Saturday, March 7, 2009

Partnering Together

I must first start out by saying thank you to all of you who have faithfully supported our decision to adopt Alexsey. Your encouragement has blessed us in ways you will never know. Thanks.
With that, for the first time on this blog, I have received my first negative comment. One of you found the perfect word to describe the comment---- snarky. How fitting. The comment wasn't even directed at me, but to the family that I was helping to raise money to adopt their "older" son Grisha. I apologize Ashley for their insensitive comment made on my blog.

Though it wasn't directed at me, I was reminded of how mean and defeating and purposeless people can be. It really is sad.

I personally think that it takes all kinds of people to make this world go round. Adoption is a good thing. Yet not all people are able to adopt, but they have money that they can give. And those that are able to open up their home to a child aren't always rich and can barely afford a fraction of the cost of an adoption which is always more than $20,000. I think it is wonderful that these two kinds of people can get together for the sake of bringing home a child. It is a special thing to see many families come together in an outpouring of support to make one more orphan a child...... a child who will get to tell everyone that they have a family. It isn't begging for money. It is asking..... inviting others to partner with the adopting family to help bring their child home. And long after the child is home and the adoption costs are forgotten, the adopting family is still committed to the lifelong endeavor of raising that child.

Who ever wants to try to argue that this is a bad thing probably won't get very far on this blog because I believe that the majority of people who read this blog have helped out an adoptive family in some way or another. I think they have been blessed by it too. I know I have been on both sides--- we have given and we have received and it has been a blessing for us to be a part of each.

With that, I have to say wooo-hooo to today! Officially Julia has now fundraised $861.00 towards her trip! Thank you so much for all that have helped to make this possible. Thanks Mary, Julie, Kelly, Baboonya, Penny, Sally, Karen, Faye, Julie N., Denise, Rachel E., Christine R., Kim, Christy, Allison, Christi, Carol, Jessica, Cindy, and Shari! We have received all of your checks and are working hard to get your orders out. You guys rock!

And thank you for the continued donations on the Reece's Rainbow site. And I know that Alexsey would thank you too if he knew that all of you were helping to bring him home.

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Christine, you bless ME so much by allowing me to be a part of this journey to bring Aleksey home (not to mention nurturing and loving him for the rest of your life!). I would love to adopt someday, and getting to read your blogs and support you and John and Julia and the rest of your family on this journey reminds me realistically what is ahead of me...and how God walks with us through all of it and gives us joy even through the trials.

I'm sorry to hear about that negative comment. People who say stuff like that are missing out on the joy that God would give them in getting to be a SUPPORTER to you in this journey. Instead, they are bypassing that and choosing to focus on (or invent their own) negativity. Their loss.

Christi said...

We have been enriched and blessed by, even if only vicariously, getting to share in your "journey". My children and I have invested not only money, but time in prayer; and we feel better for the giving. I don't feel that I stumbled over this blog by accident!! I don't feel that by pointing me in the direction of someone else I can help, that anyone begged and demeaned themselves. I truly appreciate being able to "partner" with y'all in bringing these precious children home. I looked at the picture of Grisha and saw a child waiting for his Mom, I was overjoyed to help!! Unfortunately, there are always the naysayers, that think if you can't do it all by yourself, you might as well not waste everyones time. Sad for them, for they never experience what can happen when you feel God working through a whole group of people.

Shari said...

I used to really struggle with the fact people raised money to adopt. My heart was hard and I thought people should 'do it on their own'. The Lord got a hold of my heart about two months ago. I know we can't adopt, but I can try and help others bring their babies and children home. God bless for a wonderful week!

Anonymous said...

Christine, I am so sorry that someone was negative. As you say, it is nearly impossible for anyone to adopt for less than $20K. I can only hope that Kristen was at a low point in her own adoption and she lashed out at the wrong time. Probably not, but I want to hope for her.

Anonymous said...

Hi Christine-
This is totally off topic for this post- but I
was reading your blog- the ukraine train-
In the post when you and John are in Ukraine-
visiting Dennis- and John is outside playing
with all the cute kids at the orphanage-June
2008? I think Alexsey is in the giant playpen wearing blue and yellow- leaning over the railing carrying a red bucket-
Am I correct?
Sending good thoughts from Canada

Amy...who wanted 4. said...

I am one of those people that Christine was talking about.
We adopted our 4th and last child from Russia last year.
As for our family, we are done.
But my desire to help other orphans has not gone away.
My husband and I are lucky enough to be in the position to be able to help others. I feel a calling infact to help others who want to adopt.
It is a shame so many people feel jadded and negative about giving an orphan a home.
I can think of no better way to spend my money.

And as for Ruzanne, you are just plain rude.
Even if you were to have a good point (which you don't) your name calling cancels it out. All it is says to me is that you have some issues that you need to work through. Apparently with women who choose to stay home and take care of their families.
Isn't that supposed to be a good thing?
What a shame that you do not see that.

Kerry said...

Christine- Im so sad reading those horrible comments towards you and your family. Please dont let sick people with hatefull hearts put you down. I know you are strong and can over look these comments. You are doing a wonderful thing and I look up to you and your husband. Alesey will fit in perfectly and you will all have a long happy life together.

All of your children look happy, healthly and have all their needs plus some taken care of.

Anonymous said...

Christine, in the spirit of "not feeding the trolls", I will not comment on any comments previously made, but I just wanted to defend my good name. This is your MUGS bud, and you know I support you! 'Nuff said!

A said...

Christine,

We have been blessed to be able to help you (and Julia). Though we feel called to adopt in the future, the Lord has called us to help others during this season of our lives. Precious Liza on RR was and is dear to my heart and I see she has a family committed to her, praise the Lord. I would have loved for her to be a part of our family but the Lord closed that door and has opened it for another family and I praise Him for that! I say this because I feel like supporting adoption is like supporting the mission field...if you aren't called to go out (or actually adopt), I think we need to help send. The Lord has a love and compassion for orphans and what a great mission field our own families are in our own home! The Lord didn't call us to adopt Liza and hasn't called us to "go out" yet, so we are trying to be faithful to His Kingdom by giving and helping to send.

I hope I didn't ramble on too much. Just something we feel strongly about, as do you. No one is or can force, or beg anyone to give monetarily...we give because we have compassion for the orphans God loves and know the Lord hasn't called us to adopt them ourselves.

As for adopting domestically vs. internationally....I think that is a calling from God as well. And as His children, we must and will be obedient to go where He calls us to adopt from...just like He calls missionaries to do missions work either here in the US or overseas, etc. It's not necessarily always a personal choice but an act of obedience to our Father in Heaven. I know some people can't or don't understand that and that's okay because the "goal", if you will, is that God will be glorified, and whatever means He uses to do that, we will obey.

God bless!

A said...

Christine,
Reading what I posted above sounds like it's all directed at you and it's obviously NOT. :) It's actually not directed toward anyone in particular...just some of our thoughts on the topic of adoption, since others have shared too. I do see Christ being glorified in you and your family because you are being obedient to His Word by having a compassion for orphans...all of them. What a blessing to see and be a part of!

Ashley said...

I actually didn't even know there was a negative comment about us...lol I will have to go back and find that.

And I guess I have no brain cells left because I stay home with my children. :)