Fundraising is not all that FUN! There are definitely parts that are fun, but, let's just face it, mostly it's a lot of hard work! This weekend we are hosting an online auction to raise funds for our adoptions. We have been overwhelmed with donations! We are SO grateful for the 109 items that were given to us to be auctioned! (www.CarrollFamily.webstore.com) To all our donors, we are thankful beyond words!
So, why fundraise? I'll start with the obvious: we don't have the funds needed to adopt two children from Ethiopia! Yet, we know without a doubt we have been called to this (see how we were called here). So, we are faced with two options, take out a loan or rely on the Lord to provide through grants, donations, and fundraising. Here are a few reasons we chose the latter.
1. We believe that the Lord calls us to live without debt. Obviously, we have some debt, but we are striving to eliminate debt and not to add to it. (One could definitely argue that adoptions warrant borrowing money. My purpose is in NO WAY to say that people should not fund their adoptions by loans, and the truth is that we may come to that point in the end as well. However, we believe that should not personally be our first line of action.)
2. Fundraising allows others to join us in our call to adopt. The Lord may not call you to add to your family, but we believe that throughout scripture He does call ALL believers to support orphans in one way or another. This could be YOUR way!
3. Not taking out a loan forces us to depend on the Lord in a way that challenges my need for control. Whew! I said it! I have a need to control things - think that's why I'm a teacher?? :) The entire adoption process challenges my need for control, but specifically in the financial area. I grew up always hearing about my parent's money problems and always knowing there was never enough money, so I have a NEED to know that the finances are THERE for things. HAHAHA! Boy has the Lord worked on that area of control in my adult life. More than ANYTHING else He has taught me over the last 12 years, He has taught me that He ALONE is my JEHOVAH-JIRAH - "The Lord is our provider."
The Lord is GOOD, and He will provide for ALL of my needs, including this crazy amount needed to bring home our children. To date, He has given us almost $14,000! What an encouragement and an ebenezer to remind us that He will continue to provide! So, in that light, fundraising IS a joy! Despite the hard work, there is joy in fundraising because the Lord uses it to involve others and to provide!
If the Lord calls you to join us in our adoption journey, you can make donations by clicking the DONATE button on our page, or you can give directly to Bethany Christian Services in our name, so that your donation can be tax-deductible. (Email for details:kylienchann@gmail.com) Or, this weekend, you can SHOP! Check it all 109 items at www.CarrollFamily.webstore.com!
Waiting for you
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Thursday, July 11, 2013
So...I'm no good at this! (and I say "so" a lot!!!)
Time to face the facts... I am not a blogger! It's almost shameful that I haven't updated since November! Oh well! I think it's fair to say that I will most likely only post when there are updates! :) I have considered turning it into more of a family blog, but I want to stay true to focusing on the adoptions.
That being said. . . it has been a little over six months since we received word that our dossier had been received and accepted in Ethiopia. We were also told at that point (late December) that it would more than likely be 2-3 years before we received a referral due to the fact that we were looking at younger siblings. Of course that was disheartening, but I told myself that I was okay with it and was trusting in God's timing. The truth is, that was really hard to hear. It hurt! My heart physically ached for my future children. But, in a moment of quiet with my Lord, I really heard him tell me to enjoy the time with the four that I have, to really enjoy it and live in the moment, not to lose sight of right now by longing for the future. So... it took a while, even though I had been hearing it for a while, but I was finally able to let go and allow the Holy Spirit to let me rest in right now! I have really, truly been enjoying my 4 current blessings! It has been so evident that this time is for them, to pour my love into them, to make them be secure in my love for them, to cherish these moments, so that when two more come, who have different needs . . . the current children can remember these times, feel secure, and know that they are truly loved and valued and cherished! (Not that they weren't before, but the youngest ones weren't yet old enough to have a storehouse of memories.) It has been awesome - especially our summer together so far!
So, though adoption is always close to my heart, even at my favorite conference for adoptive mommies, Created for Care, it has felt distant. We were recently snapped back into the reality that only the Father knows how our days are ordained. We got our first, sort-of-referral! We received a message that there was a sibling set on the waiting child list, and if we were interested, we could get more information. Interested?! Of course, we are!!!! The siblings were a boy and girl, ages 5 and 6. We weren't quite prepared for the amount of information we received, though! In addition to the expected medical and family history, we got tons of photos and videos! Talk about melting my heart! We prayed over these children for about a week. We didn't have a lot of time because several other families were also interested. Neither of us had a clear sense of yes or no. We didn't want to romanticize the moment thinking that we should look at them and hear their little voices and think or hear, "That's them! Those are our children!" (Though we have heard that is how it happens for some!) We also didn't want to ignore it just because we didn't have those thoughts or feelings. We just didn't know what it was supposed to feel like. But, as much as we didn't want to just say no because of a lack of a definite yes... we also didn't want to say no. The more we talked and prayed, though, we both were convinced that these particular children would probably be the best fit for a family with no other children. Especially after watching those videos (one in which the little boy runs toward the camera and says "Mommy" - now, I know that he is talking to whomever is holding the camera, but don't tell me that every potential mom who watched that video didn't think he was calling her, too!!!), it was sad to say no, but it also felt right. Even though it was a no, there were two really encouraging thoughts.... 1- The truth that our children are out there was made really real!!! 2- The Lord knows the time. It could really be 2-3 years, or more, or it could be tomorrow! And, He will guide us and direct us to know them, too! (Ok, that's 3...)
