Promise 686

We will be leaving for China in just a few short weeks; but we are still short $10,000 of travel and in country expenses. But there is good news!


Promise686 (www.promise686.org), a ministry of Perimeter Church, has graciously given us a Matching Grant of $4,000 to help bring Garrick home! If you would like to be a part of God bringing Garrick to Himself through our family, you can send your tax-deductible gift to the address below or on-line. Your donations will be matched by Promise686 on a $1-for-$1 basis up to $4000. That means we will have $8000 in total once matched! Promise686 will pay adoption expenses out of the funds received. Promise686 is a non-profit adoption and foster care ministry dedicated to expanding God’s Kingdom by helping to bring the fatherless into Christian homes. If you would like to help:

Please make checks payable to: Promise686, Inc. You may preference how the donation might be used by writing “Garrick Germany Adoption” in the memo section of your check.


(*Note: per IRS guidelines, promise686 maintains complete discretion and control over the use of all donated funds, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.)

Mail checks to:

Promise686, Inc
4729 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Suite 100
Berkeley Lake, GA 30092

Or donate on-line through the Promise686 link: https://connect.clickandpledge.com/w/Organization/Promise686/paymentwidget/dfec0024-0606-46e8-84dd-09a4320b8664


Thank you for investing in the Kingdom through prayer and finances – it will be an investment with an eternal return! (Matt 6:20)

Please pray this entire process will glorify God and fulfill His purposes!

In Christ,

Steven, Christa, Gus and Ruby Claire

To Ransom a Child

This has been a very busy week in our adoption process. I have been emailing constantly with officers at the National Visa Center, then with our Agency, and then emailing back to the NVC. It is one big game of shuffling electronic paperwork and signatures back and forth. I'm grateful for the work these people do getting children to their new families. They are amazing.
Now we are awaiting for more papers to be dropped off and picked up. Once they are we will get an appointment made at the consulate in China and travel approval to leave. We are so close!

I've also contacted Show Hope about how we could serve their ministry during our trip. They sent me a list filled with much needed medical supplies for the care centers that they cannot afford to mail. So, we will be checking a suitcase with these items, and they are arranging for someone to meet us at the airport to get the bag. I feel like this is such a small thing to do in thanks. I feel like nothing will be enough to thank them for what they are and have given to these precious little ones.

On Wednesday I had to go to the bank and withdraw over $5500.00 to wire to Garrick's orphanage. This was the fee for my son's life. This is the one payment that made my whole body shake. This payment made the tellers in the bank cry.
I walked out of the bank feeling like a huge weight had been lifted. I just paid my son's ransom. I cannot imagine how God felt when Jesus proclaimed "It is finished" with his last breath on the cross. It is finished. It is paid. And all that is left is love.

"And in the end, the end is
Oceans and oceans
Of love and love again
We'll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms
Of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales
'Cause after the last tear falls
There is love" - Andrew Peterson

Our last official update

We received our last official update on Garrick until we go get him in November. This update included his current weight, height, shoe size, pictures and some little facts. His stats are very important as we need to pack him clothes and shoes for once we receive him. He will come to us with the clothes on his back and hopefully the few items we have sent him over the past months.

He loves all kinds of foods, especially pear juice, bananas, and yogurt.  Sounds like he will fit right in with the other little fruit monsters that live here!

We requested that he not be moved from Maria's Big House and back to the orphanage prior to us getting him. But this request was denied. Please pray for our little boy's heart. Maria's is the only safe place he has known for the past 2 years and I know he will not understand why he is leaving or why his family isn't there to get him yet. Pray for my heart because I can't prevent more hurt upon my child.

They mentioned he often looks at the pictures of "his family". I pray through that book God is preparing his heart to receive us and that he would recognize us when he meets us. I pray our attachment will be strengthened quickly and he will feel our love and affection for him. We are under no assumptions that he loves us. Just as with a newborn we will have to meet his needs consistently and show him we are trustworthy and loving over and over again. He will not be like a normal 4 year old who is able to go play or sleep with no fear. He will not be able to stay with a babysitter or a teacher as other kids do (at least until that bond is strong).  Children who come from hard places need a lot of time to learn to trust that they will not be left again. He will need time to learn what a family is and his place in it. 

There will be a lot of emotions that no child his age should have to experience. Pray that God is gracious. Pray that God will help us to be in-tuned to his needs even with a language barrier. Your prayers are so important to us and we value each one.

