This is the third in a series on how to get involved with adoption even if you are not able to adopt at this point in your life. Another huge way that you can help with adoption is by getting involved financially. While adoption from the foster care system has little or no cost attached to it, international adoption is a huge financial drain on adoptive families. International adoptions can cost anywhere from $10,000 to over $30,000 and beyond. The average international adoption costs about $25,000.
While I have met some potential adoptive parents who are able to afford to pay for their adoptions out of pocket, but most cannot. The majority of adoptive parents have to become more creative in order to raise the money that they need to bring home their adopted child. My husband and I fall into that second category. We looked at the cost of adoption and then at our bank account and saw very quickly that there was no way for us to do it on our own. In an effort to raise money we have done fundraisers, sent out letters requesting support and mostly we have prayed and prayed that God would provide.
One of the ways that God has provided for our adoption is through the financial help of others. We have received gifts towards our adoption from friends, church members and even people we don’t know. These people who have decided to help us adopt come from different situations, but the thing that ties them together is that they wanted to be involved in bringing children home to their forever family.
Even if you don’t have much to give, I can’t think of a better way to use that small amount than to contribute to an adoption. Adoption gives children with no hope the chance for a loving, happy future with a family that just can’t wait to embrace them.
How do you find these families? You may already know someone who is adopting internationally and who needs help. If not, then there are a number of great organizations that are involved in helping unite children with their forever families. Grant organizations like Shaohannah’s Hope provide grants for families to use for their adoption expenses. Other ministries such as The Shepherds Crook allow donors to designate funds towards the adoptions of specific children. However you decide to help, know that your gift will make a huge difference in the life of a child and will be an amazing blessing to the family who will adopt them.