The Family Builder Fund in Action

We began our adoption journey in the summer of 2001. We had three biological children (2 boys, 1 girl), and had always talked about adoption or foster care.  However, our talks about adoption always seemed to center around ”Someday we hope to…” A friend in his early forties passed away that summer, and we realized that if “someday” was going to happen, we’d better get busy.

We looked into foster care, researched adoption agencies, and chose to adopt through Christian World Adoption.  We discussed adopting a boy from Russia, or adopting a girl from China. It was a hard decision, but after a lot of thought and prayer, we decided to adopt from Russia. We knew financially and emotionally that it was a going to challenge us. Only with God’s provision, the adoption would be possible.
 
We stretched the resources we had, and in January 2002, we left our three children and traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia to meet up with our future son. We had a wonderful experience meeting him, and visiting the beautiful city. After signing papers asking the courts to adopt him, we left St. Petersburg in a snowstorm. In April 2002, we became the parents of a blonde-headed little boy from Russia.

We named our son Caleb, because we had felt the journey required a positive attitude, similar to that exhibited by Caleb in the Old Testament.  We traveled to Moscow after our paperwork was done in St. Petersburg, and returned home, a family with now four children. CWA assisted us greatly while in Russia, and most importantly after we brought Caleb home in helping us with his transition.
 
Almost three years later, in December of 2004, both of us had separate incidents that reminded us of China and the little girl we had never added to our family. Each of us initially hesitated to bring the matter up, knowing that we were still recovering financially from the prior adoption, and we had a full plate with our existing four kids.  We were also middle-aged and approaching the autumn of our lives, being 43 and 38 years old. After our initial discussions we sought God’s will on this, calling through prayer and devotions. One verse in particular that spoke to us was:
 
 Matthew 21: 21
“Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.”
 
With that verse arming us, we started our Chinese adoption with very limited resources, knowing that God would provide if this was His will.  Our paperwork was logged in China in July of 2005, and we were expecting a referral in early 2006. During 2005, we applied for a number of adoption grants including the FamilyBuilder Fund through CWA.  During late 2005, the referrals from China slowed dramatically, and our financial resources were not coming as we had hoped when our other grant applications were denied.  We know now that the delay was not only a test of faith, but part of God’s timing to provide for us the finances and the girl He wanted us to have.
 
Then in the spring of 2006, the FamilyBuilder Fund sent a letter telling us they would provide some assistance. This grant, along with extra time prior to our referral, provided the amount we needed to get us over the financial roadblock. The letter also provided much needed encouragement during the wait for our little girl.

In August 2006, we received our referral, and we traveled in September of 2006 with nine other families also adopting through CWA. We named our daughter Autumn Joy, and hope she brings us much joy in the autumn of our lives.  Our time in China was outstanding, and once again CWA was there every step of the way to assist in our adoption. 
 
We are now home, and a family of seven, with a very international flair. Sometimes when we look at our youngest son playing with our daughter, we wonder at how incredible it is. Here a boy born in Russia has a sister from China, and three siblings born in America. Then we realize that truly if you do have faith, God really can throw mountains into the sea. And sometimes He uses agencies like Christian World Adoption and the FamilyBuilder Fund as His way of doing it.

God Bless You,
The Lassiters

Would you like to have your family featured in one of our adoption stories? Please let us know by emailing Tana Alfrey, Communications Assistant.