Challenge: Are you ONE of the THOUSAND????

Here’s my challenge:  We need one thousand people to consider giving $25 towards bringing our son home.  We anticipate the costs to be approximately $25,000.  Can you help us out?  Can you rally some of your friends?  Do you want to participate in a blessing?

Honestly fundraising this time around and searching for grants is going to be very difficult.  We just don’t have the same amount of time as before.  Our home study amendment is going very quickly and we already have a stack of documents ready to go over to Eastern Europe.  We anticipate a much quicker process.

Now to the blessing!!!!  I can give testimony of what your $25 will do for this boy and yes, if you would like you can give more.  We all know it is better to give than to receive but many blessings come with giving.   Not only will you be a blessing this child, but in return you will get to see hope and love develop in the eyes of a little boy that will have a FOREVER family.  He will no longer be an orphan!

I have seen first hand what adoption can do.  I have seen over these past few months of our newest additions being home, a sparkle in their eyes, a smile from ear to ear and a joy in their hearts.  They are no longer left in hopelessness and they will be forever loved!  I am truly amazed at how far they have come in such a short period of time.  We are actually the ones who are being blessed by these children.  We still have a challenging journey ahead with them but they will always have unconditional love.  As a family we are committed to always move forward and follow God’s direction for our family.  We are also committed to bringing this boy home.

For all of you who played a part in our first adoption here are some recent pictures of Eliyanah Viktoriah and Kevin Michael:

Donations can be made by going to:

http://reecesrainbow.org/90484/sponsorbowling-2

(online donations incur a 3% fee)

or mail your donations directly to:

Reece’s Rainbow

PO Box 277

Monrovia, MD 21770

(*please include Bowling Family on your check)

Where He leads . . . (exciting NEWS)

Some exciting news for the Bowling Family!!!!!

As a family we have decided to adopt again.  As we proceed forward there are many scriptures that come to mind. 

John 10: 4 – When he has brought his own sheep outside, he walks on before them and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

John 8:12 – Once more Jesus addressed the crowd.  He said, I am the Light of the world.  He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life

James 1:27 – External religious worship that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this:  to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world.

This is not an undertaking that we, as a family, take lightly.  Richard and I began praying about what we should do.  Remember, we had already received approval for three children from USCIS.  We tried on our trip to Eastern Europe to bring home three children but were unable to do so.  However, we brought home two wonderful additions to our family.  Honestly, I was the one who stated, “I will not return and adopt again, if we can’t bring home three now then two is all we will ever adopt.”  Adoption is not an easy road!!!  Also we sometimes have to do those things we swore we would never do.  Never say never!!!!

Over these past two months, God has been working in my heart.  In the back of my mind I knew there was already an approval and that approval would expire if we did not act on it.  There was a tugging at my heart for a little boy that we had desired to add to our first adoption but were unable to do so.  Also, my heart was very concerned on how this could even be possible.  Who would care for our children and with our newest additions, how could I leave them for an extended period of time?  God spoke to me this scripture:

Luke 15:4 - "Suppose one of you has 100 sheep and loses one of them. He leaves the 99 in the wilderness and looks for the one that is lost until he finds it, doesn't he?"

It took awhile for this to sink into my heart.  Soon I began to feel that this child was one we had lost, but it took some time for me to believe I could leave the eight children we now have at home.  Then God said to me “look at this scripture carefully.”  He left the 99 in the wilderness.  Now I’m not leaving my children in the wilderness but God told me they would be just fine.

I have to say it still took some time for me to take that step of faith and believe God was calling our family to adopt again.  Richard and I began to discuss the possibility and pray God would give clear direction.  He then spoke these scriptures to me:

Proverbs 3:27 - Withhold not good from those to whom it is due [its rightful owners], when it is in the power of your hand to do it. 

James 4:17 - So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin.  

We talked it over with our children, who were very receptive of the idea and determined we would take the step of faith to begin the process again.  We have decided that I will travel to Eastern Europe to complete this adoption.  We believe this is the best decision for our children.  By the way, if any one is interested I would love to have a travel companion.  The process to adopt should go much quicker than our previous adoption and we will also need to raise the financial support in a shorter amount of time.  We would appreciate your prayers and support.

We are very excited and can’t wait to bring home a little boy to his  FOREVER family!!!!

All donations can be made thru our FSP at:

http://reecesrainbow.org/sponsorbowling-2

Our Deepest THANKS

A special thank you from the Bowling Family

     We want to thank each of you who have played a big part in our adoption process!  We feel truly blessed by your generosity, either by prayer, financial support, providing a meal, transportation and your kind words of encouragement.  We are honored that God chose us to take this journey and feel blessed by the overwhelming support of His people to help make this adoption become a reality. As supporters, in this process, you, as well, took this journey with us. Everyone played a part in what God called each of us to do.  Our hearts are blessed in knowing two beautiful children now have HOPE and will forever be loved by a family.

     We traveled across the ocean, 6,125 miles, to two different orphanages in the Dnepropetrovsk region of the Ukraine.   The journey was long and difficult, but now that we are home it was so worth it. We persevered in times of difficulty knowing God would not let us down!  We had times where we felt fear and shed many tears, but we never gave up! We were asked many times "why do you want to adopt these children?" This was a country where these children faced a life without hope. They were labeled as worthless, left alone, they were controlled, sedated and most of all unloved.  God has great plans for these two children and they are now forever labeled, loved and cherished!!!

     This journey is not over for us as we begin the process of joining together as a family with our newest additions. Our daughter still needs time to learn what a mom, dad and family are. She has never had this in her life. For almost seven years she has lived a life of neglect, labeled as a wild animal and controlled in many ways. She had never dressed herself, been potty trained, or learned many things we take for granted daily. She is now discovering many firsts and learning how to enjoy childhood.  She just celebrated her very first birthday as she turned 7 years old on February 27th.

     Our son is also experiencing the love of a family.  He is no longer left in a crib alone and unspoken to.  He has had his heart defect repaired and is on the road to recovering.  Kevin Michael is 10 months old and will have his first birthday on April 28th. His smile will light up a room!

     Thank you once again for all of your prayers and support. Our God is ALWAYS faithful and will always be    with us along this journey we call life!!!

The Bowling Family (Richard, Lisa, Aria, Mariah, Josh, Matthew, Judah, Micah, Jordan, Amber, Eliyanah, Reece and Kevin Michael