All from Asia #05…

URGENT NEED: Please help the HEMMES family who are already in country to bring John home. They need US$15,000. Please contribute to their adoption grant.

This is our 5th post about families adopting from Asia. It has been encouraging to hear that these posts not only helps people who wish to help these families, it also helps the families themselves. It helps them to keep going in this difficult process, knowing there are people out there who care. So even if you are not on your own adoption journey, know that your prayers, your contributions, your sharing helps to make one less orphan.

Families who are HOME!

The Sharp Family have been home with Rowyn and Zekiel for almost a month now. They are settling in nicely. Follow their journey here.

The Baird Family came home with Bobby a month ago, and he is doing wonderfully. Follow their journey here.

The Lanz Family are flying home with their precious girls as i write this. They are grateful that some grants became available to them at the last minute which provided the funding they needed. You can follow their journey here.

Families Currently On Their Adoption Journey:

The Hemmes Family have a Travel Date (June 6th), a Gotcha Date (June 10th) and a Civil Affairs Appointment (June 18th)! BUT they still need more than US$20,000. Most of their fundraisers have ended. They are, however, still selling t-shirts, see here for details. Please help this family meet their funding needs so that John can come home. You can make your contribution here. You can read more on their blog here. UPDATE: 12 May: They have ran into some logistical issues. Please pray for these issues to work themselves out and please continue to support them in terms of funding (both in praying and giving). 16 May: Logistical issues are resolved! Praise the Lord. They are now flying out on June 5th and Gotcha Day is June 7th! Please pray for safe travels, for John to be ready to have a family and for their family waiting at home for John’s arrival. 26 May: They leave in 10 days!! And are still in need of funds! PLEASE HELP! Go here to give generously! 5 June: They are on their way to John! Pray for journey’s mercy. 7 June: They have John with them now! Praise the Lord!

The Gaines Family are awaiting Travel Approval, when they get that, they will be able to book their flights to go bring Finnley home. They are hoping for a late June travel date. They still have their Puzzle Fundraiser going; they need contributors for the next 220 pieces. Go here to take part. You can contribute to their adoption grant using the donate button on their blog. You can also help by using the Amazon Link on their blog for your Amazon purchases. Follow their journey here. UPDATE: 6th May: They need another US$2500 to be fully funded. Please help them close this last gap! 12 May: They got to send Finnley a lovely care package! Check it out on their blog.

Jon & Angela have all their paperwork in country now. They are waiting to hear from their agency, which should be any day now. Travel date could just be weeks away and they are still in need of almost US$20,000 so that they can bring Jack and Jensen home without delay. It is very important for both boys that there be no more delays. Jack urgently needs medical care and Jensen needs to be adopted before he ages out. Please help them meet their funding so they can win the race against time. We have a 7000 Miles for 2 Boys Fundraiser going on for them. We are now running our Surprise Giveaway for them. They also have been offered a matching grant of US$400. They have 2 weeks (by 16th May) to get their FSP to US$13,207.45 at which point Anonymous Angels will put another US$400 into their account. Double your giving, contribute to their adoption grant here.  Masterpiece Quilts are still giving 20% of their sales to Jon&Angela when you purchase from them and state at check-out that it is for the Jon&Angela adopting Jack&Jensen. Please go here to see what wonderful quilts they make! You can follow the family’s journey here. UPDATE: 6th May: The 7000 Miles giveaway has ended. BUT they still have the matching grant to meet. Please help by going here and contributing. Your contribution now would essentially be doubled! 12 May: The matching grant was matched! Thank you! They are still in need of about US$18,000. Please continue to help them. Their dossier has been accepted by the boys’ country and travel information should be coming this week. Remember they have expedited paperwork because of Jack’s health and Jensen’s age. 14 May: Joni is running a WildTree Online Party for Jack&Jensen and she is donating 100% of her commission to them. WildTree has great natural products as well as gluten-free ones. So do some shopping, get great food and help bring these boys home. Darla is running a Tupperware Party for Jack&Jensen! Please visit here and purchase these wonderful products and help bring the boys home. 24 May: They have LOA! Now they are waiting for exact travel dates. Which means they could be travelling in 4 weeks and they are still about US$20,000 short! Please help. There is a wonderful iPad Mini Giveaway running for them here. Please give and take part! Please check out this wonderful video of Jensen, hard at work on his motor skills!

