We are excited to announce that we have officially accepted a referral for a precious 6 year old girl form China! She is a healthy, beautiful girl who attends kindergarten. Our timeline is actually moving fairly quickly, so travel is likely within the next couple months. We cannot post pictures because of a social media privacy policy, but when you see me, be sure to ask and I would love to show you her picture!
There are still many things that need to be accomplished before we travel, your prayers are so greatly appreciated. For travel safety, health, financial provision, and most of all for the Lord to prepare the way for us to be all together as a family.
Also, we still have a matching grant going on, please check out the previous post for details about that if you are interested.
We would not be at this place without all of your prayers and support and generosity! We love you and thank you! Looking forward to our little princess meeting all the people that already love her so much.
Love,
The Geurink's
Monday, October 20, 2014
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Exciting Opportunity!
Just a brief update to say... we are still waiting! It is HARD, but we absolutely trust God's perfect timing. We love our girl already, but need to persevere in patience and prayer until we know just who she will be. Please continue to uphold us and her in prayer, that we would be ready for each other.
In the meantime... we could use your help! We have several super exciting opportunities to help continue to raise all the pennies needed for our sweet princess!
We have been awarded a matching grant from Lifesong for Orphans! They will match up to $2500, which would give us a total of $5000 when that is met. Anything given beyond that will still go into our Lifesong account for us to use whenever we are in need of the funds. The great thing is- the donation goes to Lifesong, a non-profit 501c3, so your donation will be tax deductible! Please consider giving during this time, and know that your gift will be a double blessing!!
Here are the simple instructions for giving. There are two options:
1. Please make checks payable to Lifesong for Orphans.
**In the memo please note your gift preference with GEURINK FAMILY #4457
Please mail checks to:
Lifesong for Orphans
PO Box 40
Gridley, IL 61744
Lifesong has been blessed with a partner that underwrites all US administrative and fund-raising
costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to
the need…helping orphans.
2. Give Online
a) Go to www.lifesongfororphans.org/give/donate
b) Select Give to an Adoptive Family
c) Complete online form and fill in Family Account Number & Family Name Fields
*Please note that PayPal will charge an administrative fee (2.9% + $.30 USD per transaction). Your
donation will be decreased by the amount of this fee.
(In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to the named non-profit organization. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use. Individual donations $250 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $250 will gladly be sent upon request. Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization.)
Let's see how quickly we can match this grant!
Love,
the Geurink's
In the meantime... we could use your help! We have several super exciting opportunities to help continue to raise all the pennies needed for our sweet princess!
We have been awarded a matching grant from Lifesong for Orphans! They will match up to $2500, which would give us a total of $5000 when that is met. Anything given beyond that will still go into our Lifesong account for us to use whenever we are in need of the funds. The great thing is- the donation goes to Lifesong, a non-profit 501c3, so your donation will be tax deductible! Please consider giving during this time, and know that your gift will be a double blessing!!
Here are the simple instructions for giving. There are two options:
1. Please make checks payable to Lifesong for Orphans.
**In the memo please note your gift preference with GEURINK FAMILY #4457
Please mail checks to:
Lifesong for Orphans
PO Box 40
Gridley, IL 61744
Lifesong has been blessed with a partner that underwrites all US administrative and fund-raising
costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to
the need…helping orphans.
2. Give Online
a) Go to www.lifesongfororphans.org/give/donate
b) Select Give to an Adoptive Family
c) Complete online form and fill in Family Account Number & Family Name Fields
*Please note that PayPal will charge an administrative fee (2.9% + $.30 USD per transaction). Your
donation will be decreased by the amount of this fee.
(In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to the named non-profit organization. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use. Individual donations $250 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $250 will gladly be sent upon request. Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization.)
Let's see how quickly we can match this grant!
Love,
the Geurink's
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Happy Winter everyone! Hope everyone is surviving these crazy cold temps!
Just wanted to give an update of where we are at in the process. We have not updated in awhile, but sometimes we are just in a period of waiting out a particular stage of the process in which there isn't much to update.
