Andriy for the Burlingham family

I am writing this blog post today for Amanda and her family. They are adopting Andriy (not our Andriy but another boy with the same name). He is in an institution of sorts, no longer in the baby house and was born blind.

I spoke with Amanda on the phone the other day to see if she would be doing an iPad2 giveaway or not. She told me she was, and I explained that if she could raise at LEAST $500 in donations; I knew someone willing to double that $500 donation.

This family's dossier should be in country TODAY. What does that mean? Precisely? Well, it means their dossier will be submitted this THURSDAY and they will soon after learn their travel date. It is very likely it will be within a month. Andriy is over the age of 5 and there are no "legalities" that will/should slow them down in this final bit of processing like it has our family.

30 days? Maybe. 21 days? Possibly. I truly do not know how long it will be. God does. And all I do know is that this family is SHORT, SERIOUSLY SHORT OF FUNDS. Short to the tune of $13,000+.

Amanda has worked her tail off trying to raise money; she has hosted fabulous giveaways with WONDERFUL gifts. And, still, still they are short.

I can tell you, Amanda is about the sweetest person I have ever talked to with a southern drawl that makes you want to sit on a wrap around front porch in a rockin' chair and drink sweet tea with her all day long. She was kind, gracious, and so very appreciative of the one tiny bit I have been blessed enough to help play a part in for this fundraiser.

It breaks my heart, y'all. It SHOULD NOT, EVER, be this hard to ransom a child and, yet, the reality is this: It is hard. Answering the call of God is sure to lead you into situations that will grow your faith and this is no different for Amanda than it has been for Shawn and I.

Here is the truth; Amanda simply CANNOT do this. It has never been within her power to do it. This is God's work, plain and simple. God can do this; but, I believe, He needs his church to accomplish it. I believe He needs all of us, believers and non-believers alike to accomplish this. Amanda is working diligently, proactively to do all she can. What can you do to help her? If you are a Christian, what can you do to help achieve God's work in this?

Click on Andriy's picture to see Amanda's blog and her giveaway.

Please share her story, please pray for her, please donate. Any amount puts her closer to her goal of being fully funded and just $10 might get you a fabulous gift too.

Thank you,




"I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:2-3 (NIV)