About Sacred Selections
How It Started
By Dana Carrozza
This question is always included in just about every conversation that I have with people when they know of my involvement with adoptions.
The short answer… GOD. The rest of the story…
In 1992 David and I started what would eventually become a chain of Medical Laboratories called THE LAB. David had the Medical knowledge and I had the marketing skills. We set out on a journey that we never imagined would be so blessed.
Early on when patients would come in wanting a written confirmation of their positive pregnancy test I was overcome with emotion and frustration. You see they need a written confirmation for an abortion clinic to perform an abortion, but because of privacy laws we were not allowed to talk to them about anything regarding their pregnancy let alone the alternatives.
This weighed very heavy on my heart and we prayed for an answer. At this same time Melody Dickey (One of Sacred Selections Board Members) confided in me that even though they had 3 sons they would really like to adopt a child. That’s it! Maybe adoption would be an answer!
We set out on a plight to learn more about adoption. Through our search we found Mardie Caldwell of Lifetime Adoptions. The Dickey’s decided to sign with Lifetime and in just a few months found their sweet little Katie. In the meantime I had several conversations with Mardie explaining my frustration in not being able to reach the pregnant women that would come into THE LAB. She designed a pamphlet that had a pregnant girl looking out a window and above it read…
Adoption is an option.
Inside the pamphlet was information about adoption and the many choices pregnant women have that too few know about. We put the pamphlets on the counters of our Labs… a silent protest to the abomination of abortion.
That was 11 years ago and many families have been blessed because of that relationship.
We also would open our home to families who needed a place to stay during adoption proceedings. Then people started coming to us to help them with an unwanted pregnancy or an older child who needed a home.
I counsel almost daily families struggling with the unknown and frightening adoption world. So many times the young families do not have the substantial amount of money it takes to complete an adoption but have the finances to care for a child on a day to day basis.
This is what I would tell those families:
Pray
Pray and pray not that you be blessed with a child but that God uses you to help a child know of his love for him.
Meet
Meet with your Elders, Deacons and Preacher tell them of your plight and ask for their prayers and support… And then tell everyone you know for their support. This is the scary part for so many couples… they have to open up and let people know about their very private life. Many times there is an infertility issue that not all people are sensitive to. Sadly some never can accomplish this step and live a life of longing for what might have been.
Work
Start your quest for the money! Have car washes, bake sales and garage sales. Be creative, just make it very clear that all the proceeds go to adopt a child.
I always tell these families put God first and in the equation and they will see the money come.
One Sunday a family with a little infant came to worship here at Folsom and after services I introduced myself to them. We had never met face to face but this was a family that I had talked to and counseled. They introduced themselves and said “We did what you said and here is our baby!” Upon placing the baby in my arms my heart welled up with joy and I begged them to come home with us for lunch.
They said “No , we cant… we just wanted to come by and meet you and let you know first hand about our blessing. You see we did what you said and it took us 9 months exactly to get all the money together for an adoption and then we were picked by a birthmother right away! We are flying home this afternoon and all of the people who gave us money for the adoption of this child are waiting for us to welcome home our new little one. There are so many people who helped, 250, that they have had to rent a hall!
Can you imagine the joy??
All his life this child will know that 250 people loved him and helped him into a wonderful loving Christian home to learn about God. All his life these 250 people will look at him and know that they were a very special part of his life. All his life blessings will flow from the love and sacrifice of these people.
You know my children tease me and say “You think Adopted children are more Special”. And I say
“Yes… adopted children are so very special!!! Look at all the people that celebrate in the joy of the life of an adopted child. Look how it brings strangers together for bonds of love so deep sometimes not even family members can attain.”
After years of hearing young families lament that they could not afford an adoption and at the same time people wanting to know how they could help the adoptive families, It occurred to us…
Why not start a foundation?
- A foundation that would be totally separate from the Church.
- A foundation that would be a certified non-profit tax free foundation.
- A foundation whose oversight (Board) would be by members of the Lord’s Church.
- A foundation that would finance the adoptions for members of the Church.
- A foundation that people could give their monies to confident that it would go to place children in the homes of members of The Church of Christ.
SACRED SELECTIONS was born.
God’s blessings poured out on us and David and I sold THE LAB. We can think of no better way to give back but by helping innocent souls who would maybe not have had the chance to know God by starting their life in a Christian home.
We pray that you understand the vision and that you will feel as we do that we ALL need to help these little innocent souls know God.
Charitable Status
Sacred Selections, Inc. is incorporated in Tennessee as a 501(c)3 charitable organization, EIN 20-0244936.