Speechless!

Jason and I are speechless. We are very excited to announce that with your help we are now much closer to bringing Lia home. After the final expenses have been paid we raised a total $11,441! We are forever thankful to those of YOU who have helped make this fundraiser a success. It amazes us the family, friends, and complete strangers who have come together to help bring Lia home. Because of you and the Brittnay’s Hope Grant we received Jason and I have been able to pay all of our adoption/paperwork expenses and over half of our travel expenses!! Because of you we only have $4,000 left to make the Journey to China to bring Lia home! The following poem is so very true:


“A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove, but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child…“ Forest Witcraft

Each one of you have been a blessing to our family. Know that all of you have made all the difference in Lia’s life. Because of you she will now have a family to call her own and love. A family to love her, cheer for her, support her, dance with her, and carry her to bed at night. Because of you she will have a daddy to walk her down the aisle someday. Because of you she will WALK someday! Because of you she will have as many children as her little heart wishes for. I cannot thank you enough for the fact I will soon have the daughter I prayed for many years ago. One who will bless our family more than we will ever bless her. We cannot explain how much we appreciate you help. So sleep well tonight and know that all of YOU have made the difference in the life of a precious little girl and the Kemnetz family!!

BLESINGS!

Could you be the one?

The one who steps up to the call? The one who will care? The one who will help TODAY? We are only about 4 weeks out from our fundraiser to bring Lia home. I am going to say it again, "we need your help." 

Many of you know the struggles we have endured with this adoption. If not feel free to visit Sown in My Heart and read our story from the beginning.

So once again I am calling on you, our friends, our family, our support system to help us end this journey with a MIRACLE. Jason and I have been working hard putting together a fundraiser that people would enjoy.

The Lia’s Hope Foundation Cash Bash will be held March 20th at Knights of Columbus.

There will be free food, free beer, music, raffles, black jack, hold em, and various independent sales people including Lia Sophia, Sentsy, Tastefully Simple and many more. So ladies while the men play cards you can shop till you drop! And all to hep bring Lia home.

We have been contacting several local businesses and shops to see if they would be willing to donate an item or a gift certificate for us to give away. Many of them have said yes. Look at the sidebar to see who. More and more are added each day!

Yet once again we have found ourselves not able to do it alone and in much need of help. We are callin’ out to all you softies.

All of you who wish to see Lia home and can‘t wait to watch as she grows into a beautiful young woman.

Please leave a comment or e-mail me at akemnetz@yahoo.com and let me know if you can help in any way. Keep me posted on your efforts and how I can help you.

1) We need help promoting the event. Jason and I have hung well over 200 posters around town but we still have well over 100 more to hang. Could you help? It there one hanging up where you work?

2) We need help getting people to the event. Do you have a group of friends willing to drink free beer and eat free food for a good cause.

Gather them up and head over to Knights of Columbus on Sat March 20th. Tickets will be available to purchase at the door from 6-8pm.

3) Are you crafty? We are looking for help putting together gift baskets and setting up the week of the event.

4) We are looking for independent sales people (ie Mary Kay, Tupperware, and the like) willing to donate a portion of their sales to the Lia’s Hope Foundation, to set up display tables (“parties”) at the benefit. What a great way to promote your business!

5) Want to help but can’t come the night of the benefit? We are in desperate need of themed raffle baskets.

No ideas? How about: Date night, movie night, cookie basket, home décor, workout basket, gardening basket, toy basket, candy basket, book basket, family game night basket, cooking baskets, baby basket, wine baskets, car care baskets, hair bow basket, baked goodies and MANY MANY more needed!
You will be recognized for your donations both online and at the event!

6) We would also love handmade items from any and all of you crafters out there.
You will be recognized for you donations both online and at the event!

7) Finally trust me we realize times are difficult for many! If you feel you can't do anything would you consider foregoing a lunch out or your morning coffee for a day and donating even 5 or 10 dollars to the LIA’S HOPE FOUNDATION? TRUST me on this one EVERY PENNY COUNTS. Donations can be made to the LIA’S HOPE FOUNDATION at any Homestar Bank or to the chip in on the sidebar.

I have faith that with your help, we all are going to be the reason that Lia’s dream of a forever family can come true.

Again please e-mail me at akemnetz@yahoo.com and I’ll drop off or pick up whatever you need and Thank YOU for your contributions.

So, what are you waiting for, get together with a buddy and start packing up those baskets and please send me an e-mail at akemnetz@yahoo.com to keep me posted on your efforts.

Together we can ALL make a difference FOR LIA!

Blessings!

