Getting it all together

Well friends, we have come to the moment in our adoption where we have to do something that is very awkward and uncomfortable, but yet humbling and honest. It is time for KC and I to start asking everyone to help us fund our trip over to Ethiopia. It is October 1st and we are starting our fundraising efforts – TODAY!
God tells us in His word He has heard the cry of the orphaned and abandoned children (Psalm 10:17, 18) and He has made a way for them to be cared for – through adoption. As believers, He adopted us into His family through Jesus Christ, and did not leave us as spiritual orphans!
Will you invest financially in the life of our child? . . . It will be an investment with eternal return.
All of you know we have felt called and directed by God to adopt a child into our family. We are adopting a little girl from Ethiopia, and will be matched with a specific child hopefully sometime this fall, then travel to Ethiopia this spring to bring her home. As a family, we've been excitedly praying for her everyday and as you all know, we have named her - Zoe Grace!
God desires for orphans of all nations to be loved, cared for and adopted into Christian families - ultimately so they can become saved, and be adopted into His eternal family through Jesus Christ! There are so many things God has used to prick our hearts and move us to adopt, here are a few:

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction... James 1:27

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will - Ephesians 1:5

The biggest challenge for us is not opening our hearts and home to another child, but it is in finding the finances to make this happen. We estimate our total costs for adoption fees, document preparation, home study, airfare, travel, attorney fees, etc. to be close to $27,000 - and that's certainly money we don't have just lying around, but we know God is faithful and is leading us to trust Him. By God's grace we've been able to pay the initial fees by practically draining most of our savings and by some private donations.
Honestly, it's a little difficult, mainly because of our pride, to make our needs known to everyone around us, but we also know it's very Biblical to do so. We appreciate your friendship very much and would like you to pray and consider helping us in our adoption. There are three ways you can help:

1.) Prayer - Please pray God will tenderly care for Zoe Grace in Ethiopia until we are able to bring her home, that God would prepare Olivia for the upcoming changes to our family, and that God will give us wisdom, discernment, and insight as we raise Olivia and Zoe to know Jesus Christ.

2.) Financial Support - Will you please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us pay the remaining $10,000 in adoption expenses, to bring Zoe home?
Lifesong has graciously set up a fundraising account for us to raise funds to help pay the "ransom" to bring Zoe home. If you would like to be a part of God bringing Zoe to Himself through our family, you can send your tax-deductible gift starting today October 1st! Lifesong is a trusted organization administering the funds on Zoe's behalf, and will pay the adoption expenses out of fund received. They truly are amazing people and a God send!

Steps to do this:
Please make checks payable to: "Lifesong"
You should write "Godwin/#1549" in the memo section.
You can then mail your check to:
Lifesong for Orphans
Att: Godwin/#1549
PO Box 40
Gridley, IL 61744

3.) BUY A T-SHIRT – We have been selected as the family of the quarter by a wonderful website called Dolka Pots. It was started to help families raise money for adoptions. There are two families chosen each quarter and whatever is bought on the website, you have an option to decide which family you would like to receive the credit and then that family gets a certain percentage of the proceeds from the sales during their quarter. They are also selling and making our t-shirts and we get 50% of all proceeds from our t-shirt sales and that will go 100% directly to travel expenses. So I hope you will take a moment and at least look at our shirt and around on their website. If there is anything that you would like to buy, make sure you chose “Godwin family” when you go to check out. We would really appreciate it.
http://www.dolkapots.com/ – our shirts are on the page.

I don’t think we could ever say thank you enough to everyone and how supportive you have all been. Thank you for investing in the Kingdom through prayer and finances - it will be an investment with an eternal return! (Matt 6:20). We'll give you an update with a picture of Zoe as soon as we receive it and any other details as we receive them. Please pray this entire process will glorify God and fulfill His purposes!
In Christ,
J.W., KC and Olivia Claire Godwin

A note from Lifesong –
JW and KC have sensed God’s call . . . and have joyfully stepped out in faith and obedience to adopt a child from Ethiopia. As you may already know, adoption can cost around $25,000 and prevents many godly families from adopting. Lifesong believes God has raised up the Godwin family “for such a time as this…” We invite you to support them financially to make this adoption possible. Funds donated to Lifesong for Orphans will be given as an AdoptionGrant to help cover adoption expenses for this child. Your gift is tax deductible and you will receive a tax-deductible receipt. *100% of all funds raised will go directly to cover adoption costs--nothing will be taken out for Lifesong for Orphans administrative costs.