A 2nd Grader's Widow's Mite

My eyes are still wet.
I sat here with Oliver before bed, watching the video about a sweet girl who is DESPERATE for a family to choose her. Her video is compelling and it breaks your heart to see her plea for a family...and break into tears. The nanny tells her softly, "No, don't cry. Don't be sad."
But it is just so, so sad.
Oliver and I watched it.
He said very little. He's an inward processor. Very UNlike his momma! ;)
He asked me about Esty, "Why can't she walk, Momma?" 
I explained spina bifida. I explained incontinence.
I then shared that she's been waiting (like the girl in the video) for NINE YEARS for a family to come for her.
It's longer than he has been alive.
His eyes widened.
Still, he said nothing.
He then asked me about the money we needed to go get her.
"How much more do we need?"
"$21,000."
"How much would we need if we just started?"
"$29,000."
"So...we only need $2,000?" he asked quietly.
"No, actually a lot more than that. Twenty-one thousand," I shared.
"Ohhhh. That's a lot." 
Yes. Yes it is.
But God is WAAAAY bigger.
He was gone then. Not sure even when or how he snuck away. The next thing I know he has returned with his wallet open and he is handing me two dollars.
"Mom, I want to give this to bring Esty home." he said with his hand holding the two Washingtons.
"Oh Oliver, are you SURE? Maybe you want to keep it for later when you are with Esty?" I offered.
"No, mom. I want to get her home. This is all the dollars I have. Please take it." 
And he smiled.
I'm in tears again as I write.
It's just like the widow that Jesus praised in Luke chapter 21:

² He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ³ “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. ⁴ All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

I held the two dollars and prayed over them. So precious. Gifts of the heart. My boy. Esty's future brother.
Sometimes people question whether adopting other children into your family is "fair" to your biological children. I wonder if it's fair NOT to. God is using the adoption of Esty in a powerful way in many people's hearts...and I think Oliver is one of them.
I'd love to share the precious video he and I watched together tonight. You never know, it might spark something in you or your children's hearts too. Emily NEEDS a family!!! And so do SOOOOOO MANY OTHERS!!!

Help! Emily Needs a New Family!!

Sometimes things go differently than we plan them.

This is the case for Emily.

Oh, she is precious, friends!! I have seen her sweet face. I have read her story.

But her story is FAR from over...and I suspect it might include YOU!

Let me tell you a little bit about this situation and WHY she needs a new family.

Sweet Emily was found only days old in southern China and has been raised in an orphanage.

Sweet girl waited for TEN LONG YEARS to be chosen for adoption.

Finally, she was chosen!!

A precious family with other daughters previously adopted from China came forward for her. They were given Pre-approval from China to adopt Emily.

They even sent Emily a care package with clothing and pictures of them so she would know how she is cared for, loved, and wanted.

Sadly, something has happened that stops this adoption short.

Her almost-adoptive Mommy calls Emily, "The Child Who Saved My Life" and here is why...

In order to update their home study, the mother needed to have a physical. (Trust me, with many kids at home, our own regular healthy checks definitely get forgotten!) But because of the desired adoption, this Mama went in for a check up.

At that visit, the doctor discovered it had been a while since she had undergone a mammogram. So one was ordered.

Very soon afterwards, she received a frightening phone call.

She had a mass that was very dense. She needed an ultrasound.

The results came back that she the density was Triple Negative Breast Cancer. She had a biopsy to confirm and then soon after a lumpectomy.

The cancer is very aggressive and had grown even within that time.

This Mama begins chemotherapy this week.

Meanwhile, as is customary, she shared the news of her cancer with China. They gave her some devastating news:

She was no longer able to become Emily's mother.

This completely wrecked her.

Can you imagine? Such double bad news??

But we know that in ALL THINGS God works them for good to those who love Him!! (Romans 8:28)

And so, we search now for another family who can step into the vacancy created by cancer.

A family is needed for 10 year old Emily who is a healthy little girl. This precious orphan who must be very heartbroken to learn that after waiting for so long and finally being chosen...that it isn't going to work out.

Will you consider adopting precious Emily? Her file is listed with a particular agency, but they are willing to release her file to whichever agency will process her new adoption.

Pray for Emily...as well as for the cancer treatments and the devastated heart of her almost-mommy!!!

Please contact me if you want to learn more about how to become Emily's family.