The Cost of Adoption VS. Cost of a Childs Life

Some say adoption prices are outrageous. 
Well, $23,000.00-$30,000.00 could seem outrageous. 
You want to know what we think is OUTRAGEOUS?  A people that use 86% of the worlds commodities then determines a child isn't worth $30,000.00 of adoption expenses VS. 143 million orphaned, starving, homeless, poor, lonely, and hopeless babies! 
God's children- children of the KING. 
Paying $23,000.00-$30,000.00 for a human VS. spending the same EASILY for a car, a trip, a boat, an education... (these are valid things to have, but so is a child)  
Do we sound angry?
 We think, dying, suffering, under nourished children OUGHT to make us ANGRY! 

Passion that changes things comes from the knowledge of injustice.  Anger won't change the orphan crisis, but passion- WHOLE HEARTED, get down and dirty PASSION will!  If we as Christians who know the COST of freedom, who know what SACRIFICE is,
IF WE DON'T CARE... WHO WILL?

Here is a copied portion of a message I received from 2 fellow adoptive Mothers.  They wrote this when they visited an orphanage where OUR daughter could be.  This is what they saw, let them take you there...

 Hey, everyone-
We (the five families in Ethiopia for court right now) visited KVI orphanage today.
We all walked away with broken hearts, stunned at the reality of life for the
kids there.

They do not have any diapers. Yes, you read that correctly. An orphanage full
of babies and toddlers, and there are no diapers. They have rags and ripped
pieces of sheets that they wrap around their bottoms, and keep them in place with
onesie t-shirts. Every single baby we held today was soaking wet (or worse),
their entire outfit. They lay on the floor, soaking wet, and get changed on the
floor...where they all crawl around and play with the few toys that they have.


In addition, they had no mattresses in many of the cribs. Babies sleeping on a
the wooden bottom of a crib. I don't know that I would have believed it if I
hadn't seen it with my own eyes.


So...we pooled our money and they helped us find a place that sells crib
mattresses. All well and good...except for the fact that they are NOT vinyl
covered mattresses like we get at home. Cloth covers.


So, while it's great that they at least have crib mattresses, they're going to
be ruined in short order with none of the babies having diapers. We've searched
high and low, and cannot find any waterproof crib pads here in Addis.


CAN THE FAMILIES THAT ARE TRAVELING FOR COURT THIS COMING WEEK PLEASE BRING AS
MANY WATERPROOF CRIB PADS AS POSSIBLE? The best would be the kind that can just
be wiped clean, and if possible have the fitted sheet edges to wrap around. But
anything waterproof will work! Even if they have the cotton top over vinyl, if
we have enough of them at least they can be changed.


The other obvious need is diapers. Even cloth diapers and plastic pants to go
over would work. Just something.


We're finding that yes, the Transition Home is an orphanage. There are still
conditions there that are hard, as parents, to see. But, it's the Hilton of
orphanages. We would just recommend, based on what we saw here today, that you
split your donations up...if you bring one tote/suitcase of donations for the
Transition Home, bring one or two more for KVI and Kids Care orphanage. Just our two cents!
Thanks for the help with crib pads and diapers for KVI!

Hi all,

We are here in Ethiopia for court. We visited 2 orphanages today and one broke our hearts and needs URGENT help!!!! KVI orphanage. There were no crib mattresses in the cribs and no babies had on diapers! Pieces of ripped up Sheets in the place of diapers!!! we were so disturbed that we went out and bought 6 crib mattresses for KVI and delivered them. Problem is they are NOT plastic covered so they will get ruined quickly! Babies are soaking wet because of no diapers. We all bring donations for the Transition Home and yes they need stuff but take as MUCH as possible to KVI!!! Please traveling families try to bring this trip if you can!! these are their urgent needs:

PLASTIC CRIB COVERS

CRIB SHEETS
BLANKETS FOR CRIBS
DIAPERS
WIPES
DIAPER CREME

This is the list they gave us:

Bed sheets twin and crib

bath towels and hand towels

blankets for toddlers

crocs

clothes for toddlers( a definite)

tooth brushes/toothpaste

kids DVDs

Tylenol

antibiotic creme

PLEASE  tell all traveling soon!!! I am not saying do not give to TH(Transition home) because they take good care of our kids and do so because of our donations but KVI is in major need!!

