For those of you who haven’t met us, we are the Gray’s (Chad, Kristy, Bethany (8), and Colin (2)). We live in Alabama. We would like to share an amazing story with you and ask that you be part of our journey.
Before Chad and I ever met, when we were both just teenagers, the Lord placed on both of our hearts the desire to adopt internationally. For me, it was a show about orphans in Romania that made me aware of the conditions these little children live in. For Chad, it was just a soft spot the Lord placed in his heart, the desire to help these unwanted kids. I believe it was no mistake how the Lord put the two of us together, both with the same desire to reach out to these children. We have been praying for the last 9 years that the Lord would one day give us the opportunity to make a difference in the life of at least one of these orphans. For the last 12 months, we have been in prayer specifically for a baby girl in China, a girl we one day hope to hold in our arms and call our own, a girl we have already named Annalee.
We believe a family’s love for a child begins long before his or her first breath is taken or the first cry is heard. Our love for Annalee began in January of 2007 when we signed the adoption application with Children's Hope International. Long before Annalee is born; her waiting family (Chad, Kristy, Bethany, and Colin) are praying and preparing for her journey home. Many months, even years, will pass before this application is approved. Birth and marriage certificates were ordered. Passports were issued, seminars attended, documents notarized, certified and authenticated, all as a part of the journey to bring our baby Annalee home. We hope by the end of September we will have our paperwork and home study complete and ready to send to China. From there, it will be a waiting game that could take 2 years to complete.
We ask for your prayers throughout this long process. Pray specifically for: 1) guidance for our family during this process, 2) for the orphaned children in China and around the world, 3) the biological family my daughter will come from, and 4) the finances needed- the cost of this adoption will total $25,000.
If you would like to be a part of our monthly e-newsletter you can send your email address to grayadoption@yahoo.com.
Thanks so much for all your love, prayers, and support.
God Bless,
The Grays
