Anybody Want To Buy An Ultrasound Machine With Me?

A little over a week ago I received an email from a friend in China with a newspaper article attached.  I honestly have no idea what the article says or is even about, but I do know that the picture printed with the article contains the face of one little boy our household just loves – Jack!  Needless to say, I was thrilled to see the picture as we have not received an update or new photos from the orphanage since January 7 (but who’s keeping track? Ha!), but I was intrigued by the fact the email’s subject line read “Re:  Ultrasound”.  I couldn’t figure out why this particular friend would send me an email about an ultrasound.  So, being purely human, I started scrolling down to figure things out.

It did not take me long to see that the email I had received was actually the last of an email conversation between my friend and another person there in China.  The earlier conversation had revolved around the need for a portable ultrasound machine at the orphanage Jack resides at, as well as a few others in the province, and had ended with the other individual letting my friend know about the newspaper article that had ultimately been forwarded to me.  Thus the subject line.

Well, you know me.  Once I see something that needs to be done I can’t do much else but try to figure out how to get it accomplished.  The general gist of the ultrasound communication was that the orphanages were really in need of the portable ultrasound equipment and apparently Show Hope was hoping to help with the acquisition of one.  It didn’t seem that this was a project that had been completed, but sounded more as if it was “in the works.”  Included in the emails, however, was a general pricing idea of the desired ultrasound and let’s just say it was more than just a few thousand dollars.  A definite need, but a definite pricey proposition as well.   So, this whole ultrasound thing really had nothing to do with me except that the information had wound up in my inbox and I could not shake the feeling that it had wound up there for a reason. 

As I went about my to-do list for the day, I simply couldn’t put it out of my mind so when I got to the point on my list that read “fund-raising tithe” an idea popped into my head.  As most of you know, it has been our commitment from the beginning to tithe 10% of all money we raise through our adoption fund-raising efforts to Show Hope.  I don’t say that to brag in any way, but we have been very open about this fact and feel very strongly that God directs us each to return the first fruits of any of our labors to Him.  That said, I had some money in our adoption account from the consignment sale and various other recent deposits that needed be forwarded along.  I typically work with the same two people at Show Hope when sending money to determine if there is a particular need at that time or if the money should simply be designated for where it is most needed.  This particular day I decided to see if there was a way to help out with the potential ultrasound project.  Keep in mind I really didn’t even know if the project really existed or was just conversation, but I simply couldn’t shake it from my mind so I had to ask.

What I quickly found out was that there truly was a pending portable ultrasound machine in the works as a result of a grant that Show Hope had received.  My question as to whether our forthcoming check could be credited toward that project, however, was a bit harder to answer as it was not an offer to underwrite the entire expense but merely a two hundred or so dollar donation toward the effort.  Before my contact at Show Hope could assure me that our check would be easily put toward the machine she wanted to check with the finance people to be sure we wouldn’t be creating confusion down the line in any way.  That was fine with me, of course, so I went about waiting for an answer to my query. 

What I also learned along the way, however, was that due to the grant Show Hope had received in relation to the machine desired, the entire cost of the project was $2000.  Yep, $2000!  A mere fraction of the actual sticker price of such a machine.  I also learned that the project really wasn’t open to public knowledge or involvement so it was somewhat secret in that way.  Needless to say, I found this entire situation absolutely incredible.  I believe my exact response to the actual cost was “That is CRAZY!  Crazy – amazing that is!”  And I should probably mention here as well that I kinda said I wished it wasn’t a secret because I would gladly shout the need from the mountaintops and raise the two thousand dollars needed to cover the entire affair.  Guess I’m not too good at keeping secrets, huh?

Well, as you probably all know at this point, the answer to that last question is a big fat NO.  I did not keep the secret, but what I did do was create a new one.  I did  not receive a quick response to whether our tithing check could be easily credited toward this project, but I was somewhat glad that I did not.  What I did receive was a later email sharing that the project wasn’t so much a secret as just something being undertaken off the radar as to not pull resources or focus away from the major aspects of long-term, sustained support for Show Hope as a whole.  In my world, the one where I could just feel God telling me He let me in on this for a reason, that was all I needed to hear in order to feel comfortable shouting from those mountaintops.  Okay, whispering from the mountaintops so that Show Hope wouldn’t know what I was doing and would thus be surprised later – but you get the idea.   =)