Paige and all the families in ET right now

HELP US HELP THEM... will you help us? 

If you feel lead to help support our adoption you can do so several ways:
Mostly we need your prayers, so does Aerie.
We could use your words of support and encouragement.

If you feel lead to give monetarily to change the orphans situation above you can do so by choosing the DONATE button on the top of this page.
 
Adoption is expensive...
but consider the result if we do NOTHING...
the cost of doing nothing is too great.  We must act!
We love you,
The Coopers
(If you would like to know more about adoption please comment on this post and leave me your email address- I LOVE to talk about adoption.)

Update...

Well we have been DTE (Dossier to Ethiopia) for 2 months 2 weeks and 4 days.  Our adoption agency has a Yahoo! Group for Ethiopian Adoptive families and we are all kind-of obsessed with our place on the "unofficial list".  This "unofficial list" is maintained by a fellow adoptive mother, she updates the "list" every time a family becomes DTE, gets a referral, or travels for court/embassy appointment.  All the adoptive families LOVE to watch their names move up the list- IE: closer to a referral for their child/children.  We all rejoice and cry together.  It is an AMAZING community.  We have come to rely on their insights, and encouragement.  Well... when we began this journey a little over 2 1/2 months ago we were #27 on the little girl list.
  WE ARE NOW #13! ! ! ! !  
We serve an AWESOME and AMAZING GOD! 
He has been guiding this adoption and we are totally in awe of his grace, mercy, and love for us and our daughter-to-be.  Please continue to pray for us and Paige.       

Fellow adoptive Mom's adoption story (from buildingtheblocks.blogspot.com)

Thursday, October 28, 2010

My Adoption Story

I don't know if I have ever shared my adoption story with you all so I thought today maybe I should.

I was adopted at the age of 30 years old into the most amazing family ever.

Statistics show that I was the least likely to be adopted.

I was the child who had waited- far too long- to hear the good news.

I was the child who waited because I had one too many labels, made one too many mistakes, and was viewed as unlikely to succeed.

I was the child who most believed was not worthy of the risk...

not worthy of the effort...

and not worthy of the price.

I was the the child who most people would have never considered.

The child with scars, the child who was dirty, the child who didn't appear to have much potential.

But then one day they told me about The One who was able to see past all of that.

The One who loved me regardless of the mistakes I had made.

The One who saw what I could be- instead of what I was.

The One who thought I was worth it all- so much so that He was willing to die for me.
The One who saw my worth.

The One who saw my potential.

The One who saw what I could be- if I was given a chance.

The One who never gave up on me.

I am so thankful for The One who paid the price for my adoption.

I know it was expensive.

I know it cost more than anyone could ever imagine.

I know it wasn't easy.

I know that it was painful, that it was hard and it was heart wrenching.

And I know I didn't deserve any of it.

But He came for me anyway...

Regardless of what others would say or think.

Regardless of all of the work that had to be done.

Regardless that there was no guarantee I would love Him back.

Regardless of the cost.

And today I am forever changed.

I am no longer alone, scared, scarred, overlooked and viewed as no one.

Today I am a child to the king~ precious, loved, forgiven, healed, whole.

All because of my adoption.

Adoption is the perfect picture of God's amazing grace and love.

It changes lives and saves souls.

Adoption is...

the heart of God.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he[a] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will~ Ephesians 1:4-5 NIV

Meet our friends: Logan & Brandi Wade, they are adopting from Ethiopia too. Check out their wonderful Blog.

http://www.ourethiopiandaughter.weebly.com/

People who inspire me most are those that give and love without limits. Check out Kari's limitless love for orphans and what she is doing to encourage others to step out in faith...

•     
• Prize: Mission Trip to Ethiopia, February 17-26, 2011
• Prize value: $3100
• Number of winners: 1-2
• Number of Tee shirts to sell: 183 + 183
• Ending date of the giveaway: 10/28/10
• Where it can be won: My Crazy Adoption Blog
• The prize is from: www.mycrazyadoption.com
• To enter this giveaway, you can: purchase a tee shirt at My Crazy Adoption Store
  

Thanks for all your cheers, support and prayers for the missions project!!  You can continue to purchase ANY tee shirts for the giveaway at My Crazy Store.  1 Tee = 1 Entry to win… it’s up to you.

