From Hopes to Hugs

Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.
- Sally Koch

The adoption process is emotionally draining. Each week there can literally be dozens of peaks and valleys that a family goes through as the process moves forward, stalls, or in some cases, ends sadly. In international adoptions, additional factors can exacerbate the challenge due to time differences, inferior or non-existent communication technology, etc. For us, this week represented a little of each side of the adoption coin with one major peak.........it's official..........we are going to meet Daniel and Deric towards the end of this month!!!



Daniel (Koby) and Deric (Kwame)

The four of us will be spending a week in Ghana with the boys, getting to know them, to learn their personalities, to bond with them, and likewise for them to have the opportunity to get to know us. It's hard to put our excitement into words. It would also be an understatement to say that we're not a little scared. So many thoughts go through our heads as the reality of meeting them for the first time draws closer. There are little concerns such as what do we say to them when we meet, what do we do the entire week given we'll be foreigners in an unfamiliar culture with a limited budget?

There are then the bigger concerns, those surrounding the emotional and maternal/paternal issues. Having had the opportunity to converse with other parents adopting orphans from Ghana, many have expressed the difficulty in leaving the children behind after spending time bonding with them for a week or more.

Numerous families indicated that orphans from Ghana bond very quickly with their new families, often calling them 'Mama' and 'Papa' almost immediately, cuddling with them, and exhibiting sincere affection. Should we be Blessed enough for that to be the case with Daniel and Deric, how do we explain to them that we are not abandoning them as we pack for our return flight to America without them?

We are so thankful for the support and encouragement that we have received. We will continue to try and update information to this blog as events occur we think others would be interested in, or that includes feedback that people have asked us about.

It is unashamedly that we include a request for financial assistance should you find it in your heart to do so. We have teamed up with One Hundred Good Wishes as an avenue for individuals such as yourselves, or others you may know that feel strongly about adoption/assisting orphans, to contribute to the adoption of Daniel and Deric. There is nothing to buy.....it is simply a donation directly into our adoption fund. Every cent that is contributed goes to the adoption expenses we are incurring.

Our current estimates for the overall expenses relative to the adoption are approximately $32,000. We are hoping to raise $15,000 through efforts such as One Hundred Good Wishes. Should we be fortunate enough to surpass that amount, we have committed to sending the money above that total to the orphanage in Kwahu that Daniel and Deric are presently residing in.

As always, we can't thank you enough for your continued help and support!! Simply click on the link below to be directed to our site dedicated to bringing Daniel and Deric home!! God Bless!