All of this has gotten us into fund-raising mode again. As much as we both hate it, we know that it is a necessary means to bring our children home! So...here we go! We would like to try to do an online auction! If you have an auction-worthy items that you can get, make, or have, and would like to donate them, please contact us at kylienchann@gmail.com. All kinds of things make great auction items... jewelry, handbags, ANYTHING handmade (not so subtle hint to all my crafty friends!!!), a weekend at your vacation home or timeshare, gift cards, themed baskets, your time for babysitting, organizing, any new or mint condition items you may already own - think recreational equipment..... The options are pretty limitless.... If you don't have items or don't feel particularly crafty, we can still use your help! We would love for people to help us go to local businesses to ask for donations, help with collecting and delivering local items will be needed. Out of town friends who wish to craft or donate... don't count yourselves out! We have some ideas of how your donations can be in our auction as well. Please just contact us if you are interested in helping in any way! My hope is to have an idea of the items we will get by the end of July and then start getting photos the first two weeks in August before school starts back. The actual time of the auction is flexible, so you crafty people have plenty of time to make plenty of things (another shamelessly "un-subtle" hint!)... So, we'll take it from there! Please share with your friends!!
Much love!
That being said. . . it has been a little over six months since we received word that our dossier had been received and accepted in Ethiopia. We were also told at that point (late December) that it would more than likely be 2-3 years before we received a referral due to the fact that we were looking at younger siblings. Of course that was disheartening, but I told myself that I was okay with it and was trusting in God's timing. The truth is, that was really hard to hear. It hurt! My heart physically ached for my future children. But, in a moment of quiet with my Lord, I really heard him tell me to enjoy the time with the four that I have, to really enjoy it and live in the moment, not to lose sight of right now by longing for the future. So... it took a while, even though I had been hearing it for a while, but I was finally able to let go and allow the Holy Spirit to let me rest in right now! I have really, truly been enjoying my 4 current blessings! It has been so evident that this time is for them, to pour my love into them, to make them be secure in my love for them, to cherish these moments, so that when two more come, who have different needs . . . the current children can remember these times, feel secure, and know that they are truly loved and valued and cherished! (Not that they weren't before, but the youngest ones weren't yet old enough to have a storehouse of memories.) It has been awesome - especially our summer together so far!
So, though adoption is always close to my heart, even at my favorite conference for adoptive mommies, Created for Care, it has felt distant. We were recently snapped back into the reality that only the Father knows how our days are ordained. We got our first, sort-of-referral! We received a message that there was a sibling set on the waiting child list, and if we were interested, we could get more information. Interested?! Of course, we are!!!! The siblings were a boy and girl, ages 5 and 6. We weren't quite prepared for the amount of information we received, though! In addition to the expected medical and family history, we got tons of photos and videos! Talk about melting my heart! We prayed over these children for about a week. We didn't have a lot of time because several other families were also interested. Neither of us had a clear sense of yes or no. We didn't want to romanticize the moment thinking that we should look at them and hear their little voices and think or hear, "That's them! Those are our children!" (Though we have heard that is how it happens for some!) We also didn't want to ignore it just because we didn't have those thoughts or feelings. We just didn't know what it was supposed to feel like. But, as much as we didn't want to just say no because of a lack of a definite yes... we also didn't want to say no. The more we talked and prayed, though, we both were convinced that these particular children would probably be the best fit for a family with no other children. Especially after watching those videos (one in which the little boy runs toward the camera and says "Mommy" - now, I know that he is talking to whomever is holding the camera, but don't tell me that every potential mom who watched that video didn't think he was calling her, too!!!), it was sad to say no, but it also felt right. Even though it was a no, there were two really encouraging thoughts.... 1- The truth that our children are out there was made really real!!! 2- The Lord knows the time. It could really be 2-3 years, or more, or it could be tomorrow! And, He will guide us and direct us to know them, too! (Ok, that's 3...)
All of this has gotten us into fund-raising mode again. As much as we both hate it, we know that it is a necessary means to bring our children home! So...here we go! We would like to try to do an online auction! If you have an auction-worthy items that you can get, make, or have, and would like to donate them, please contact us at kylienchann@gmail.com. All kinds of things make great auction items... jewelry, handbags, ANYTHING handmade (not so subtle hint to all my crafty friends!!!), a weekend at your vacation home or timeshare, gift cards, themed baskets, your time for babysitting, organizing, any new or mint condition items you may already own - think recreational equipment..... The options are pretty limitless.... If you don't have items or don't feel particularly crafty, we can still use your help! We would love for people to help us go to local businesses to ask for donations, help with collecting and delivering local items will be needed. Out of town friends who wish to craft or donate... don't count yourselves out! We have some ideas of how your donations can be in our auction as well. Please just contact us if you are interested in helping in any way! My hope is to have an idea of the items we will get by the end of July and then start getting photos the first two weeks in August before school starts back. The actual time of the auction is flexible, so you crafty people have plenty of time to make plenty of things (another shamelessly "un-subtle" hint!)... So, we'll take it from there! Please share with your friends!!
Much love!
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