Did you know that our family is in the process of adopting a little boy our son from Ethiopia? It is because of God that we have chosen to adopt, and it is through His help and the generosity of others that we will bring home our son from Ethiopia.
Six years ago, Mike and I sat at church listening to our youth group share about a recent mission trip to Uganda. While on our drive home, I told Mike that during the service I had envisioned us adopting a little boy from Africa. To my complete amazement, Mike told me that he too had visualized us adopting a little boy from Africa! To say the least, it was powerful and eye opening to have never discussed adoption previously and to have our hearts separately impacted with a vision to adopt so specifically. We knew our lives were about to change.
Fast forward our lives to December 2012...Our boys, Brody (5) and Weston (1), filled our home with continual joy and great fun! We cherished our boys and wondered if God truly desired for us to adopt a little boy from Africa. Knowing God's wisdom and clarity for our lives would appear if we sought Him individually and together through prayer, fasting, and His Word...we devoted the month of December to hearing God speak to each of us. Overwhelmingly and without question, God confirmed for our family that He put the dream of adopting a little boy from Africa in our hearts during that church service years ago. In the months that followed, God guided us so clearly to pursue adopting our little boy from Ethiopia.
In 2014, our family successfully completed our international adoption home study, certifying us as a committed and responsible family approved for adopting our son from Ethiopia.
We are learning that the greatest challenge is not opening our hearts and home to another son, but it is finding the finances to make our adoption happen. As we evaluate the remaining adoption expenses needed to move forward and complete our adoption, we understand that we are in need of financial support. We also understand God is faithful, and He is leading us to trust Him in providing for our adoption.
Our family would love for you to please pray and consider helping us with our adoption in the following ways:
- Please pray God would lovingly care for our son in Ethiopia until we are able to bring him home; that God would prepare Brody and Weston for the upcoming changes to our family; and that God will give us wisdom, discernment, and insight as we raise our new son to know Jesus.
- We Care for Orphans, one of Lifesong’s private fund partners, has graciously awarded our family a wonderful matching grant ($4,000), essentially doubling our family and friends’ gifts. Would you please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us meet this matching grant and cover the remaining adoption expenses to bring our son home? Our goal date is October 30, but funds will be accepted towards our adoption until our son is in our home and/or our adoption is complete.
Thank you so very much for supporting our son’s adoption! We pray God blesses you immensely in choosing to do so. We will give you an update with a picture of our son and details as we receive them. We look forward to that day – a dream realized!
Blessings,
Mike, Jackie, Brody, and Weston D'Ortenzio
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26
