Our Adoption Story: Adoption Fees + the Financial Miracles of God (Part 4)

Let me start off by saying that adoption is so expensive. It's that way on purpose for many reasons, and that alone prevents good families from rescuing children. Remember I mentioned previously that Satan would join the fight to keep children in his camp. But as Christians, our faith must rely on God, Our Provider. He is the God of unlimited resources and adoption fees are holy ground for His mighty hand to work miracles. The majority of adoptive couples can't afford adoption at the beginning of their journey and by the end of it, they had exceedingly more than enough. It just always works out. Every adoptive couple will tell you this and also have a story about how God miraculously showed up. So, if you have the calling to adopt and are worried financially, I'm telling you-God will provide! He just needs your obedience and faith.  Leave the miracles up to Him.

My dear friend shared a testimony with me when they started their adoption process. Money literally came down out of the sky and landed on her chest. When you partner with God to do Holy work, He will never fail you-even if it means money falling from the sky!

So, we are basking in this season financially with all the ways God is providing for us. I'll share more in a bit just to keep you intrigued. 

Adoption Fees

Our Agency is upfront with the cost at the beginning. No surprises or hidden fees. To prepare yourself, other adoption agencies range from $50,000-$80,000. Because our agency is a ministry, they have lots of donations from businesses and churches. That helps lower the cost some. The highest price at our agency is around $48,000ish. Let me break it down for you. 

Orientation Application: $150

Orientation Fee: $350

Application to Adopt Fee: $1,000

Home Study: $6,000

Marketing Fee: $6,000

Match Placement Fee: $15% of your total income. $18,000 min & $30,000 max (Fully refundable if displacement occurs!)

Post Placement Fee: $3,000

Consummation Attorney Fee: $1,200-$2,000

Not included in the pricing is hotels for orientation, gas to travel to agency, doctor visits, vet bills, fingerprinting, CPR & First Aid certification, extra items required in your home to pass your home study, and various other things here and there. 

***There is a Federal Adoption Tax Credit the year after you adopt. You can claim up to $17,280***

You will not have to pay for any of the birth or hospital stay as that is covered by Medicaid. Our agency deals with all of that. There will be no surprise fees at birth. Thank Goodness!

Like I said, adoptions aren't cheap. But Praise the Lord that we serve a God with unlimited resources. As mentioned in my last blog post, a lot of these fees are going towards the birth mothers and their well-being. So, if you wanted to donate money to a really good cause while knowing exactly where it's going, this is such a great place to do just that. The amount of peace we have knowing our hard-earned money is going to women who are choosing life is such a great feeling. Not some big corporation where the money vanishes to the elite. It's all about how you look at it!

Financial Miracles of God

It seems crazy to make this post now considering we are still in the thick of it. I can't wait to come back and share more about how God is blessing our adoption in the best way. But for now, I'll share the stories about what God has done so far. 

Up until this point, Blake and I have spent about $15,000 of our own money. We were looking at our bank account earlier and noticing that our account is not lacking the $15,000. The numbers are the same before we even started the adoption. It is obvious that God is blessing my husband in a very timely manner at work. We're gliding through these big checks like it's no big deal...so there's that. A miracle in itself.

On May 5th, I noticed we had a letter in the mail from our agency. I honestly thought it was congratulating us for completing our Home Study. I opened it up and was brought to absolute tears of joy and shock. $7,000 had been anonymously donated towards our Match Placement Fee. Let me follow up with this: very few people knew our agency at that time, much less had direct contact with our agency to make the call. I called our agency asking if they could reveal who did this and their lips are sealed. Bummer. We have asked the people on our potential suspects list. They were just as shocked as we were. No one came close to confessing or showed any signs it was them, so they are either telling the truth, or someone is an excellent poker player.  It was God surprising us in the best way! Blake and I can't even begin to describe how we felt that day or how I am feeling as I type this. Tears are pouring down my face...

If our anonymous donor is reading this, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS! We are continuing to ask God to bless you in abundance every day in our daily prayer. You have humbled us beyond comprehension. The kindness we have been shown is one we'll never forget. God is using you to bring this child home and we are beyond grateful for your generosity and obedience to God. There are not enough words to describe our thankfulness.  Bless you!

Our children pray before every meal at our dinner table. In their prayer, they pray for God to "help us with the money". You should have seen the look on their face when money showed up. Okay...still crying as I'm typing this. 

Seeing God's Goodness Shine Through Others

We have also had people hear about our adoption and give us a donation. They say it's not much, but it's what they have. I tell you what- their generous heart brings me to my knees. I don't even know what to say except God is bringing the sweetest people across our path and I'm just a pile of mush these days. We pray God will bless each of you in such a real way as you have sewn wonderful seeds to help bring this child home. Remember, little is much when God is in it! 

Full Disclaimer

I am not writing this post to ask for money or for you to feel called to give to us. I am just simply shouting from the rooftops how faithful our God is during this season of our life. My biggest desire in writing this adoption blog is to find the one person out there that has the calling on their life to adopt and is worried about the financial aspect. Don't! Give it to God. He will make a way. We are living proof of that. Remember Walk by Faith, Not by Sight!

I will end this post by saying this, the moment the baby is in our arms-every cent spent will be 100% worth the cost in every way.  Truly this adoption fund is a tangible way to store treasures in Heaven as it provides this child an opportunity to follow Jesus. Best money ever spent if you asked me. 

Next Up: The Home Study Process...