Not always small and simple

I may have mentioned this before. I can't remember. It seems to be getting harder to remember things lately...

But I do remember vividly a conversation around the table in Beijing, China. It was a Pizza Hut. We and the families traveling in our group had not yet gone to pick up our children. It was just us adults around the tables (the girls were sitting together with their friends traveling with us.) I don't recall how the subject came up. But someone mentioned adoption fundraising. Two or three of the families at the tables were dual income families. None of the families participating in the conversation had more than one child at home. Two of the families were first-time parents. The conversation proceeded and a statement was made of how ridiculous it was that some families would chose international adoption when they were clearly not prepared financially to do so. One person said incredulously, "I've even heard of families collecting recyclables!"

We had collected recyclables as one of our many fundraisers to get Ty home.

But we laughed along with them and just flashed each other some looks they wouldn't recognize. They didn't know. They did not know that even though we could comfortably support another child in our family with our healthy budget, we didn't have $36,000 set aside before beginning our adoption. They didn't know that God had called us to our second adoption just days before Brad lost his job and we went without pay for 11 weeks. They didn't know that we had been promised a way would be made if we could move forward in faith. They didn't know that, when God calls, money is the last thing to be concerned about.

Ty's adoption taught us that every single penny counts. We literally inched our way through fundraisers pennies, nickles, and dimes at a time. And yet we were never short at any point in the process, there was always just enough. I think our largest fundraiser was our chili cook-off/silent auction/event extravaganza which raised less than $1,800. For the most part we really did rely on spare change, recyclables, and garage sales.

This time around we have been learning a completely different lesson. We have been blown away again and again as friends, family and even complete strangers have donated $200, $300, $500, $650, $1,000 and even $2,000 at a time. We were so thrilled to receive our $5,000 grant. Every penny still counts. And we get just as excited about the $20, $50 and $100 donations. But we are seeing that our God can bring big miracles. His resources are unlimited. And the faithful response of those who feel moved to give so generously has been humbling.

The average garage sale we put on during past adoptions would raise about $600. To have a single donation come in at this amount over and over again has brought tears to my eyes. Those fundraisers represented hours and hours and hours of planning and preparation. When we began this adoption in July I realized that I simply did not have the time to organize these type of events. As we have continued forward through the process and our own savings and monthly contributions have maxed out I agonized over the fact that there was nothing for me to 'do.' I wanted to do something to contribute. Needing to be still and simply wait has been so much harder than fighting tooth and nail like we did for Ty. I am learning that having the faith to make a way and having the faith to allow the way to happen is very different.

I believe that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass, but I also believe in a God of miracles.