The Garrick Family have finally heard from Lana’s country that things are moving ahead. They could be issued with Travel Approval real soon. They still need to raise funds for travel expenses. You can help by purchasing t-shirts here and by buying from She Does Justice. You can also contribute directly to their adoption grant here. Follow their journey here. UPDATE: 12 May: they are still waiting for travel dates and it looks like they will have to make 2 trips! Which means more expenses. So please help them meet their funding needs. 21 May: They have a Brittany’s Hope Matching Grant for US$1500, which means they need your help to raise US$1500 in order to be awarded the other US$1500. Please go here to donate to help them meet this matching grant.

The Evans Family is waiting for their Letter of Approval. They have been busy fundraising and estimate that they need about US$11,000 to cover the orphanage fees for both Hylah (Molly) and Meilin (Eliana). They are still selling beautiful Wooden Name Puzzles, Apparent Bracelets (from Haiti) and cute bottle-cap necklaces. Have a look and make a purchase to help them reach their fundraising goal. You can contribute to their adoption grant here. You can follow their journey here. UPDATE: 12 May: there is a really cute video of Meilin on their blog. Check it out. They have managed to raise some more money from 2 garage sales but still have a way to go. Please do continue to pray for them and help them.

The Fristoe Family is at the last step of their homestudy and will be gathering their dossier together after that. They were blessed with a matching from Anonymous Angels which they have met. Praise the Lord! They are still in need of a fair amount of funds. Their next payment would be for USCIS fees which are US$1610. They have a coup aide fundraiser where you can receive a US$50 Restaurant.com voucher for a US$20 donation. See here for details. You can contribute directly to their adoption grant here. Follow their journey here. UPDATE: 15 May: Little Feng is going to have surgery in her country tomorrow, 16 May. The Fristoes are asking for prayers – pray for the doctors, nurses and nanny that will be with her.  Pray she comes off the ventilator easily and quickly.  Pray her pain is controlled and for a successful surgery. 16 May: Little Feng did well in the surgery but is not doing well post-op. The doctors are not giving much hope. Please pray – here is what the family requests we pray for – Pray she is pain free and is peaceful. I know God is holding her in His hand a will do what is best for her. 17 May: We just heard Little Feng has earned her wings and is with our Lord in Heaven.

The Murdoch Family is waiting for Letter of Approval and is about halfway to reaching their fundraising goal. And to help them get there, they have an Usborne Fundraiser going on till May 13th. Usborne Books are absolutely fabulous books for your kids. Have a browse on this link and make a purchase. You can contribute to their adoption grant here. You can follow their journey here. UPDATE: 12 May: You have just one more day to get some amazing books from their Usborne Fundraiser. They also have explained a little bit more about Corina’s special need on their blog. 14 May: They have set up a Crazy for Corina FB page where they have lovely items, handmade for sale. All proceeds go to their adoption grant. Go here and request to join group. They will accept the request. Then you can help by shopping 🙂 21 May: There seems to be an unknown reason why they have not yet received their LOA (it is overdue already) and authorities have not responded to the email enquiries sent by their agency. Please pray that the LOA comes quickly so they can move on in the process and bring Corina home. 5 June: They have NEW FUNDRAISERS! A Pampered Chef one and a Build A Menu one. Please see here for all details.

The Pellegrino Family have their dossier in country! Which means it is now a matter of waiting. They also have a name for Baby Pell; he will be Gabriel YanJia Pellegrino. They still need almost US$16,000 to be fully funded. You can help by buying Olive Tree Promise products, they get 50%. Shop at Ordinary Hero and they get 40% when you click on Pellegrino, Kim as the affiliate. Purchase adoption tees from Adoption Bug and they get 25-40%. Get coffee from Just Love Coffee Roasters, they get a percentage. Buy gift cards, magazines & cookie dough from here and they get up to 40%. They are also affiliates of Amazon and CafePress so shop through their blog! They will also host a Golf Fundraiser in July! Sign up if you are local to them. They have also listed other ways you can help them on their blog. You can contribute directly to their adoption grant here. Follow their journey here. UPDATE: 12 May: Matching Grant from Brittany’s Hope Seedling Grant. You can literally double your giving towards their adoption grant by using their Brittany’s Hope link. They have a US$1000 matching grant, which means they have to raise US$1000 to get another US$1000. Please help them meet this matching grant.26 May: Pray with the Pellegrino family as they feel drawn to more orphans and older orphans. 30 May: They have LOA!! So travel is only a few months away. Their Brittany’s Hope Matching Grant has been met. Thank you so much for helping them meet this. NOW… they have been given another matching grant of US$5000! They need their FSP to read US$5655 by July 4th. At that point, another US$5000 would be given to them. Please help. 5 June: They have a beautiful Afghan to raffle. See here for details. Please also remember their matching grant.