So, there it was.  A need, a passion and a little bit of permission.  I told Dan that evening that I really wanted to come up with all of the money needed to pay for this machine and he was fully behind my efforts.  He exact response was, “I know you do.  I say:  Go for it!”  So I did!.  With a whole lot of excitement and more than a little prayer, mind you.  =)

I sent out an email to all of my Monday adoption update recipients minus those who work for or were spending the weekend with Show Hope.  (This was the same time that Show Hope was putting together their Cinderella event so a few of my email folks were literally spending the weekend with Show Hope.)  I also posted a message to several Jack-adoption supporting non-Monday updaters through facebook.  I really wanted this to be a surprise so I was trying to keep things quiet while still getting the word out.  My idea was to collect the money without telling anyone on the Show Hope end.  Then, when I sent in the tithing check I had already spoken with them about, I would simply send in all of the money rather than a small portion of it and let them be surprised when the envelope was opened and the full amount revealed.  My challenge – come up with the money in just ten days so that I could mail the money envelope in a timely fashion in relation to the conversation I had already started about the money.  Dan and I pledged to begin the collection with a check for $250; that left us with $1750 to collect in just 10 days.

The first day I had a couple of people reply that they would be putting a check in the mail or had a bit of cash to drop by.  This, to me, was quite the promising beginning.  After two days I had collected $150.  By day six our total was up to $869.  By the end of day seven we sat at $1114.  After checking our mailbox on day eight, our total had risen to $1369 and I felt it was time for one more plea for help.  I send out another mass message letting people know that we were only $631 short of our goal, and had only two days left to collect.  Then I said about fifty-five more prayers for success, faith and patience.  Next, I sent out another message through facebook, this time reading “Letting go.  Trusting God.”  Then I walked away from my computer and vowed not to look at it again for several hours.

When I finally returned to my email a few hours later I was stunned with what I found.  I had two emails.  The first was from a woman stating that she was putting a check in the mail for $250.  I couldn’t believe it, now we were just $381 shy of the prize.  After responding to this message with a huge thank you, I opened the second email and was further stunned.  This time the message was that a check for $300 had also just been mailed.  In just a matter of hours our shortfall had dropped from $631 all the way down to $81!  And the miracles weren’t over yet.  At approximately 5 pm that evening I walked past my computer and noticed that I had a new message in my inbox.  This time it was a pending donation from our PayPal account connected with this blog site.  The donation was for $100 which put us over the top and sealed the deal.  We could officially surprise Show Hope with not only $2000, but with a few extra dollars as well.  I could hardly control myself I was so excited!!

Well, to be perfectly honest, I must admit to all that I couldn’t keep this secret either.  This all occurred by Thursday evening and I simply could not wait until Monday to mail off the money and then wait even longer while the envelope made its way to Tennessee to let Show Hope know what had been accomplished.  I had to tell!  I simply had to tell.  So I did.  By the time I got ready to spill the beans it was after office hours on Thursday night so I sent out an email letting my contact know that not only would we be sending the original amount I had quoted, but we would also be sending the additional funds needed to cover the full amount needed.  The response, as you would expect, was one of surprise but great pleasure.  I quickly explained where the money had came from and also voiced my hopes that I would not be blacklisted somehow for sneaking around.  I think I am okay in that regard, but I guess that still remains to be seen.  =) 

And now I just have to wait until tomorrow to get the last couple checks in the mail and put together the entire package for mailing.  Hurray!

So, what have I learned in all of this?  Well, I guess I have simply been encouraged again to follow my heart and jump when God says "Jump!".  There is absolutely no way I could have collected $2000 in just eight days without the help of our Heavenly Father.  Believe me, I know, I’m the crazy fund-raising lady, remember.  But collect $2000 I did, and I am forever grateful to each and every person who helped bring this together.  Yes, my last few donations were sizeable ones, but I had many smaller donations as well and the total would not be what it is without every dollar contributed from those with Show Hope ties and those without.  I cannot truly begin to express how much I appreciate the prayers and support of each person standing with me to close this gap.  God is GOOD and His love endures forever!!

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.  Ephesians 1:19-20.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
   for His steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
   for His steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
   for His steadfast love endures forever

                                             Psalm 136:1-3