Look at that face!

We have another 6-8 weeks until we finally get to meet our sweet boy. We cannot wait.

Buy a shirt & help build a family

Friends,

We are selling shirts to help with our travel expenses. They are only available to order until October 10, so get your orders in! We have a goal of 50 shirts but need to sell at least 5 for them to be printed. Thank you for your help and support!




The Lord commands us to love, and we have a tremendous love for children who have little to no hope without a family. Each t-shirt sold will bring us a little closer to our adoption fundraising goal to bring our son home. Click to BUY HERE!

Garage sale!

Friends,

We should be going to get Garrick in November! How awesome is that!! Though we are grateful for the speed at which our adoption is being processed, it puts more strain on our financial resources. Pray that we finish raising the funds we need to bring Garrick home. We are somewhere around $10 or $11k short of our goal. We have applications in to several grants, but many do not
make award decisions until after we return. The remaining money is primarily for travel expenses.


We will be having another garage sale October 16th and 17th to help with our travel expenses to China. We still have lots of stuff left over from our previous sales but would love to have more! If you have any gently used items that you would be willing to donate to our sale we would greatly appreciate it! From our past sales the items that sell the best are tools, housewares, kitchen stuff, and furniture. Clothes do NOT sell so please refrain from donating those.

If you can't donate items but are willing to help in any way please let us know! We greatly need your support.

I also want to say that this has been one of the hardest things we have ever done (and it's about to get harder!). When we began this process we had no idea how it would happen. Many times we felt God opened doors and shoved us through them. But at each situation he has shown up and provided even through our fear. He truly equips those he calls!


Please continue to be in prayer for our family during this time.

The Germanys

Letter of Approval

Dear Garrick,
Today is the day. Today we found out that we have been officially accepted as your parents. Today was the day we were told that you are ours. China has spoken and we are so elated. From this day forward everything has changed. Hold tight little one because Mamma and Daddy are going to move heaven and earth to get you home to us. Every day without you is a day incomplete. You are so loved sweet boy, you have no idea.
Love,
Mommy

Dear Son,

Dear Garrick,
Right now you are still in China and we are here trying to get you home to us. We are praying for you daily and planning on your arrival. But while we wait I want you to know a few things. I know it will be several years until you are able to understand all of this but I think it is important for me to tell you now.

Waiting is hard. Being a mother to a child far away is extremely hard because you can't do what Mommys do for their child. I can't hold you or comfort you when you are sad. I can't be with you in the hospital when you are there and I pray you are not left alone in such a scary place. I can't tell you how Mommy and Daddy will never leave you, or assure you that you will never be left again. I can't tell you how you will never be without food again or be hungry for more. I can't tell you how much we are looking forward to having you in our family. How Gus and Ruby Claire ask about you every day. Ruby always wants to look at your pictures and Gus asks daily when you will be here. He want's to know, "Why it is taking so long?". Oh, how I wish I could make it move faster.
I know the day is coming when I will be able to do all these things.

But I also know that you are going to be very scared. You may be very angry with me for taking you from all that you have known up until now. You won't understand.
I too wish it didn't have to be this way. But it is the only way for you to live.
I know you won't understand this. I know you will feel abandoned again and you will have to walk through the pain and brokenness that has been done to you again.
Forgive me little one.

I want you to know how loved you are.
I know your biological Father and Mother loved you. Honey, you were so sick and they couldn't help you. They tried for a long time. They did the best they knew they could do to give you life. We will always honor them in our house. They will always have our greatest respect. They gave you life and by giving you up they gave you life again. This is no small thing. This is love. Please know that sweet boy.

Your China Nannies love you. I can see it in the photos of them with you. I can read it in the updates they give about how charming, loving, and mischievous you are. They will grieve the loss of you when you leave.

I am your Forever Mommy and I love you. It will take us time and I want you to know that I will spend the rest of my days in this world giving you as much time as you need. But I will not leave you alone. You can yell at me, act out, throw things, push me away or emotionally shut down completely. I will understand, it's OK. But I will not leave you. I will still love you no matter what. We will walk through this broken world together. I am not perfect and I won't do it all the right way but know every step will be taken in love.
You may not be born of my body but you were born in my heart. You are my son. You may not have my blood, but I pray that my love will run through your veins.

Mommy