Generosity and Gratitude

I have had this post in my head for two weeks now. But sometimes words can never convey what you really think, and what you really feel.

I am sure that most of you know adoption is not cheap. Far from it. Mark and I are not rich. Far from it. We are not poor, not in need, and are blessed above what we ever would really need or deserve. But, we are middle class one-income family with four children. So, needless to say, when Mark and I first started to seriously talk about adopting my number one concern was financial.

But, we moved ahead and knew that if God wanted us to have another baby He would provide what we needed to pay for it. Just like we have with the other four. We have never on paper been able to "afford" our children, but God has taken care of that for us. So we decided to take the leap and see what God was going to do.

We signed the homestudy papers and promptly had to write out a huge check to the agency. We took it out of our savings. Within a month someone generously gave us a check that matched those expenses to the penny. We were overwhelmed.

A year passed. No baby, and not much money in the adoption fund. I wish I could say I had all this faith that the money was going to start rolling in, but I haven't really. I have tried to figure it all out in my mind 2,897 times this past year. "Maybe if we do this or do that we can make it work."

Two weeks ago I received a call from my Bible Study leader who told me an anonymous person had just made an incredibly generous donation to our adoption fund. As in "I don't really believe what I am hearing" incredible. I was overwhelmed and so was Mark. I begged to find out who it was, but Heather wouldn't give in.

I so want to tell this person who did this "Thank You." To tell them that we are going love this baby and take care of it and that they will always be a part of that. To tell them that they gave me hope when I was starting to feel pretty defeated about it all. To tell them that their reward in heaven will be great.

I called our Orphan/Adoption Ministry coordinator at our church and told her the good news. She called me back later and said that our church agreed to match the gift up to a certain amount. Again I was overwhelmed. Here was our church doing what the Church is supposed to do-taking care of the orphans. So in a matter of two weeks God has provided a huge portion of what we need.

We still have aways to go, but we are encouraged. After the holidays I am hopefully going to be selling a family cookbook here on the blog and to friends. All profits will go directly into the Baby Clark fund.

To whoever Anonymous is please know we are so thankful.