LifeSong for Orphans

More exciting news!!!  We found out on Wednesday that we qualified for fundraising through LifeSong for Orphans.  LifeSong is a non-profit Christian ministry dedicated to help meet the needs of orphan children around the world, and obey God’s call to “visit the fatherless…in their affliction” (James 1:27).  They have set up an account in our name to go towards our adoption of Hannah Ryan.  Funds donated to Lifesong for Orphans in our name between now and December 5, 2012 will be given to help cover our adoption expenses. Since LifeSong is a 501(c)3 organization, your gift will be tax deductible.  100% of all funds raised will go directly to cover our adoption costs--nothing will be taken out for Lifesong for Orphans administrative costs.

If you want to contribute to our LifeSong account, make your checks payable to "LifeSong for Orphans" and put this in the subject line: "Akers #3104 adoption."  You can mail your check to LifeSong between now and December 5.

Lifesong for Orphans
PO Box 40
Gridley, IL 61744

Thanks so much for your prayers for our family and for Hannah Ryan!!!  Daily we are amazed at how the Lord is providing for us to bring our baby girl home!!!

Adoption Yard Sale

We had our BIG adoption yard sale this past Saturday.  Ryan & I are still amazed at the generosity of our friends.  The outpouring of love in the form of clothes, toys, & furniture was overwhelming….not to mention the HOURS that some of friends spent helping us set up for the yard sale on Friday.  So many of our dear friends came and shopped at our yard sale as well.  At this point, the yard sale has raised over $2500 for our adoption!!!  I say “at this point” because now we will begin Phase 2:  selling the remaining items on eBay, Craig’s List, and Facebook yard sales sites.  So, please continue to pray that the Lord will provide for our adoption through these sales…and that one day soon, we will once again be able to park in our garage!  Hahaha!

There were a couple of times on Saturday that I was overwhelmed to the point of tears.  One moment was when a sweet woman, who I don’t even know, made her purchases and then pulled out a 50 dollar bill and insisted I take it for our adoption.  I may never see her again, but I will always remember her generosity.  The second moment was having the opportunity to meet Chinese neighbors that live a couple of streets over.  Ryan has noticed the man several times before walking his dogs in the neighborhood.  On Saturday as he was walking his dogs, he stopped to look at our yard sale.  He and Ryan began talking and he noticed the sign we had up about how our yard sale was benefiting our adoption from China.  The man’s eyes lit up and he immediately began telling us about himself, that he was from Beijing, and how excited he was to hear about us adopting from China.  Before he left, he offered to help us in any way he could…translating documents or talking in Mandarin to Hannah Ryan when we get home.  Later in the day, his wife came by to meet us.  He had told her about our adoption.  As we talked with her she said, “We appreciate what you are doing so much.  You are saving her life.”  I just about fell to pieces right there in our driveway.  How sweet of the Lord to give us Chinese neighbors AND to allow us to meet them on the day of our adoption yard sale!!!  Thanks to so many of you who were praying for this event...the Lord continues to provide and we are so humbled!!!