This last weekend we had the privilege and blessing of speaking during our church services. We had the opportunity to talk to so many people before and after we spoke and hear how God is working! Here are just a few stories we heard…..

The Mom of 3 adopted children who was remembering her own family’s journey. They came to church on Sunday, April 1 already filled with joy because it was the anniversary of the day they received their referral for their youngest child. She hugged me and promised blessings abundantly that can come only from adoption.

The young lady who was crying the whole time she talked to me about her own adoption journey. She had been adopted from Ecuador and told me she feels thankful every day for the family that God chose for her. She has a huge heart for adoption and was so blessed to see it being spotlighted at our church.

The lawyer for the insurance company in my husband’s automobile accident case. He was the person who received our file just over a year ago and had to pass it on to someone else because he knew us from church. He had been surprised at that time that everything had settled so quickly after they received it. He told us how it was not unusual for it to drag on another year from the point that it crossed his desk. And yet, in God’s timing, it settled the day that we need confirmation for our adoption journey!

I can not tell you how encouraged we were by our church family this weekend! And, of course, how God used them to provide EXACTLY what we needed. When Todd Skinner first asked us the amount of money we had left to raise, we almost didn’t want to tell him. In fact, I think we said something like, “Whatever is raised is more than we have!” But when he asked again we told him it broke down something like this….

Visas for 8 people x $400 each = $3200

Travel vaccinations for our family = $1150

We figured these expenses would be covered by the online button for giving that we opened on our blog.

In-country travel package from our adoption agency(including lawyer fees and government fees) = somewhere around $3000-$5000

We figured this would be covered by our Zumbathon fundraiser.

What was left?

$15,000 for plane tickets + $5,000 to stay in Ethiopia for three months = $20,000

And what did God provide through our church family?

$20,387.54

Nothing is too big for our God to handle! We want to say thank you to each and every person who has been a part of our story. We don’t even know all of your names, but we feel your support. We can not wait to walk the hallways of our church with all 6 of our children trailing behind us!!

Blessings!

Natalie