Adoption Awareness Month

November is National Adoption Awareness Month.  At a time when we are already so focused on our blessings, I really can't think of a better month to remember the blessing adoption has been to our family.  In honor of this month, I thought I would share with you something near and dear to our hearts, and encourage you to get involved!

I'm talking about Child Sponsorship.  In addition to our adopted daughter, Liesel, our family also has two sponsored children.  Meet Nay Lin.

Hubs and I have had the privilege of "adopting" this young man when he was 8 years old.  He turned 13 in May, and he lives in southeast Asia.  We sponsor Nay Lin through World Vision.  With World Vision, we pay yearly (but you can pay monthly if you like), so for $360/year, Nay Lin gets the medical care, food, clothing and support he and his family need.  We also have the opportunity to send him special gifts and letters throughout the year.  For his birthday this past May, we sent an extra gift to him so that he could have a special birthday party.  We can't believe how much he has grown since we began sponsoring him.  We love to write to him, sending him pics of our family.  When we began our sponsorship, we had no children, so it has been fun to send him pictures and updates of our family.  My heart always melts when I get his letters, and he tells me he loves to read my letters and that he loves us!  He also sends us pictures he draws of elephants, huts, and various other "boy" things!  

And then, there's Lillian.  She is a recent addition to our family.

That little grin just floors me.  She is SOOOO adorable!  Lillian is from Rwanda.  We are sponsoring her through Africa New Life.  We first heard of this ministry at our church, when Pastor Charles, ANL's founder, spoke one Sunday morning.  Actually, he spoke twice at our church before I picked up Lillian's packet and agreed to sponsor her.  She is currently 5, but will turn 6 on Christmas Eve.  We specifically chose a child close in age to Liesel and Juliet, so that the girls could participate in caring for her.  We just sent her our first letter.  I wrote the letter, and Liesel and Juliet each drew a picture.  We also sent a few sheets of stamps and a recent photo of our family.  I love ANL's mission and heart for Jesus Christ.  They are so open about the gospel, and Christianity is the focus of everything they do.  Our sponsorship of Lillian costs us a mere $39/month, only a little more than a dollar a day.  

I know money is a huge hindrance for those thinking of adoption.  Adoption is expensive.  However if you have a heart for the fatherless, the poor, or the oppressed but can't afford adoption, child sponsorship is a great alternative!  Most people CAN afford $1/day.  I hope this holiday season, you'll consider sponsoring a child (or two), and in doing so, you can give back a measure of what has so generously been given to you.  Happy Adoption Awareness Month, y'all!