In the beginning of January, we sent in all of our paperwork for USCIS. I am so thankful for the help of our agency in guiding us through this step of the process. USCIS received out paperwork, and we have been scheduled for our fingerprinting next Wednesday morning, February 5th, in Milwaukee. They fingerprint every adult in the house, and do an extensive background check. So we will all drive down to Milwaukee Tuesday night, stay with my brother (thanks, Christopher!), and go to our appointment Wednesday morning. We absolutely can NOT miss this appointment, or we will be waiting several more months to do this all again. Please pray for good travelling weather (which is definitely a concern this winter!!), safety, and that everything would go smoothly.
After our fingerprinting, we will wait a couple months for USCIS to send final approval, called a 797. This approval is the last piece of paperwork to complete our dossier (official documents). Once we have this, our dossier will be sent to China, and we will await approval from China. Once approved (Lord willing), they will work at matching us with a child. The timeline seems to be that this could happen sometime this summer (our best guess!).
Our excitement is growing. Our little girl is waiting. We covet your prayers in several ways:
Just wanted to give an update of where we are at in the process. We have not updated in awhile, but sometimes we are just in a period of waiting out a particular stage of the process in which there isn't much to update.
In the beginning of January, we sent in all of our paperwork for USCIS. I am so thankful for the help of our agency in guiding us through this step of the process. USCIS received out paperwork, and we have been scheduled for our fingerprinting next Wednesday morning, February 5th, in Milwaukee. They fingerprint every adult in the house, and do an extensive background check. So we will all drive down to Milwaukee Tuesday night, stay with my brother (thanks, Christopher!), and go to our appointment Wednesday morning. We absolutely can NOT miss this appointment, or we will be waiting several more months to do this all again. Please pray for good travelling weather (which is definitely a concern this winter!!), safety, and that everything would go smoothly.
After our fingerprinting, we will wait a couple months for USCIS to send final approval, called a 797. This approval is the last piece of paperwork to complete our dossier (official documents). Once we have this, our dossier will be sent to China, and we will await approval from China. Once approved (Lord willing), they will work at matching us with a child. The timeline seems to be that this could happen sometime this summer (our best guess!).
Our excitement is growing. Our little girl is waiting. We covet your prayers in several ways:
- Paperwork process at USCIS and in China to go quickly and smoothly.
- Our continued growth in preparing for this child. We are bringing a child home who will have many emotional and some physical difficulties. We have found the Empowered to Connect website to be of great help (http://empoweredtoconnect.org/). Please check it out if you have a moment.
- Financial provision. Our total costs will be between $30,000-$35,000. We are applying for several grants, and are planning a fundraiser in the spring with a fabulous local Christian band, silent auction, and more... we will keep you updated with details! Hope you can join us! Also, please don't forget to check out the Adoption Bug t-shirt fundraiser on this blog page.
We want to again say THANK YOU to all those who are praying for us and supporting us in one way or another. We absolutely could not get through this without the Lord's strength and without you! Thank you for asking us how it is going, and for your love for us and our waiting child. We have seen some wonderfully unexpected ways that God has answered our prayers in this journey. It has grown our faith and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Please feel free to contact us if you ever want to talk with us more.
We love you and thank Jesus for you!
John, Dawn, Esther, Anita, and ???
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Hi everyone!
It has been awhile since we last posted, but there has not been any significant advances in our adoption process. Due to increasing strictness by the immigration department (who must approve our home study), our agency is taking great care to make sure everything in the home study is "perfect" so that (hopefully) we don't encounter any difficulties or delay with immigration services. Once we are approved, our completed dossier must be approved by our agency, and then approved by the Chinese agency. This process will probably take several months. We will not be matched with a child until after that.
In the meantime, we are trying to wait patiently, knowing God has perfect timing. We are incredibly thankful for those who are working on our behalf who know what they are doing, and who care greatly for our waiting child.
While we wait, we want to remind our friends and family that we do have a link on our blog to purchase some super cool shirts! A portion of the proceeds from each shirt go towards our adoption expenses. It's a great way to show your support for adoption, and they make wonderful gifts too!
We will keep everyone up to date, and really ask for your prayers in this process. It has been a far greater test of our faith than anticipated, but we know the Author and Perfecter of our faith has great plans for us!
If you would like to visit with us sometime, we would love to talk with you more about our heart for adoption. Also, if you would like to help financially, please let us know. The costs are great, but the rewards far outweigh the cost!
