When we first heard that Ch*na had changed their regulations and were extending the age bracket for adoption, although we were overjoyed, we knew instantly that there was one big component that could potentially be an enormous hurdle.

Our income.

Or lack of.

So I’d like to tell you about our personal journey to Pearl and Vernon and what really is the truth of  “affording” adoption when there truly is not even one penny extra of income and one is living as simply and frugally as possible.

Please remember, this is our personal journey… your journey may look completely different.  But for those who long to adopt but think they can’t afford it, may this serve as God’s holy inspiration!!

For starters, we live in simplicity.

We don’t do “extras” {except given an opportunity compliments of Ruby being a Hope Kid!}.  We typically don’t go to events that cost.  We don’t eat out as a family, except when we take our lunch or supper onto the back veranda.  That is our definition of “eating out” right??  Ha!!  Eating out = carrying supper to the veranda.  

We really do live simply.  We shop most often at yard sales and thrift stores.   If we have a need, we pray and ask God to meet it.  He always does.  And always in His timing {the hard part}.

So when we found Vernon, we really wanted to adopt him, but immediately the question rose: How in the world would we have any money to pay for his adoption??

On paper, trust me, it made no sense to even consider the costs of his adoption.  

Yet, many years ago, the Lord had etched in my head this verse:

“God sets the lonely in families…”  Psalm 68:6

 

What does that exactly mean?

Like really.  Think about it. What does He mean when He declares that He sets the lonely in families?

Well here’s my heart:

When we first saw Vernon’s picture, we heard through the grapevine that he had been praying for years for a family.  Who can imagine what an orphan’s heart feels each night laying in bed completely alone?

And so based upon His word which says, “God sets the lonely in families…”   I, once upon a time, questioned the Lord about that verse…

As I did, I felt so strongly that the Lord was saying, “Linny, do you really think that though my heart is for the orphan and I set the lonely in families, I would say to you, ‘Good! So glad you want to bring him home, but it’s your tough luck that you have no money to do that.  You are so on your own! Figure it out yourself!” 

He would NEVER!!  And the very thought of Him saying that is almost laughable.  Yet, most of us think that that is exactly what He would say! Oh friends, how wrong that notion is!

The God of the Universe, who modeled adoption through allowing us to accept the gift of His son enabling us to become “joint heirs with Christ”…loves adoption!  It’s His heart…He adopted US!!

Do we really think that with adoption as His pure heartbeat, He would say, “Figure it out yourself!”

NO way!

So what does it mean?

The plain and simple is this:  In order for Him to set the lonely in families, He just needs families to be willing…and really, He then does the “setting”…meaning He provides. 

 

So what’s the key to having our needs met in an adoption?  Taking a giant loan!  No way! That’s not trusting HIM to provide!

I am convinced that when we surrender to His plan by opening our hearts and homes to the orphan, He will provide every single penny – without one single loan!!   

How does He do it?

All kinds of ways!!  He is amazingly creative!!

So since the beginning, when our agency said they would submit our paperwork asking Ch*na for permission to adopt Vernon, we have asked the Lord, “Show us what to do!! We’re all ears and we’re willing to do anything to bring him home, we just need your direction.”

As soon as we had said that a precious friend sent us a gift.  She wrote, “We feel you have a need, we don’t know what it is, but we know you do.  Use this toward your need.”  

She and her husband had zero idea that we were pursuing a handsome little boy in a wheelchair who waits on the other side of the world.  Their gift would be our first payment due to our agency.  ONLY FAITHFUL GOD!!  But how did God do that?? He used willing hearts who share what they have with others.

And from there,  the Lord led us to AdoptTogether  and we opened an account to allow people to donate to help bring Vernon home and hence each donation would get a tax receipt.  The really, really cool thing is that AdoptTogether’s site is open for all to see and  people who truly understand the value of the orphan and adoption, can check out the site and donate to anyone!!  I’m sure we’ve had people donate who don’t even know us just by reading our story!!  And after opening the account, generous orphan-loving people began contributing.  Again, He has used willing hearts to share what they have with us to help bring him {and now both of them} home.  

And somewhere in there, the Lord led us to sweet little Pearl.   Down Syndrome, Heart Disease and in desperate need of a family.

 

Look at this girly-girl!! Can’t you just see our two littlest Gems together?

Now if you saw our bank account at the moment when we discovered Pearl, you would likely gasp and laugh.  There isn’t adoption money for Vernon and here we were adding Pearl.  But we have a super-duper-enormous-bigger-than-you-can-even-begin-to-imagine God.  And He loves the orphan and He promises:

“He sets the lonely in families.”

He does it.

 

Before long, the Lord reminded me of the Memorial Boxes I had collected since the fire.  And we had the auction…and generous orphan-loving friends gave because you guys believe that bringing treasures home is worth your investment!

One friend suggested we auction a “week-end with the Saunders” and have the highest bidder come to stay with us.

It was also suggested that we auction off the privilege of naming Vernon’s middle name.  We laughed and declined.

The ideas have been crazy…and the reality is that slowly, surely, the money is coming in…even though it doesn’t make sense on paper.  

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you all for helping being part of their story.

Thank you for investing in our Vernon and Pearl and believing, with us, that they each have incredible value!! In fact you’ve believed that they are worthy of giving your hard-earned money help to bring them home! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!  

“He sets the lonely in families.”

He does it.

Even when it doesn’t make sense on paper.

*******

PS  There are some fun things being added into the giveaway, besides the Young Living Essential Oil Everyday collection.

There are now two bottles of Jade Lemon…which will each go to a winner…

{which by the way, come from Ch*na!!}

Five DVDs of The 5 Day Adoption have also now been donated to give to five different winners…

So if you would love to help bring Vernon and Pearl home, you are welcome to donate to my Paypal at APlaceCalledSimplicity@yahoo.com

If you are not a Paypal user, but would still like to, you can donate at AdoptTogether today or tomorrow and be included in the drawing…or send a check, but please, please, please notify me of either your donation through AdoptTogether or sending a check at APlaceCalledSimplicity@yahoo.com so that you are included in the giveaways.

May our story, encourage yours…

Because it’s so true:

“He sets the lonely in families.”  Psalm 68:6

Even when it doesn’t make sense on paper.