I looked back in my emails tonight and found a message from sweet Karla whom we have worked with almost exclusively at Lifeline. She had emailed me to say that they had found Evangeline’s file, and had asked us if we were comfortable with her somewhat severe special needs. After praying with Mark and the kids for about an hour, we had an incredible peace that no matter how severe the effects of the Spina Bifida were, this precious one who had already experienced so much loss in her short life was our daughter.
I sent Karla an email and said, “Yes, request her file!”
Karla, in her familiar, sweet, girl next door kind of style, shot back an email that said, “Here we go!!!” in the subject line.
That was on May 10th, just over three months ago. After that email, we went on to leave our old agency, lose our fees, our home study, and pre approval for Eliza. We really began a race against time that would take us from start to finish in just over three months.
The decision to move forward to bring BOTH our girls home, no matter what it cost us, was by the world’s standards, probably one of the most foolish decisions Mark and I have ever made. It was a leap of faith like none other in our lives. We were no more prepared to meet the financial demands of the adoption process than we were to still the waves of the sea.
Several years ago, Mark’s career had taken a nose dive, and through no fault of his own, he had lost two jobs in nine months which proved to destroy us financially. Over time, he worked his way back up into a comfortable salary again, but the reality was that we were starting over financially in our mid-forties and with nine children.
We have not entered the adoption world to have a second family in our later years, or out of the comfort of a nice nest egg. We have entered the adoption world at this stage in our lives because God has broken our hearts for the fatherless. We leapt off the cliff into the arms of the One who called us.
I can only describe the feelings we had as compelling. We were compelled to go, to step out in faith to rescue these two precious young ladies no matter how impossible it looked in the natural.
So certain were we of our Heavenly Father’s heart for the orphan, and so confident in His ability to provide, that we dove in with reckless abandon to meet the needs of these two precious orphans.
As many of you know, Adéye Salem from nogreaterjoymom.com did a wonderful post about our family to heighten awareness, and so many of you blew us away with your gifts. Those gifts came in at the perfect time as we were able to pay the fees for our new agency.
Still, only days ago we were still over $30,000 short of the money we needed to travel. As I write this tonight, we are almost fully funded!!! We are merely a few thousand dollars short for what we need.
That, my precious friends, is a MIRACLE!
A few weeks ago, I received a phone call from the founder of The Pearl Ministry. She had read the post where I shared about how we came to name our newest daughter, Evangeline. Her heart was broken for these two precious girls whose chances of ending up in the human trafficking industry were 95% in the first year of leaving the orphanage. She also has a daughter who’s name is Evangeline. This precious woman stepped out in faith and committed to collecting money to help bring the girls home. By God’s grace, The Pearl Ministry has given a large donation to help bring our girls home!
As I have shared before, a precious anonymous family offered a $5,000 matching grant for all gifts given from 8/22 through 9/14. The gifts began to come in.
And then on the weekend, I received an email from a precious young couple who wished to remain anonymous expressing their decision to give the entire proceeds from the sale of their house to bring our girls home. They described in their letter how God had called them to orphan ministry, how they had come to read our blog, and how God made it clear to them through scripture that they were called to give to bring our girls home.
They shared how their Bible study verses on Sunday were from the book of Acts, Romans, and Matthew 19.
33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. ~Acts 4:33-34
These people have given so sacrificially to bring our girls home. We are so thankful and so incredibly humbled by their gifts.
Precious friends, there are no words to describe how all of you have blessed us with your gifts and your prayers. We are not here in our own strength. We have been swept along on a current of God’s grace and provision. We are here because God gave us the strength to abandon the wisdom of the world, and run blindly and recklessly into His calling for our lives.
If I could share one thing from the deepest part of my heart tonight, it would be that God is able!
If God has placed a dream in your heart today to meet the needs of someone else, you can trust the Father to carry you to the finish line. He will not fail you! Run headlong into His will for you. You cannot fail when it is God who carries you.
Our cable letters from the National Visa Center have been emailed to China! Our Article 5 is soon to follow, with Travel Approval following that. We have a tentative departure date of Monday, September 10th with Gotcha Day for Evangeline on 9/13 and Eliza on 9/17!
By God’s grace and provision, we will travel in just over a week!
To God be ALL the glory!
God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; ~Psalm 68:6
To those of you who have given to help bring our girls home, or are yet to give, we thank you so very much. Your gifts have changed the world for these two dear ones. You have eternal treasures in Heaven. Words fail me. We are humbled in ways job losses can only barely scratch the surface. Our view of money has been eternally altered. We will never be the same. Thank you.
And one more time, thank you.
God bless you.
Here we go!!!
just a quick note to say that working with your family has been an absolute pleasure! it has been so refreshing for me to watch you and mark be led by the Lord throughout this very tedious process. you have also been such an encouragement to me along this journey. i am so happy that your girls will have a family such as yours to call their own. i know you will all be such a blessing to each other!
Karla,
We love you!!! There is not another person who could do what you do with more grace and love than you do!
Everything was okay when we found you!
Much Love!
Diane 🙂
God is Still in Charge. HE Will Provide for Our Needs, not our wants, He is Not “Santa Claus”. He is our Father. I Thank God for Y’all and your Love for the Heavenly Father and HIS Children.
