $150

DOSSIER SUBMISSION & WAITING

2nd Installment of Program Fee (w/Pastor's discount) $750

Post-Adoption Report Deposit
(fully refundable if all post-adoption reports are returned) $1,000

Dossier Service & Translation $600

REFERRAL & TRAVEL

International Specialist Consultation $100 - $400

3rd Installment of Program Fee (w/discount) $550

International Program Fee (1 child) •• $3,450

Airfare (2 adults) ••• $2,400 - $4,000

Airfare (1 child) ••• $250 - $1,000

Visas (2 adults) $40

Visa/Embassy Fee (1 child) $400

In-Country Travel Package (2 adults) •••• $2,800 - $3,200

POST-ADOPTION

Post-Adoption Visits (Already pre-paid) $1050
Post-Adoption Visit Travel Fees $0
Re-Adoption (In NYS) $300 - $1,000
Other Costs
(include doctor visit and related co-pays, social security card, passport cost, postage, long distance phone calls) $100 - $1,000

Total expenses already paid: $7580

Total expenses yet to be paid: $10,390- $15,040

In some ways I guess it seems like we still owe a lot, but I have full confidence that we'll come up with the money we need. Our God is an Awesome God!