It takes a community

Our Chick-fil-A fundraiser was a success in more ways than one. We raised $250 to put towards our adoption fees from the sale of yummy chicken nuggets and waffle fries, and we received another $160 in cash donations while we were there. However, the biggest blessing came in the form of all of the people from our church, our friends and co-workers coming out to support our efforts.

Sometimes, it is so easy to fall into the notion that you must handle everything in your life on your own...that success or failure lies solely in your own hands. But, sometimes God has ways of reminding us that he is there and that he is in control, especially when you are walking down a path in which he has led you.

During the night of the fundraiser, God showed Rob and I in many ways that he was in control, and we were happy for it to be so. That night God placed several wonderful people in our path to help us on our journey to Bulgaria. Was it a coincidence? I don't believe in coincidences. I believe in providence.

Rob and I met a couple that night that we had been hoping to meet and get to know for weeks. This couple drove a long way to meet us because they had heard we were adopting a child from Bulgaria. We had learned about them earlier through an email from our adoption agency. This couple has already gone to Bulgaria to meet their adoptive daughter and is hoping to return to Bulgaria next month to bring her home. They were so warm and friendly and answered all of our seemingly endless questions. It is so wonderful to talk with someone who is on the same journey that we are on. We are hoping to get together with them again soon for dinner and to learn more about the beautiful country where our son and their daughter was born.

That night Rob and I were also formerly introduced to the father of a little girl who has been attending karate with our daughter for more than a year. We see him every week at the dojo, but until the night of the fundraiser, we had no idea that he was from Bulgaria! He was so kind and told us that he would be happy to translate any documents for us. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Two very good friends of mine, Laura and Kim, also worked their hearts out that night and prior to the event making sure that the flyers were distributed and that everyone knew about our fundraiser. Thanks you two! And a big thank you to our life group from church who came out in full force and to all of our friends and church family who showed their support! And thank you to Rob's dad (Grandpa to our daughter and soon to be to our son) for driving such a long way for a chicken sandwich and to support your new grandson!

Rob and I are working daily to bring our son home, but we also know that we could not do this without the support of so many wonderful people, including the people at our adoption agency and our wonderful caseworker. Adoption really does take the work of a community.

JAM 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.