Blessings,
The Geurink Family
p.s. Check out the link below- our God hears the praises of His people everywhere! I especially loved the very end of the song. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg5qDljEw7Q
It has been awhile since we last posted, but there has not been any significant advances in our adoption process. Due to increasing strictness by the immigration department (who must approve our home study), our agency is taking great care to make sure everything in the home study is "perfect" so that (hopefully) we don't encounter any difficulties or delay with immigration services. Once we are approved, our completed dossier must be approved by our agency, and then approved by the Chinese agency. This process will probably take several months. We will not be matched with a child until after that.
In the meantime, we are trying to wait patiently, knowing God has perfect timing. We are incredibly thankful for those who are working on our behalf who know what they are doing, and who care greatly for our waiting child.
While we wait, we want to remind our friends and family that we do have a link on our blog to purchase some super cool shirts! A portion of the proceeds from each shirt go towards our adoption expenses. It's a great way to show your support for adoption, and they make wonderful gifts too!
We will keep everyone up to date, and really ask for your prayers in this process. It has been a far greater test of our faith than anticipated, but we know the Author and Perfecter of our faith has great plans for us!
If you would like to visit with us sometime, we would love to talk with you more about our heart for adoption. Also, if you would like to help financially, please let us know. The costs are great, but the rewards far outweigh the cost!
Blessings,
The Geurink Family
p.s. Check out the link below- our God hears the praises of His people everywhere! I especially loved the very end of the song. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg5qDljEw7Q
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Hello friends and family!
Thank you for taking the time to stop by our adoption blog! We are excited for what God has planned for our family, and for the child we will be adopting from China. Currently, we are nearing the end of the home study process, and working on our dossier (our international documents for China). We have been through adoption classes, which were filled with incredible information regarding what to expect (and not expect!) in this process. The next step, after the paperwork is complete, will be a time of waiting. Waiting to be approved by the Chinese government, and waiting to be matched with a child who will forever be ours!
As we wait, we ask for your prayers. Specifically, for wisdom in this process, for our hearts and the child's heart to be prepared for this transition, and for God's provision in each step of the process. He knows what we need before we ask, and we continually rely upon His goodness and grace. Our family will keep you updated about the process.
Our link is up for Adoption Bug T-shirts! We are excited!! Just click on the link and ORDER A SHIRT from our page, and a portion of the proceeds go toward some of our adoption costs. Also, we will be having a GARAGE SALE on May 17 and 18. Find out how you can help by clicking on our "Fundraisers" tab!
We are SO INCREDIBLY THANKFUL for each one of you who has expressed your love and support for our family in this decision to adopt. We love you!
For more information on how why/how we decided to adopt, click on over to "Our Story." We hope you are blessed as well by our Heavenly Father's heart for the fatherless, and His love for us all.
Blessings,
John, Dawn, Esther and Anita
Thank you for taking the time to stop by our adoption blog! We are excited for what God has planned for our family, and for the child we will be adopting from China. Currently, we are nearing the end of the home study process, and working on our dossier (our international documents for China). We have been through adoption classes, which were filled with incredible information regarding what to expect (and not expect!) in this process. The next step, after the paperwork is complete, will be a time of waiting. Waiting to be approved by the Chinese government, and waiting to be matched with a child who will forever be ours!
As we wait, we ask for your prayers. Specifically, for wisdom in this process, for our hearts and the child's heart to be prepared for this transition, and for God's provision in each step of the process. He knows what we need before we ask, and we continually rely upon His goodness and grace. Our family will keep you updated about the process.
Our link is up for Adoption Bug T-shirts! We are excited!! Just click on the link and ORDER A SHIRT from our page, and a portion of the proceeds go toward some of our adoption costs. Also, we will be having a GARAGE SALE on May 17 and 18. Find out how you can help by clicking on our "Fundraisers" tab!
We are SO INCREDIBLY THANKFUL for each one of you who has expressed your love and support for our family in this decision to adopt. We love you!
For more information on how why/how we decided to adopt, click on over to "Our Story." We hope you are blessed as well by our Heavenly Father's heart for the fatherless, and His love for us all.
Blessings,
John, Dawn, Esther and Anita
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