Financial Update

International adoptions are shockingly expensive.  But as we're finding out first hand, the money doesn't go to any one place/person.  It just adds up very, very quickly.

We had applied for a grant from Shaohannah's Hope and an interest-free loan from ABBA.  Both places reported that donations are down while requests are up significantly.  We did not receive funding from either source.  As reported earlier, we were blessed with a $3000 grant from our international adoption agency  :-). And [updated 11/28/2009] we have received $10420 in private donations.  WOW! And THANK YOU ALL!!!!

Our estimates WERE fairly close, except for postage (lots of Express mailings needed), not knowing we'd need our newly-turned-18 yr old son cleared and fingerprinted, and now TRAVEL. We vastly underestimated travel [estimated $5000 and it will be closer to $10,000 for Phil, I and Yan]! But God is good and it's not going to stop us from traveling, PTL :-). And in an extra praise, we had committed a small budget to our 18 yr old's getting to go to China with us if the airfares were low enough. He gets to go!! An early high school graduation gift, LOL.

We still want to get more creative in our fundraising options, and develop an idea or two that will help other adoptive families of special needs kiddos as well!  Any and all ideas are welcome! The needy children are so very, very many!  I greatly urge all who ever read this blog to please support adoptions of special needs children around the world?  They are truly "the least of these", in my opinion and experience, but blossom and can bring incredible joy and insight to those who get to know them.