how you can support our adoption {part 1: financial support}

I wasn't going to devote a post of its own to donations, but many of you have asked, so here goes...

Here's the reality: bringing home Zoe Amanda will cost somewhere between $20,000 and $25,000, once you add together everything: court fees, travel costs, paperwork expenses, translations of documents, and so on. We had some money set aside and a savings plan in place for adoption, but we weren't planning to start the process until late fall 2012 and we were expecting a typical slow process rather than the fast-tracked (and exciting!) one set before us.

In other words, we don't have all the money we hoped to have saved and we don't have a long process in which to make up for that through a variety of innovative and carefully spread out fundraisers.

If you had asked us two weeks ago about our plans for adoption, our answer wouldn't have sounded anything like the exciting news we posted on Tuesday. Everything has developed so far in ways we never could have imagined and with speed we didn't know was possible in international adoption, and we are trusting that the finances will come together too. (God has already moved mountains to bind us to Zoe Amanda, so what's one more?)

Today and next week I'll be posting about prayer and practical support you can offer without a single penny. We've been asked enough times in the past couple of days about donations, though, that I figured it was time for a post to share how you can offer that kind of support if you are interested and able to do so:

Morning Light Home offers a way for those who wish to help with our adoption expenses to make a tax-deductible donation. A check can be written to "Central Missionary Clearinghouse" and mailed to the address below with an attached note that the funds be applied to "Deana and Luke Pan at Morning Light Home in Taiwan," and you will then receive a tax receipt for your donation. To make sure the donation is credited to our adoption, please send an email to Jeff Land at mlhadoption@gmail.com with our name (The Dingles) and the amount of the donation. Unless you indicate otherwise, Jeff will share your name with us so that we can thank you, but we will not know the amount given. The address for donations is:

Central Missionary Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 219228 
Houston, TX 77218-9228 

From my experiences with fundraising for the NC Children's Hospital and a couple other non-profits, I know small amounts can add up, so we'd appreciate any gift, no matter the size. Just make sure a separate note is included with the check so that the money is directed to Morning Light Home and an email is sent to the address above with our name and the amount so that our adoption is credited with the donation.

Also, we'll be having a silent auction in conjunction with the one fundraiser we have planned - our Chick-fil-a fundraising night (March 22 from 5-8pm at Chick-fil-a at Falls Village) - so if you know anyone who could donate something - like an item, gift card, service, or week at a beach or mountain home - please email me at shannon@dinglefest.com. 

The greatest gifts you can give us, though, are prayer and encouragement. Thank you for already providing that!