Will (left) and Jake with some gifts we sent them
We are in the midst of our final packing to start our trip tomorrow that will take us to Guinea! Early in the week we will be getting visas from the Guinean embassy in Dakar, taking the girls to orthodontic visits, and then taking Emma and Molly back to school. Then on Thursday we and Wheaton will be heading to Guinea! We will see the boys for the first time on Friday morning.
In the lead-up to this trip, our adoption agency sent us the final tally on our account with them. When we started this process in 2013 we didn’t know how many children we would end up being matched with, nor did we know how long it would take, or what the total cost would be in the end, although we did know it would be expensive. But we believed the Lord was calling us to do this and that He would provide. And we have seen Him do that!
While the financial cost is significant, we believe it is tiny compared to the value of giving Willy and Jacob a family. And, from a financial standpoint, we are past the hardest part! Many of you have already helped us with this adoption. We could not have done this on our own; it has been a group effort and we are so grateful!
We want to let you know what is happening and give you an opportunity to help us get across the finish line if that is on your heart. If you want to help with this last phase, please let us know in the next ten days by emailing or messaging us on Facebook, and we’ll give you the details on how to do that.
This is the only time we will write about this and we don’t want anyone to feel pressured to give. We will be able to cover the remaining costs from our savings even if we don’t get any more help. But we wanted to give you the opportunity to be part of this if you want to!
Here is a brief summary of the large pieces of the financial side of this process. With the help of two large grants and donations from many of you, we have already paid for the three homestudies, US Customs and Immigration fees, lawyer & court fees in Guinea, orphanage costs, and the passport and exit documentation, all totaling just over $48,000.
| Remaining costs: | |
|---|---|
| Final adoption agency fee: | $9,454 |
| US Embassy Visa fee: $325 each: | $650 |
| Medical exam fee: $150 each: | $300 |
| Plane tickets to Guinea and back: | $1,610 |
| Lodging for 7 nights in Guinea: | $539 |
| September trip to US for finalization: | $4,000 |
| Total remaining: | $16,553 |
Thanks for your continued prayers for us and for these two precious no-longer-orphan boys! May the Lord knit us together as a family!
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