                                                    BUY a T-Shirt to enter this contest.  I have several of Kari T-shirts, they are soft and comfy.

My thoughts a little over a year ago...

When I asked God to bring us a child, his child, I always hoped that he would bless us.  After 13 years I wondered if he would, not if he could.  His child, our child, what did they look like?  I imagined they wouldn’t look like me.  That’s o.k. because I had always imagined they would be His and we would get the benefit of loving them.  Questions… What would the world say about our decision to adopt internationally/interracially?  People had plenty of concerns and lots of hesitation and advice.  But I still felt God’s leading, prompting… a lot of the time to tears.  Would the world understand our little mixed up family of different race and beginnings?  Or did it matter?  What does God’s heart say?  What does God’s family look like?  Are we meant to love his children based on color, or social status?  ”Of course not” I felt Him say.  Then why do I struggle so?   God, I came to realize, was doing exactly what I have asked him to do.  Over and over I have prayed, “Use me Oh God, empty me of me, and fill me with you.  Help me to see your will God.  Let me see with Your eyes, not mine”.  My heart struggles with the needs of the worlds’ children, her orphans.  So many, how will we choose which one to help?  Then months of waiting turn into years, and we wait.  God’s word says “Wait upon the Lord and he will renew thy strength”.  My concern… will I be strong enough, bold enough, and fearless enough?  Can I be Jesus to the world?  Lucky for me God made both myself and Tim naturally bold.  So that hurdle is crossed, but still to be different, God’s kind of different, you not only have to be bold but armed… armed with His strength.

The waiting looks a little to those watching us like lethargy.  It probably doesn’t help that we have become somewhat private about the matter.  Some have said maybe we are just selfish for not having any children, some pity us for not being able to have “your own children”, and others are just honestly perplexed with us.  We are well… just waiting.  Tim and I determined a long time ago that when God had a child for us he would bring them to us.  Hence my wonder if he ever would after 13 years, not if he could.  We would never pretend to know better than God, so we wait.  I pretty much can’t sit still, just ask my Mom, so I determined that while I waited I would study.  What does God’s word say about adoption?  Plenty!  Well this will fill some time.   Funny that God’s strength seems to pour from his word.  So, while we wait we will gain strength and understanding.

I now pray for peace.  Peace that God is moving.   ”God moves in his time not ours” I’ve heard over and over and have begun to realize it is true, and that someone before me made up that saying because they too waited and waited, then God moved. 

 I see God moving in big ways in our Sunday school class formed to teach believers about what God says about orphans, adoption, and “the least of these”.  The pure love of God pouring right down into our classroom, out into the congregation and then across the sea is almost unfathomable.  To ask God and actually watch him move moves me into speechlessness.  I do not have the words to express how thankful I am to God for using a little Sunday school class in Linton, IN to be part of His will for His people.  His grace is sufficient not only for us but for this hurting world.  You know your God is big but there are times when I truly see His magnitude that I can hardly contain the emotions that sweep over me.  I know God can, and will do immeasurably more than we ask.  I see him do it every day now, strange how I missed it before.    

A.C. 09/07/09

Malaria facts...

Malaria

Mosquito borne disease

 

Second leading cause of death in Africa

Malaria is gaining global momentum

Female mosquitoes feed on blood

Mosquitoes carry a parasitic microorganism that is the cause of malaria.

When a mosquito bites an infected person it picks up the parasite along with the blood, then when it bites another person it releases the parasite into that person who then becomes infected.

More than 2,000 children die each day from malaria- approx. one every 40 seconds.

An estimated 50% of the world’s population is at risk of malaria.

An estimated 250 million people are infected each year.

85% of malaria deaths are children under 5 years old.

There is hope:

If 80% of the community population is sleeping under mosquito insecticidal-treated nets the malaria prevalence can decrease by 50%.

There is currently no cure for malaria, but we can help prevent the spread.  See World Visions web-site www.worldvision.org/ReadandRespond or check out www.gocrossway.org