Maples Family Fundraiser

On February 27, I logged into my Facebook and began reading various status updates in my newsfeed.  I happened upon the following post from my friend, Sarah:

Please pray for Ivy’s broken heart.  We got an estimate for our airline tickets to China today and it’s over double what we were budgeting for.

Just her ticket is $2,500!  We had to tell her unless there’s a miracle she won’t be able to go.  I cried right along with her.  :(

As I read these words, I imagined how my own daughters might feel if we were adopting again and they were unable to travel with us because of lack of funds.  I thought about it for a minute and decided that the answer was to start a fundraiser to help Ivy be able to go to China with her parents.  Because this is likely their final adoption, and may be their last trip to China, this could quite possibly be Ivy's only opportunity to visit her homeland.  I would hate for her to miss this opportunity to not only see some of her homeland but to experience the addition of her new sister from China through being there for the adoption experience with her parents. 

So here I sit in my home in Tennessee, thinking about Ivy, and about Coral (called Callie by their agency) and how neat it would be to see a photo of them hugging for the first time in China in just a few months.  Together, with your help, we can help make this dream of Ivy's come true...and we can help make that opportunity to see these new sisters hugging for the first time a reality.  So, how do we do this?  We donate - any amount helps.  Here's the specifics of the funds they need - and a little more about their family, their adoption and about sweet Coral.  I believe after you read this, you'll agree with me that helping this family will bless you beyond measure. 

In closing, I'd ask that you please do the following:

Pray for Coral.

Pray for the Maples family and their adoption.

Pray that Ivy's dream of going to China will become a reality.

Pray for this fundraiser that our goal will be met quickly!

DONATE - any amount helps!  There are several ways to donate (see below for more info on how to donate).

SPREAD THE WORD so that others can help!  Share on Facebook, Twitter, email, etc.  Just think, if 100 people share this page with 10 people each, we will quickly reach 1,000 people.  If those people share with 10 people each, we'll reach 10,000 people.  If half of those people gave just $1.70 each, we'd reach our goal.  Yes, I know 5,000 might not donate....that's why we need YOU to donate.  YOU, ME and THOSE THAT DO CHOOSE TO MAKE A DONATION will make up the difference.  TOGETHER we can do this.  Give what you can - whether its $1 or $1,000, every dollar will help bring Coral home and help the Maples family (and sweet Ivy) go to China to complete Coral's adoption.   

The Maples Family Story

Jonathan and Sarah met on Mother’s Day 1999 and were married less than a year later. Almost from the start they knew that adoption was going to be the method they would use to grow their family. In 2005 they brought home Samuel from India and through an odd set of occurrences Ivy from China at the end of the same year. While on these trips they saw the huge need of the orphans looking for a forever family, and felt especially connected to children with special needs. So in 2006 they adopted Ian from China who was born with sever bilateral cleft lip and palate. In 2008 they felt the call to adopt again and brought home Iris, who has a hand deformity, from Guatemala. Most recently in 2009 Jonathan and Sarah adopted Grace, who has Down Syndrome, from Serbia.

Now Jonathan and Sarah are feeling the call again to adopt a child with Down Syndrome. They immediately fell in love with "Callie" from China and have started down the path to bring her home. In addition to being an amazing addition to their family she would be a wonderful companion to grow together with Grace.  "Callie" will be named Coral when the adoption is complete.  Coral turned 8 years old this past Monday. 

Reece's Rainbow has generously offered grant money towards Callie's (Coral's) adoption.  So far, the amount raised for this grant is $11,144.95!  This will cover the balance of the adoption agency fees and the orphanage donation but there are still additional funds needed for travel expenses (airfare alone will be around $9,500 including Ivy's ticket) and in country expenses (meals, lodging, tax, medical exam for Coral, etc.).  The Maples family needs about $8,500 more to make sure their adoption is fully funded and that Ivy gets her ticket to go to China with them!  They have been actively raising funds by having fundraisers with Sarah's Premier Jewelry business, holding online auctions (items such as jewelry, 31 bags, etc.) and a t-shirt fundraiser.  Sarah recently taught herself to crochet and is  making and selling these beautiful handmade scarves.  These are all ways you can still help -- order some jewelry, buy a scarf, donate for the next online auction -- in addition to making a monetary donation. 

Sarah shared the following with me after I told her that I wanted to set up this page and try and help them with the fundraising for the airfare and other expenses related to the adoption:

We knew going into this adoption that God would need to provide the financing and we fully believe He will! So we think if we can raise $8,500, we should be fully funded. We do have a very small savings but we will also need a larger vehicle as our van only holds 7! 

We feel so very strongly about Ivy going that I'm just sick.  Ivy is 9, only 13 months older than Coral.  She is super intelligent, very obedient and calm natured. Coral and Ivy are both very girly.  She was adopted at 10 months old from China.  She can't wait to get Coral and every bit of money Ivy has received for birthdays, etc., since we started the adoption, she has given to us and said "this is for Coral" -- she's contributed $70 already!  She's truly amazing and I couldn't be more proud of her!

We feel by her coming along on the trip, she and Coral will get a jump start on getting to know each other before Coral meets the rest of the crew.  Coral will already have a "friend" when we get home and we believe this will make her feel more secure. 

When I told Ivy that you offered to help raise money for her ticket, she just beamed!  Here is a photo of Ivy, wearing one of the scarves I made for Coral's Fundraiser." 

Their dossier was "logged in" on 2/12/2014.

Meet Coral

Click on photos to enlarge. 

Donate Now

You can donate in several different ways including PayPal (send money as a gift to the family by using their Paypal ID ( sjomaples@yahoo.com ), or by making a TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation through Reece's rainbow here.  Reece's Rainbow is an organization that helps families afford adoption of special needs children with Downs Syndrome.  The funds raised so far will go towards agency fees and the orphanage donation.   

Purchase a Scarf from Sarah

Order one of these beautiful scarves, in your choice of color, from Sarah for just $20.00 each.  All funds from the proceeds of scarf sales will go towards the family's adoption expenses.  To order, email Sarah.

Click on photos to enlarge.