Lifesong Matching Grant

Dear friends and family,

Over the Memorial Day weekend we went to Moab for a school camp trip.  We were leaving for 3 days and I was a little worried that being out of touch we might miss an important phone call, a notification from our agency or China. I knew that there was little chance of any significant movement in the USA, but China was still up and running and I was a little apprehensive about leaving for the desert.  While driving, we stopped for gas and I ran in to use the restroom, David gave me a quick hug and off I went with Cate in tow. When we returned he said he was headed in to grab a drink, but he had something to tell me when he returned. I assumed it was not earth shattering news. IMAGINE THIS !!!!!!!

Here we are at a gas station in the middle of nowhere, and he had received a call that will truly make a difference in our journey to Olivia. The news was that we had been selected for a matching grant of $2500 from Lifesong for Orphans.  For every dollar contributed by our friends, our family, and our community, Lifesong will match the donation up to $2500.

Just four families were accepted this period and we feel blessed, humbled and very, very grateful for this opportunity. Lifesong is an amazing organization advocating and providing adoption grants and free funding loans for orphans around the world.  This will grant will enable us to use less credit, loans, and borrowing from other sources, as we near the end of the process.

Instructions for Tax Deductible Giving

There are several options for giving as outlined below. Lifesong is a is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization, allowing your entire donation to be fully tax-deductible. Lifesong has been blessed with a partnership that underwrites all U.S. administrative and fund raising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to Olivia’s adoption.

One option is to click on the PayPal button on the right navigation bar. You will be redirected to our LifeSong Family #5288 account. Family name is Mohr

Second, you can give online. Simply go to www.lifesongfororphans.org/give/donate. Select “Give to an Adoptive Family.” Complete the online form and fill in “Family Account #5288 and “Family Name, Mohr” fields

Third, to give by personal check Please make checks payable to “Lifesong for Orphans." In the memo line note family account # 5288 and family name “Mohr” to ensure it goes to the correct account. Please mail to

Lifesong for Orphans

P.O. Box 40

Gridley, IL

61744

In following with the IRS guidelines, your donation is to the named non-profit organization. The organization retains full discretion over its use and intends to honor the donor’s suggested use. Individual donations of $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $250 will gladly be sent upon request from the donor.

The high cost of adoption is unfortunately the number one reason that so families decide not to adopt. We did not pursue any financial assistance or grants during Cate's adoption because we felt there were so many families with greater needs than ours.  We are so very fortunate and we were able to make some adjustments, have David fly a lot of overtime, and borrow from our retirement.  The truth is adoption is very expensive, there are no ways to save or cut corners, the cost is is written in stone.  We had no plans to adopt again, but when we were presented with another little girl in need of a family, though we certainly could not afford the cost, we felt called to proceed and trusted that we would solve the finances along the way.  With Olivia joining our family so soon after Cate, we find ourselves in the very humbling position of asking for help, a position that is uncomfortable, but one we found necessary as we navigated the financial obstacles we faced and applied for some grants.

Once again, David and I were reminded that God has placed adoption in our hearts and He will help provide.  St. Augustine said, "God will provide the wind but man must raise the sail".

With our sail up, we humbly ask you first and foremost, to pray for little Olivia's heart, that she may be prepared for the difficult transition of leaving behind everything she has known for 4 and 1/2 years, and joining us, her new family on the other side of the world. in a new place, with a new language, and new culture.

Second, we ask that you prayerfully consider contributing to this matching grant at Lifesong, that will help us complete Olivia's adoption.  Even the smallest gift will help enable us to reach the total and realize the full benefit of this grant from Lifesong.

Thank you for investing in the life of a child who will no longer be an orphan through your support of this adoption journey. Your investment will have an an eternal return for Olivia. We will continue blogging about our journey to Olivia Yurui Grace Mohr.  Please pray with us that this adoption will glorify God and enrich Olivia's life.

 Below are two photos, one is our referral photo and the other is from two weeks ago

The first is Yu Rui (soon Olivia) holding a sign that is to be posted so that she can be placed on an adoption advocacy site, she is 4.5 years old and she considered an older child in the adoption world, one of the many, many children that due to her age is far less likely to be adopted.  This is the photo we were given when she was referred to us:

This is Olivia 10 days ago when she met our agency director and she was told she has a family that is coming for her.  We were able to send a family photo album to her via our director. I am told that while the kids don't truly grasp the concept of having their own family, the children know that getting the  photo album delivered is a "good"  thing, lots of clapping and hugging. The director said the children were especially excited because this time around she had a large number of albums and that it was also a day when children adopted a week earlier came for a visit with their new families. Notice that Olivia's hair is being let to grow, some say it is another sign she has a family coming.