The Dismuke Family have a finalised homestudy and now they wait for USCIS approval. They have raised a little less than half of what they need. Another US$23200 and they would be fully funded. They have a Shop With A Cause tab on their blog; they have affiliate programs with The Sili Company, Mama’s Bug A Boo, Adoption Bug, Just Love Coffee Roasters, Amazon Link. There are so many ways to help them, i’m sure there is one for you. Their Lifesongs Matching Grant has been extended. They need to be filled ASAP so they can pay upcoming fees. Just a few weeks left on this. See here for details on how to give towards that. You can also contribute to their adoption grant here. You can follow their journey here. UPDATE: 12 May: They are still trying hard to meet their Lifesongs Matching Grant. Please help them! 5 June: They have their I797 which means their dossier can now be certified and posted to country in 3 weeks! Praise the Lord for progress. Please do remember their Lifesongs Matching Grant!

The Lewis Family have USCIS approval! Now they need to put their dossier together and get those funds in. They have 2 fundraisers currently going on; they are selling beautiful glass bracelets (you can have a lovely bracelet of your choice for a donation of US$5) and they have an Usborne Fundraiser (browse the catalogue here and make a purchase). You can contribute directly to their adoption grant here. Follow their journey here. UPDATE: 26 May: They currently have a birthday fundraiser going one. They are calling for 100 persons to give US$55 each as a birthday present to little Riya, who will be turning 6 in 2 weeks! The goal is for their FSP to hit US$6000, which would take care of their travel expenses. Go here to give Riya a birthday present! Please also pray that they would be awarded a grant which would then take care of in-country fees. 29 May: They have been granted a Lifesongs matching grant for US$2500, which means when they have raised US$2500, Lifesongs will contribute that matching amount, which would put them at fully funded! PLEASE HELP them meet this matching grant. They are giving some incentives for donors. Details here. 30 May: Their Usborne Fundraiser has ended. Thank you.

The Gariepy Family have submitted their dossier and expect to travel at the end of this summer. Andrea needs US$15,000 to bring home a precious little boy whom she has decided to name, Samuel Yigael which means “God has heard” and “God will redeem”. You can contribute to their adoption grant here. You can follow their journey here.

NEW – The Vogelzang Family is adopting little Tulip. They have Travel Approval. Gotcha Day is May 27th and then it is paperwork in country and they are due to arrive home with Tulip on June 6th. They are asking for prayers for journey’s mercies and for their little girl’s heart to be prepared for this huge change in her life. So please pray for them. You can also follow their journey here.

NEW – The Wetherington Family is adopting sweet Elliette whom i have prayed for over the last couple of months. She was due to age out next year BUT now she has a wonderful family working hard to bring her home. They have Pre-Approval and are working to complete their homestudy. Please pray for a smooth process. They have also just returned 7 months ago from adopting 2 little ones so in terms of funding they will be needing help. Please give generously towards their adoption grant here. You can follow their journey here.

NEW – The Phelps Family is bringing home cute little Naya. Their Dossier is in country and they are waiting on Letter of Approval. They have a couple of fundraisers going on – purchase at Wild Olive Tee and enter their family code “PHELPS1207” at checkout and they get a percentage of the sale, if you buy therapy items through the Therapy Fun link on their blog, they get 4% of the sale. You can also support their adoption by contribution directly to their grant here. Follow their journey here.

NEW – The Gilbert Phillips Family is adopting little sunshine Gianna (whom they will name Winnie). They are now in the process of compiling their dossier and hope to have that done in a week or so. They are asking for prayers for Gianna (Winnie) to be prepared for this amazing life change and also for the foster family who currently cares for her, as the family would likely grieve the loss of Winnie. You can contribute to their adoption grant here. You can also follow their story here.

These 11 13 15 families need your help, your prayers; your sharing of their stories and needs through social media would help them greatly, your contributions (every amount counts) are greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for your kind attention, your efforts to help/pray/share and your generous contributions. syc