Here is our Adoption Journey so far…
We started this process of adopting 2 little girls from Liberia in April of 2022.
After visiting Liberia for 5 months in 2024, we decided to additionally adopt a little boy. This little guy, already bonded to our Liberian daughters, also became very close to our entire family during our time in Liberia, and now, life without him with us is unimaginable.
We chose Liberia because we are impressed by Liberia’s resilience and progress as a war torn country that is healing from so much. Liberia works hard to allow adoptions when necessary and to reunite families whenever possible. We are grateful Liberia is allowing us to adopt our daughters, and hopeful as we watch Liberia grow as a country.
We started this journey in April of 2022.
In May of 2023, with the help of our friends and family, church, community, and organizations like Noonday Collection, Phill the Box, Funds2Orgs, and Adopt Together, we reached our fundraising goals to make our adoption possible. At that time, we anticipated our Liberian daughters would be joining our family in 3-6 months time.
We did not get any solid updates for months, until November of 2023, when adoptions for multiple agencies, including our agency, were suspended in Liberia, which prompted our visit to bond with our kids and explore all avenues in person in February of 2024. We returned home in July of 2024 after exhausting all resources to unite our family permanently.
There are multiple political conflicts that brought adoptions to a halt in November of 2023. Although these political conflicts put Liberian children at risk, the layers of the conflicts are multifaceted and complicated beyond the adoption process itself.
As we continue to wait, we are committed to intentional international parenting. We will continue to visit as much as we can and continue to pursue every avenue to unite our family on one continent. We appreciate any encouragement as we continue to walk this road.
You have found us $1,375.00 in 10 days.
You raised $11,375.00 in 123 days.
You found 3,830 pairs of shoes in 60 days.
Keep…. … Going!
We need $7,175.00 by 8/10/22, to make it to Sadie’s 5th birthday party on 12/1/22.
Sadie is River’s little sister.
River is 6.
These 2 little girls are waiting in Africa, for us to go and pick them up. And bring them here.
We have 3,830 pairs of shoes packed.
Bring Everything. Ask Everyone.
How to adopt 2 little girls from Africa, before they celebrate another birthday without us, their parents. Without their 3 older sisters, “Middle”, “ Little” and “Original”.?
I bought a pair of shoes last year at The Run Shoppe. So did Jeremy. Jeremy loves his. Wears them all the time. Mine hurt my feet. I wanted to love them, but they hurt my feet. I know they are nice and the brand is good and all that. They just weren’t for me. Melissa. Thank you! Keep fostering.
I used my in store credit to buy 3 pairs of shoes for the merchant. Melissa gave me a box as big as my 6 year old of donated shoes. On the spot. 🙂
We have 3,830 pairs of shoes packed.
On the other side of the earth, they wait. Safely and happily, our 2 new kids, wait.
Wait for the ride home. They are playing and laughing and eating and sleeping. They are happy. They are matched. Waiting. 🙂 not orphans.
Matched.
Now we have the privilege of participating in the miracle to bring them home this year.
Bring everything. Ask everyone.
We can set a new record! How fast can 2 kids come home from Liberia? Can it be before their next birthday?
From here on out, their names are “River” (age 6) and “Sadie”(age 4).
Bring everything. Ask everyone.
River is 6. She needs a Big Boat built.
Sadie is 4. She needs lots of seeds to plant.
Build River’s Boat.
Or
Store Sadie’s Seeds.
Bring everything. Ask everyone.
Still time to find shoes. 8/5/22. We say goodbye to the shoes and put them on the truck.
To help build “River’s Boat” or help “store Sadie’s Seeds”, you are officially invited to help.
I want you to think about your favorite thing. Your greatest skill. The thing you were born to do. The thing that lights up your eyes and gets you out of your chair to tell me or show me.
That thing.
Hold it in your head.
Now tell me if anything about it fits into assisting with these kids adoption.
You likely want to help, or you would not have made it to paragraph 4.
Don’t think it won’t matter and don’t tell yourself it won’t be enough. Give it to me now. That idea. That thing that’s not money. That thing you know represents you, most.
People are good, with good intentions.
People are scared. They aren’t sure what will happen. They might run for fear that they might be right, but it’s not traditional. It’s never been done before. It may not help at all. It might be a waste of time.
Stop.
Give me the idea. It’s there. I want it. What is it?
I want to know who you are and what brought you here to my post. Whatever it is, say yes.
Tell me your idea.
Bring everything. Ask everyone.
