Adoption Support

Dear Family and Friends,

As many of you already know, we have felt called and directed by God to adopt two adorable children into our family…a little boy & a little girl from China! We are hoping to travel in early August to bring them home. Our little boy, whom we affectionately refer to as "JB," turned 2 in April, and his soon-to-be sister, whom we are naming Charity Faith, turns 4 in August.

Some of you are probably wondering what has prompted us to adopt.  In August of 2010, our church started a sermon series called “Awaken” that focused on the plight of the orphan. The series started with Tom Davis, president of Children's Hope Chest. He spoke about the countless graves of unnamed children in Russia who had been forced into child trafficking after being dismissed from their orphanages with nowhere to go.

That service re-ignited an adoption spark within our hearts that we once had, and this time we decided to make a final decision about it. We both agreed that if this was something God wanted us to pursue, He was going to have to change our hearts. We did not want to go into any adoption with the attitude of “we’ll just grit our teeth and do our duty.” We would only consider it if both of us had a mutual, heartfelt desire to adopt.

That desire was almost instantaneous for both of us the moment we agreed to pray about it! It was like God was saying, “What took you so long to ask?!” We didn’t admit it to each other at first for fear that it was all just in our heads. But when the series continued a week later, it was clear to both of us that God had answered. Our hearts were changed and we were going to adopt!  We didn’t know how it was going to happen, or where we were going to adopt from, but we could no longer say “No.”

  Obviously, God led us to China! There is so much more to the story that we don't have time for here. If you would like to see our full adoption testimony, click on the following link:  Adoption Testimony

The biggest challenge for us is not in opening our hearts and home to more children, but in finding the finances to make this happen! When we agreed to adopt a second child from China, the program was new and the extra expenses were unknown to even the adoption agency. By the time the extra fees started rolling in, we were already in love with both children and knew that we must continue with both adoptions even though the extra expenses far exceeded our expectations.

At this point, we estimate our total cost for adoption fees, document preparation, home study, airfare, travel, immigration fees, etc. to be approximately $43,000 - that’s certainly money we don’t have, but we know God is faithful and is leading us to trust Him. By God’s grace we’ve been able to pay approximately $20,500 so far. That amount is already a miracle!

Honestly, it’s difficult for us to make our needs known to our friends and family, but we also know that, while not everyone is called to adopt, all are called to serve the fatherless...and God uses all of us to accomplish His purposes. Will you join us in bringing these little ones home?  There are two ways you can help:

1. Pray, pray, pray – Please pray that God would provide the finances needed to bring JB & Charity home; that He would tenderly care for our children while they are in China; that God would prepare us for the upcoming changes to our family; that JB and Charity would adjust quickly to their new home; and that He will give us wisdom as we raise these precious children.

2. Financial support - Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us pay the remaining $22,500 in adoption expenses. Through Lifesong for Orphans, Woodmen Valley Chapel (our home church) has graciously given a matching grant of $4,000 to help pay the “ransom” for JB & Charity. That means all donations up to $4,000 will be doubled!

If you would like to play a financial part of bringing JB & Charity to our family, you can send your tax-deductible gift, between now and June 28th, to the address below. Lifesong is a trusted organization administering the funds on JB & Charity's behalf, and 100% of your donation will go to bringing JB and Charity home! Remember that no donation is too small!!

Please make checks payable to: "Lifesong" and write “Preference Bowers #1959 Adoption” in the memo section of your check. (*Note: In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to Lifesong which retains full discretion and control over its use but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.)

Mail checks to: Lifesong for Orphans
Attn: Bowers #1959 Adoption
PO Box 40
Gridley, IL 61744

If you prefer to donate online through Paypal, you can go to Lifesong's donation page:  http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/donation.html, scroll down and click on "Donate," then enter "Preference Bowers #1959 Adoption" at the top of the Paypal page along with the amount you are donating and your Paypal information.

Thank you for investing in the Kingdom through prayer and finances – it will be an investment with an eternal return! We’ll give you an update with pictures of JB & Charity and details as we receive them. Please pray this entire process will glorify God and fulfill His purposes!

In Christ,
Wayne, Violet and Bethany

For more information about Lifesong for Orphans, please visit http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/
For more information about Woodmen Valley Chapel, please visit http://www.woodmenvalley.org/