A Humble Plea

So, we have some exciting news!

We now have a new way for people to give

to our adoption fund!!

Up until now, any contributions made to us

have been to us personally and have NOT been

tax deductable.

Well, another adopting mom shared this organization with us.

We now have a way for people to make donations

that are TAX DEDUCTABLE!!!!

This is very exciting for us!

It has come at a pretty convenient time, 

just before the end of the year!

The organization is called Adopttogether.

They are a non profit organization and accept donations for specific adopting families!

We have felt very strongly from

the beginning of this journey that

The Lord will provide for our financial needs.

And He HAS done so in amazing ways!!!!!!!!

This is the first time that we have boldly requested

financial support.

The only expenses we have paid for our adoption so far have been for our home study, U.S. immigration approval, and paying for Tobias's monthly expenses.

However, we are praying that these other precious kids in the orphanage

that are all in their last stages

of this process will be HOME very soon.

Once that happens, work will start on our adoption!

And once that happens,

we'll be making LOTS of payments.

The first major goal that we'll be working towards

is his adoption in the DRC (Congo).

This will cost somewhere around $7,000.

Fees are VERY subject to increase with no explanation

in Congo.

After that will be getting his visa and passport

and that will be another set of fees!

So things will add up VERY quickly,

but we are excited about the idea of

PROGRESS!!!

We are sharing this, as I have said before,

because we feel that our readers

have become a part of our lives and

the life of Tobias...

whether you are our family, friends, acquaintances,

or just someone who has heard about us through the grapevine!

So here is our humble plea.

Scripture has shown us that our Father cares for orphans.

(James 1:27)

And He has given Believers the calling

of caring for them as well.

Not all families are called to adopt, however,

and we understand that.

So for those that are not able to adopt,

would you consider supporting us?

Please lift us up in prayer whether you can give

financially or not.

But if you are able to give financially,

your contributions are now tax deductable.

You can visit our site here,

or go to Adopttogether.org/teaglefam/

Also, would you please share this?

 We would greatly appreciate it.

You can also share our profile on Adopttogether

through the links on our page.

There is now a "donations" tab at the top of our blog that will take you straight to our donation site.

I have also added a Paypal "donate"

button on the front page of our blog if you prefer

not to go through the tax deductible route.

We appreciate your love and concern for our family.

We appreciate every person that is led

to read about our adoption

and become a part of our family in a unique way!

Have such a merry merry Christmas.

Please never lose sight of WHY we celebrate

this season.

Even Joy (our almost 4 year old)

keeps reminding us that

"Baby Jesus is what Christmas is all about!!"

I'm so thankful that we have instilled that in this little girl.

Now, I understand....

after she DOES get presents, it may be harder

to remind her of this truth next year. :)

But please don't forget.

Christmas isn't about giving, loving, being with family...

it's about CHRIST!!!!

Now, if it's about Christ and what He has done,

then our only response SHOULD be to

give, love, and enjoy our family right??

Isn't that all a part of being Christ-like??

But HE is the cause.

He is the reason.

May He also be the reason you support us

if you choose to.

Not just because it's nice and "supportive."

But because He has given so much to us already.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

Where He Came From

We received more info this week.

Last week I posted that we

received the most precious picture

of our little guy and

spoke with another mom about

how Tobias is doing in Congo right now.

Well soon after that,

the same couple posted

several VIDEOS of Tobi!!!!!!

Wow, we did NOT expect to have such

a glimpse into the little person that he is!

There were also many pictures.

They were so thoughtful to capture these

for all the parents that are here...

waiting.

So that made our WEEK!

We've watched those videos so many times!

We can't get over how gorgeous Tobias is

and how precious his smile is!

We got to see him look at our

pictures and hear his voice say,

"Mama," "Papa," and "Noelle!"

"Joy" was way too hard for a French speaking child!

Anyway,

we are on cloud nine with these

precious pictures and videos.

And now we have some more information

about where Tobias was before

he came to be at this orphanage.

I'd like to share it with you

(whoever reads this!)

because I feel like many of you

are a part of his little life already!

So here is the information we received:

In March of this year (2012),

a man saw some people gathering around

a little boy outside a church

in a certain village in Congo.

He approached them,

and saw that the little boy was crying,

holding a donut in one hand

and a bag in the other.

He asked the little boy who it was that brought him to the church,

and he said, his "mama"

and that his name was Chrinovic.

(that's his given name, we are changing it to Tobias) 

The man took him around the neighborhood,

but no one recognized him.

He took him to his home for the night,

but he was inconsolable. 

He cried all night.

He did the same thing the next day.

No one recognized our little guy.

He finally looked inside the bag that

Chrinovic was holding and found

a shirt, 2 pairs of pants,

and a note.

It had his full name on it.

That was all.

This is when the man fully

realized that this little boy's

mama had abandoned him in front of that church.

She left him with

a donut, a few pieces of clothing,

and his name.

He was then taken to another orphanage in town,

where he stayed for 3 months.

No one came looking for him while he was there.

After that, he was recommended to

Didier's orphanage where he is now.

He has been there since June.

From what we've been told,

he obviously has been granted peace

that he did not know before!

He is now a super happy little boy!

I can only pray that he does

not remember that terrible night

that his birth mama left him.

I don't know what kind of a life

he had with her,

but I do know that he was frightened

and definitely felt

"abandoned"

when he was left.

So that is what we know.

We will probably never know anything

else about where or who he came from. 

We are thankful for what The Lord

has allowed us to know,

and we are thankful for what He has kept

from us.

We are so thankful for those that

have helped bring him

to the loving place he is now

and that they have been used by our

Creator to bring him to his

forever family.

To his new Mama and Papa

that will love him unconditionally

and share the love of Christ with him.