Papa G, you are the best!!!
Thank you for your comments! You are a blessing!
Love,
Diane
I love reading about your miracle from God! I look forward to you going after your girls! To God Be the Glory!
Hooray and praise the Lord! That is fabulous news! I am so excited with you guys. Let us know when you’re coming for we’d love to have you to dinner!
WOW! Praise the LORD!! Praying for you during the rest of your journey! Glad I saw this on FB.!
Blessings,
Kim in Alabama
Diane, your journey of faith has brought me to tears many times. I know full well the instantaneous and incomprehensible burden for the children waiting so long. I understand the obstacles that would be insurmountable but for God’s intervention. I have been so blessed to follow your journey to your newest Treasures, and I can’t wait to watch their redemption story unfold. May He give you the strenth you need for the journey, a joy that is radiant and new mercies each day! You’re such a blessing!
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This post blew me away and SO VERY MUCH encourages me for our adoption journey that is in process!! Thank u so so much for sharing and TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!!!! He never ceases to amaze me!!! I can’t wait to read your coming posts about the girls and your trip!! I’ll. E praying for y’all as u travel! Truly God does work miracles and this one was so amazing to read!!!!
I love this! Our stories are very much alike. To God be the glory! HE IS FAITHFUL!
I can remember like it was yesterday the conversation you and I had while my kids played in the pool. And I remember saying, “God will provide to bring them home. He loves the orphan. He is not a deadbeat dad….” And this is a living proof testimony! Yippee Jesus! Your girls are coming home, Your girls are coming home, your girls are coming home…I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! And HE gets all the glory, honor and praise!
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Oh Diane, as was reading your post, first I was over come with chills, then the tears started…..for some reason I can’t seem to stop.
Our God is so amazing! Your story is so amazing. You all are a testimony to how God does provide to His faithful!
I can not wait to ‘follow’ you to China as you meet your precious daughters.
I will continue to pray for all of you.
Blessings!
Hi Diane! Been peeking in from time to time over the last many months, following along. Lost track of your story in the hub-bub that our July and August became. SOOOO thrilled to read this summary of the journey, of God’s faithfulness, and of the Body of Christ coming around you in such miraculous ways. So thrilled to know that your two daughters are coming home and to such love and support and care. LOVE it. Congrats to you ALL!
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I just got chills!! God is truly Jehovah Jirah.
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Our God is an awesome God, & I love to hear people testify of His love, grace, & provision. Sometimes these leaps of faith feel more like a bungee jump off a bridge, but it is so amazing to experience His power. I can’t wait to see your beautiful girls as orphans no more!! (And btw, our sweet girl just came home in March & has spina bifida…her strength & courage is amazing as we’ve already walked through many tests & a major surgery.)
We have been following your blog while going through our own adoption process for twin girls in China. Our five children are all excited about being used by God to care for the orphans but our oldest son especially. He requested that all his birthday money be given to Eliza and Evangeline’s adoption so we gave towards the matching grant. He was thrilled! And, as it turns out we will be in China at the same time! We just received our appointment and we will leave on Sept. 14 to get our girls! Please pray for our family, as we leave our children at home to travel and of course for the girls as they adjust to us. We are also a few thousand short of what is needed with only a few days left but trust our Almighty God. He has miraculously provided for us and for so many families like yours and it just blesses my heart to be joined with families such as yours in this mission of rescuing the fatherless. We are so excited for you!
Diane, It has been a PRIVILEGE to be a small part of the MIRACLE God has orchestrated in your lives to bring these two precious girls HOME 🙂 I got CHILLS reading your wonderful post today…It reminds me of God’s wonderful LOVE for us and His absolute provision for our NEEDS! THANK YOU for sharing your heart, and may God continue to bless your precious family!
Blessings and travel mercies for the AWESOME journey you are about to take…From someone who has done it, savor every minute…your life will NEVER be the same!
My Dear Diane and Family,
I know I have been blessed as I too follow you and the family through this journey. I want to thank you for sharing your heart and the heart of your family to truely follow God and let Him lead the way. Our God is so Big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing our God cannot do. I love this song that the little ones sing and it just seems to fit here. I know we do not know each other really well, but it has been an honor to watch this journey and to be able to pray for you and the girls and of course your family. God Bless and can’t wait to read your next blog entry.
Oh Diane,
This totally humbled me. I have prayed many times and given twice to bring your girls home. I knew I didn’t have much but I prayed that He will multiply it just as He did with the boy who gave up his lunch for the crowd. But reading it and seeing Him do it for you totally blows me away. I’m sitting here in tears worshiping Him. Oh how He’s worthy! So worthy and yes He’s able. More than able. You last few post spoke to me.’We stand with the trip to China directly in front of us with no more ability to make the journey than the Israelites had to cross the waters of the Red Sea.’
I’m planting an international students ministry in Dayton and see it as a reverse mission field, instead of going out to the nations we reach the nations that God has brought to us here. It’s been a slow process of getting Christians and churches involved to catch the vision. And support raising has been slow. But just last week God used a small church in Texas to bless me with my biggest fundraising so far. I’m still ways away from reaching my goal. But I know if this is where’s He’s called me to, He’s more than able. Your blog has totally blessed me. Will be praying for you and your girls. Yippeee Jesus!