Dear Family and Friends,

Jason and I want to share our exciting news with you! We are currently in the process of adopting a little girl from China who should be living with us by next summer!
Meet Lia LeTong Kemnetz……

Lia is the beautiful little girl who will soon be a part of our family. Jason and I are incredibly blessed to welcome Lia into our home and offer her the life changing medical interventions she needs.

Lia is a beautiful five year old little girl living in an orphanage in China. Abandoned at six months old in a hospital parking lot, she was born with club feet and radial club arms. Due to her orthopedic condition Lia is not yet able to walk, bend her knees, elbows or wrists and is dependent for most of her self care skills. That said after reviewing the video the orphanage sent us, we realize Lia is one determined little cookie! She does not let her condition slow her down by any means and has determination like few children we have ever seen. Not to mention that did you notice that MELT. YOUR. HEART. SMILE! The good news is we realize Lia’s condition is very treatable. Given the therapy and surgical interventions she needs her prognosis is extremely good.

Jason and I have fallen in LOVE with her and have been given the opportunity to offer her all the medical interventions, surgeries, and therapy she will need to grow and develop. Our home has a lot to offer little Lia with plenty of love and a mother who is an Occupational Therapist. We just wish to do all we can to offer Lia every opportunity to grow and reach her full potential.

I know some of you are thinking…WHAT?!?
When did this happen? But you see….

What you don’t realize it that years ago when Jason and I met, we talked at length about adopting a child. We both felt drawn to help children. We believed there were far to many children in the world, in desperate need of a loving home, whom we could help through adoption. It just made sense that we would welcome these little kiddos into our family. Our solution. Get married, build a nest egg, have one child and then adopt. Fast forward eleven years and here we sit with three beautiful children and have yet to fulfill the dream of adoption. Funny how life seems to have a different plan than we do!

Even with three kids, we’ve felt something missing from our family and we couldn't deny that constant tug at our hearts to adopt. I have to admit we’ve often felt like it would never happen. You see, while adoption is a wonderful way to build a family, and one I would highly recommend to all, it is not an inexpensive venture. Our adoption expenses including document preparation/translation, hiring of attorneys and other professionals, travel, hotels, passports, orphanage donations and more will cost in excess of $25,000. We are using a wonderful adoption agency called “Holt International” and have been granted a $5,000.00 adoption grant to assist with the costs of adopting Lia because of her “special needs”. So far, after our personal contributions, we will need to raise an additional $15,000 to provide for the remaining adoption expenses.

So I ask you, are we crazy? Maybe we are. While Jason and I have not been blessed financially, through all of our difficult times we have bonded strongly as a couple and a family in faith. We realize the important thing in life is not the size of your home, bank account, or the fancy vehicles you drive. What’s more important is that we are together and bonded as a family in love. All of us Nate, Emily, and Ryan included are extremely excited to adopt Lia and welcome her into our family. We hope to make a difference in her life by offering her a “forever family.” One that will support her both physically and more importantly with love.

Jason and I are taking a leap of faith as we put ourselves out there and desperately hope that our family, friends, and community will believe in what we are trying to do for Lia. While we know times are difficult for all right now, we are optimistic that people will be moved to support Lia during this time. You see this dream is not possible without complete and total faith in others. We believe if Lia is meant to be ours these letters will reach the right people and the doors will open to bring Lia home.

We realize not everyone is moved to adopt, but we hope that the hearts of those who hear Lia’s story will be touched and people will want to help with our adoption of Lia. Please consider making the difference in the life of Lia. We believe nothing could be more fulfilling as we have already been blessed in trying to Bring Lia Home and our journey in faith to get her here.
Recently we have come up with the idea of having a fundraiser to
“BRING LIA HOME”

Through this fundraiser people can make a tax-deductible donation towards Lia’s adoption expenses!

Tickets may be purchased online or via mail (see below).  We will mail you your real ticket when we receive your order.


Please email us with any questions you may have regarding our situation. We are happy to talk about this wonderful adventure.


Prayerfully consider our family in your giving this year. All we need is your help to bring Lia home. With the support of our community, we believe, our journey to bring Lia home will be a successful one. We appreciate all your prayers and support to Bring Lia Home to a family who cannot imagine living without her. May the Lord bless you as we all work together and try to make a MIRACLE happen for this precious little girl.


Thank you in advance for your prayers and support.
With full hearts,
Jason and Amanda Kemnetz
akemnetz@hotmail.com


Please Mail Check with $50 payment to:
Lia’s Hope Foundation
1458 S Sandbar Rd
Kankakee, IL 60901
(Checks can be made out to “Lia’s Hope Foundation”)
Tickets will be mailed to the address on your check