When You Can’t Afford Adoption

After my husband and I finally said yes to the call to adoption, the first thing I did was look into the cost.  I immediately said, “We can’t do this!” 

The Cost of Adoption

Adoption can range between $20,000-$40,000 per child, depending on whether you decide to adopt domestic or international, travel costs, and numerous other expenses. 

When Stephen and I began the adoption process, my husband had just completed four long and hard years at Law School.  We had just come out of some very difficult financial circumstances, and a mountain of student loans looming in our future.  We didn’t have enough money in our savings to cover the first chunk of our paperwork.  I didn’t see how we could pursue God’s call because of the great expense of adoption. There was literally no way we could do it.

Obedience to God

After a couple months of not applying for adoption due to our fears of money, God made it abundantly clear that we were being disobedient by not following His call to bring our children home.  My husband and I agreed to put our trust in Him to provide the finances we would need to bring our kids home from Ethiopia.

We had to lay down our pride, our control, our fears, and trust that the Lord would provide.  What amazes me is that I say I believe that He is the God of the universe.  Jesus turned water to wine, opened the eyes of the blind, but I seriously doubted he could provide $40,000 to bring home our kids.  Why did I believe that money was bigger than Him?

God Shows Up in Major Ways

At the time, I thought trusting the Lord to provide the finances would be the greatest lesson I would take form this journey.  Looking back, it was such a small portion of what He taught our family.  Yes, God showed up in major ways financially.  Our family, which included our biological boys, took this call as a mission.  We spread the word that we needed help.  We ran a race to raise money, we collected quarters ($5,000 worth!), partnered with another family in a silent auction, among other things. 

In the end, God brought amazing people into our lives to help provided the funds.  He provided not just the money, but the opportunity to say, “We couldn’t do this, but God did!” 

What a testimony to share that when God says, “Go,” He will not just go with us, but run ahead of us. He has us covered in what we need. 

So, for those of you that are holding off on adoption because you think you can’t afford it, I encourage you to say, “Yes,” and watch God do some seriously awesome things!  He loves to blow our minds!