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Warner Family Adoption

Warner Family Adoption

Zhengzhou, Henan, China
$14,700
Amount Raised

About this Fundraiser

It began with a whisper I was afraid to hear: adoption. It was a long time ago when our children were very young, we were far away from family and we were on a very tight beans and rice budget. How could adoption possibly fit into our lives? I held my breath and waited for another whisper, confirmation that I wasn't loosing my mind.

There were more quiet whispers (and confirmation coming from sermons, songs, books). All I could think of was HOW. I quietly and fearfully answered the whisper with a prayer: show me.

We lost our job at the church Glenn was serving at. The church was living outside of its means and had to cut two staff positions. We began what would be 18 months of unemployment with our three little kids. It was early in 2010. I didn't tell Glenn about the whispers.

In the fall of 2010 we still didn't have a job. The contents of our home were packed and in storage in NC and we were living in the manse of a kind church in east TN. I decided that it was a safe time to tell Glenn. He loves kids and I knew he would love the idea of us adopting. I was afraid. (Why is saying yes to God sometimes so scary?!) So one night as he was drifting off to sleep I asked if he was awake and I spoke the whisper aloud, "I think God wants us to adopt." His quiet laughter and ready response didn't come as any surprise. The man loves kids and he loves Jesus. Of course he would be excited and happy to follow Jesus if Jesus was taking us to another child. He went right to sleep and I stayed awake wondering how God was going to help us do this.

Our time of unemployment ended in September 2011 and we moved to Savannah Georgia. We began working in the church here and after a year or so became interested in foster care. Maybe that could be a stepping stone to adoption? We were praying and asking for God's direction. We began the process of becoming foster parents with a Christian agency. Through several, outside of our control circumstances God clearly shut the door for foster care for our family - at least for now.

In September of 2014 God again brought us to another time of serious transition. He took us out of that church and took us right away to a wonderful church (CBC) in Savannah where we could rest and be fed while we waited to see how God would direct our lives.

In September of 2016 Glenn became the lead pastor of Grace Community Church in Rincon, right outside of Savannah. This was something we never planned for and never dreamed we'd do (or wanted to)! But we're so happy and thankful to be where God has lead us.

Once we had a stable job we knew that it was time for us to adopt. We had a pancake breakfast with dear friends and neighbors who have adopted 5 children and we asked for their advice and help. They gladly came alongside of us and have a literally helped us every step of the way. (We love you, Cleland's!!)

We chose to adopt from China because they have a pretty cut and dry adoption process and hundreds of thousands of children are waiting for families to welcome and love them. We began our process by filling out a form that said what types of disabilities we would be open to caring for. We prayed that God would direct our way to the child he wanted in our family.

On the first Saturday in Nov. 2016 (which happens to be National Adoption Awareness Month) we went to a friend's adoption fundraiser. We had just started our process so I was excited to share the news with my adopted mom friends. I told my friend Stacey that we had started our initial paperwork and were looking for a little girl with special needs between the ages of 4-8. Stacey asked me if she could see if her friend Brandi knew of any girls that matched what we were looking for. (Her best friend Brandi actually left Savannah with her husband and kids and they live in China and work as teachers there. Brandi has a connection to countless families in Savannah that have adopted Chinese children.)

So right then and there Stacey texted Brandi in China (a full 12 hours ahead of us and halfway around the world) and Brandi TEXTED BACK RIGHT AWAY. I couldn't believe it. She showed me a picture of a precious little girl with beautiful, gentle eyes and pig tails in her hair. My friend Erika Cleland was standing right next to me and started happily laughing and saying, "Julie, I know this child! She is precious! You should look at her." (Erika is my friend with 5 kids (all adopted) and she recognized Ruthie from some Facebook orphan advocacy groups she's a part of.)

At home later that afternoon, we read Ruthie Mae's bio and watched a video of her and looked at pictures. We marveled at how God seemed to be directing us to her. We prayed more. On Monday I asked the agency if we could look at her file. We were put on a waiting list as another family was reveiwing her file. The following week we got an email that said it was our turn to take a look.

She has spina bifida and hydrocephalus. She also has atrophy in her right limbs due, we believe, to her spina bifida. We had our good friends Lee James and Pete Miller review her medical file and give us their professional opinions. We live blocks away from a wonderful children's hospital, physical therapy practices, and there's a fantastic neurosurgeon here should we need to ever go that route. We believe we live in an area that will help us care well for Ruthie Mae's medical needs. We emailed our agency and told them we wanted to be Ruthie Mae's family.

That was November last year. God has used SO many people to direct our way to Ruthie Mae.

Adoption truly takes a village to bring a child out of loneliness and waiting and into a family and home. We're so blessed to have a great big support group - especially here in Georgia. We've had so much help from friends who have kept our kids (even on surprise overnight sleepovers), friends who have notarized papers and forms, other adoptive families who have walked through each step of the process with us. So many people are praying and we see evidence all the time of the countless ways God is using the prayers of his people to direct our way to this sweet little girl. Thank you for praying!! Please keep praying!

Many of you have given financial gifts to us and we are forever grateful and humbled at the way God continues to provide for this costly endeavor. We thank God all the time! Because you have given and sacrificed, Ruthie Mae will no longer be an orphan and forever be a Warner.

There is still more we need to do to prepare to welcome this little child (she just turned 7 in May!) into our home. Will you please pray with us that God will continue to direct our way to her and that He will also direct her heart to ours.

 Adoption is beautiful but it is born out of loss and heartache. It will not be easy for her to leave the only world (in the orphanage) that she's ever known for all her 7 years to come and live halfway around the globe with our crazy little family. But we are trusting God to build our family and we know that He delights to put the orphan in a home.

We'd also love for you to join us in the work to financially provide for her adoption. Our paperwork (dossier) is in China and we're awaiting our official Letter of Acceptance from China that will set off our next round of to-do's. God has richly provided for every need at every turn and we're confident he will continue to provide. It's who God is and it's what he does!!

If you would like to join us in bringing our daughter to her new family and home you can join us right here and donate through AdoptTogether. All gifts are tax deductible.

If you'd rather send us a check that's helpful too. You can send us an email or contact us through facebook for our address.

If you're a runner you may be interested in joining Glenn as he raises money and awareness through Run4Ruthie. Details coming soon. You can follow him on Facebook for more information.

THANK YOU for joining us as we work to bring our daughter home!

Tell us why you like this fundraiser

  • $25,000 One-time Goal
  • $10,301 Still Needed
  • 1 Lives Impacted

Field Partner

AdoptTogether 0
Springboro, OH, US
.
This Fundraiser has ended and is no longer accepting funding.

Fundraiser Organizer

Glenn and Julie Warner
savannah, GA, United States

Region Map

Zhengzhou, Henan, China

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Ended - December 31, 2099
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Warner Family Adoption

by Glenn and Julie Warner 1 Lives Impacted Zhengzhou, Henan, China

It began with a whisper I was afraid to hear: adoption. It was a long time ago when our children were very young, we were far away from family an...

$14,700 One-time Donations
  • $25,000 One-time Goal
  • $10,301 Still Needed
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