Not because we are desperate. Not because it’s sad. We are not desperate today. We are not sad.
We are excited!
Bring everything. Ask everyone.
Because it is good. Because it is fun. Because a team is better. Because great stories happen here.
Because God has all the money in the world and He has my name written on His hand.
Because this story is still at the beginning. But I see the end.
And I see all the potential logical steps along the way. And I see what could be and what is now.
Bring everything. Ask everyone.
So I know what probably will be if God chooses it.
Even if He does not choose what we think He will choose, we will
Keep…. …..Going.
Because if it’s not what I have asked or imagined. It is more. It is better. My name is on that Big Hand that made my feet to run. To chase down these orphans and ask them if they want to stop just surviving. But thrive, as we do.
What if hundreds of people stop and listen for 4 minutes on how we thrive in Cape Coral, Florida with just shoes? Watch the video below.
This is how we connect with our homeland and use our sacred freedoms for safety, peace and prosperity.
This is we support and encourage our friends on the other side of the earth. The same way we support and encourage our neighbors, here.
Here is what we did… and here is what we hope to do.
Blessing Crews walked straight through.
It took 7 years for Liberia and the United States to open both sides for Blessing Crews to walk straight through one country to another. Thank you Blessing Crews (age 13) for your patience, as we all pursued your adoption as a team.
Blessing Crews waited for the waters of the Atlantic Ocean to part, and Blessing Crews walked straight through.
The solution to the orphan crisis and the cost and wait times to complete adoptions as I see, is simply good people with good intentions, made aware of one simple need, one day at a time.
Adoption processes are trial and error, and they change over time. We work to complete one adoption at a time, until we see less losses and more wins on childhood experiences filled with safety and peace. Somewhere along the way, we started the piggy back project idea of considering 2 adoptions for certain families with the crazy willingness and logistical capacity for 2.
Deszoe Crews ran straight through.
Deszoe Crews’ adoption process ran the race to hit the record. 7 months from orphaned to adopted from Liberia, Africa to Tennessee, USA.
Deszoe Crews’ sister’s adoption took 7 years to part the Atlantic Ocean. Deszoe saw an opening. Deszoe Crews ran straight through.
River Smith’s adoption boat floats home.
River Smith’s adoption process sees an opening to float home. River’s adoption is like a boat that floats. A boat built on a dream River has. River saw a picture of a family in Florida. River saw a pool and water and bright sun and smiling faces. River Smith’s adoption will float home. On a ferry boat that goes back and forth a boat home and back and home again for River’s hope. A hope for her orphan peers. River Smith’s adoption will build a ferry boat. A boat that floats back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean. A comfortable boat. A peaceful boat.
Sadie Smith’s adoption makes things grow. Sadie Smith boards a boat with seeds to plant and dreams to protect. Dreams of picture of a family with a house and a yard and safe dirt to plant things everywhere. Palm trees growing. Coconuts falling. Mangos waiting. Banana trees shading.
Sadie Smith seeds of hope plant roots of adoption that cannot be moved.
Sadie Smith’s adoption holds seeds of hope. Seeds that see safe dirt. Safe dirt that holds the hope that floats on a boat to wait to be planted in places of peace.
Smith family adoption project:
Build the boat to float home the seeds of hope.
Keep… Going.
River floats.
Sadie plants.
What would you like to do?
You can be here and be you. You are good. You are our people. People are good.
Be here. Be you. Join us. Adopt with us.
Adopt together.
Keep…. ….. Going.
We are on day 119 of our Adoption journey to adopt 2 little girls from Liberia, Africa.
We hope you will join us on this adventure and appreciate in advance your time to read this post. We have just a few days left to collect shoes on our funds2orgs shoe drop project. We enjoyed the shoe project a lot! I will update here the financial gains our adoption project received just as soon as the truck is packed on 8/5/22, and funds2orgs sends a check to our adoption agency a few days later.
We currently have 3,700 pairs of shoes packed and still have shoes coming in daily!
See photo below!
Our next free fundraiser is equally exciting, and does not involve shoes.
http://www.fundingfactory.com/goal/Rivers1wayticket
Follow this link to help specifically with River’s 1 way plane ticket from Liberia, Africa to Cape Coral, Florida. River is 6. Her plane ticket home at current market price is $3,055.00.
Funding factory collects used ink and toner cartridges in exchange for $$$. No cost to us or you.
We are collecting ink cartridges that would be filling your trash cans and then filling landfills. They are recyclable! And reusable, in the hands of funding factory, who receives them from the hands of the Smith family!
