Orphan Sunday…introducing Our Soon-to-be-Son!

Source: Hope for Orphans

It's Orphan Sunday today and I am bursting at the seams to introduce you to our newest son!!!
I announced last week that we have been moved by God to adopt again, and we are branching out into a scary new special need: cancer. 
And the questions began…so let me offer up some details!
As of last week, we have officially been approved by his home country to adopt him!

He currently lives in an orphanage that partners with Half the Sky in a provincial city in China.
He is almost 2 years old. (He will be our caboose!)
He is adorable. (and we know we are a bit partial!)
He will be given the English name Gable. (Daddy named him!) Gable is an awesome name we've never heard ever (yes!!) and it means "Strong man of God."
Perfect.
And now…for his pictures:

These were the first I ever saw…the ones that Toby exclaimed, "Oh Mommy! I LOVE him!" about. It is this non-smiling picture that I realized he was ours. That face. That sweet, sweet, uber precious face!!!!
Gable was only 14 months old in these pictures. Since then, there was a visit to his orphanage where I was able to grab this picture from the end of a video where he smiled. This was taken just this past August at 19 months of age:

WHAT. A. CUTIE. PATOOTIE. (I know!!)
So, now you have a face for whom to pray. And we will begin fundraising ASAP!
The other question people want to know is WHEN. We pray that we could get all our clearances and funds to bring him home during the summer next year. Please join us in this prayer.
So happy to have yet another orphan on his way home to his FOREVER FAMILY!!! My arms are aching to hold and snuggle this precious one!

Foster Care and Adoption Support {Orphan Sunday Special}

James 1:27 commands believers to "look after orphans and widows in their distress."
How do we do that, church?
Do we all HAVE to adopt???
Absolutely not.
Recently someone said to a group about us, "If you know Brian and Amy, you'll know they are passionate about adoption. If you hang around them long, you'll become convinced too that you should adopt. They think EVERYONE should adopt!"
He was being facetious of course, but I wanted to highlight the fact that there are MANY MANY ways to love on orphans and support the families that have made these orphans their sons and daughters. 
And for the record, we do NOT think everyone should adopt.
Adoption is a calling. You only do it if God calls you into it. Why? Because you will only survive it by God's power in you. I wrote a post about it recently, you can read that HERE.
You should adopt only if becoming a healing home for wounded children sounds appealing to you. Because it is waaaaaaay more than just fundraising and filling out mountains of paperwork. Just as parenting is way more than pregnancy tests and stretchy pants. It's a lifelong commitment to a child whose beginnings are broken.
Have you lost a grandparent? An aging parent or sibling? Perhaps you've been like us and have lost a child...or three.
But...can you imagine being a child yourself and losing your family?
Being utterly defenseless in the harsh world...with no one to dry your tears and tell you it's going to be alright.
Because so far, it hasn't been.
I know how hard it was to bury our son, and I was an adult with a strong marriage and wonderful friends and family supporting me. 
But being a young child without those support systems? Imagine being one of these children who shivers tonight, eating dirt to fill their bellies just so they can sleep and not be pestered by their hunger.
When we adopt these precious treasured children, their pain comes with them. Even babies adopted at birth suffer loss.
Parenting a child with loss is a serious challenge. And it's not one the family can do alone.
Today, on Orphan Sunday, I want to issue a call to support adoptive and foster families.

Because not EVERYONE is called to do the adopting. Some are meant to be support. And let me tell you, from one who has adopted and is supported...I could not do what I do for my family without that support.
I simply could not.
What does it look like to support a family who has said yes to foster or adoptive children?
I asked a woman who is actively supporting a local family in our church family to brainstorm some ways to help and she had some wonderful insight. Listen to what she shared with me: 
"First we should be in prayer about how God wants us to partner with these families and then we should go where he leads and interject ourselves into their daily lives.  
I think the best thing is to be available.  In my experience with working with the family I support, I try to never be in a position that I cannot add one or two of the little people into my day. I have car seats that I purposely keep in my car.  
You have to be assertive at times because the mommy with an army of kids does not even have a clue as to how you can help so don't ask them what can I do...give them options. For example: "I want to help you right now...I could take one or more of your children for a while, I could take some laundry and do it or I could sit here with them while you go out for a while." Often and open ended question to an overloaded mom is only more frustrating.  
Set up ongoing plans. Offering to do laundry weekly for a given amount of time, doing routine yard work, helping with house work are all great ideas.
Impromptu help such as giving a call when going to the store and asking what could you pick up for her today, or taking momma a special treat during the day since she doesn't get out much. Simply sitting with her for some adult conversation. Taking lunch for her and all her kiddies. Sitting with the little people while she goes and takes a nice long interrupted shower. Setting up a date night on the calendar and arranging care for all the little ones. Getting a list from mom of special people she would want or need to be contacted in case of such an event.  
Also, getting a team behind you to be your go to people is helpful. I believe God does not call everyone to adopt but us all being part of the body of Christ should be part of adoptions to help in parenting these children and ultimately turning their lives around and becoming part of the body of Christ too. 
We all need to be prayerful as to HOW we fit into adoption/foster/orphans lives not IF we do."

I couldn't agree more. We are the body of Christ TOGETHER. Some of us are called to the role of adoptive parent, and some are called to help finance the actual adoption. Some are called to be the friend who gives adult conversation and laughter, others are the nitty gritty hands-on servants who occasionally lift the load of the daily grind.
Look around. There are families around you serving the foster kids in your county. Go find them and offer support. Find the adoptive families and pray about your role in their lives.
How might you help? I know from these people who support that they are blessed in their role as much as I am blessed in my role as adoptive parent.
Start by asking God. He's got the best ideas and no doubt some amazing plan for you and the lives of others. 
Oh, and if YOU ARE the adoptive/foster family--LET OTHERS IN TO HELP YOU. Seriously, get over yourself. Yes, your house is a mess. No, you haven't looked in the mirror since 6 am. Yes, they know you have dirty laundry and dirty dishes. LET THEM HELP YOU ANYWAY. 
Both sides will delight in experiencing the blessing of being the Body of Christ to one another. Pray about it...and let Him begin weaving you together.

It's Orphan Sunday...

It's Orphan Sunday...

...and I cannot stay silent.

There are a thousand ways to honor the fatherless in the world...but I'm going to suggest just 

Source

One way to make the biggest difference in the most places around the planet...and specifically in your own heart.

One thing to do that will move heaven.

One thing that you can do while you wash the Sunday dishes.

One thing that you can do to bring hope and healing to the hearts of the millions of orphans around the world today.

Source

Pray.

That's right, prayer unleashes the power of God. We are commanded to pray about all things...and I suggest that today as a way of honoring the dear children who have no voice and no ability to speak up for themselves.

Using a suggested prayer guide from Katie Davis who works in Uganda with some of the neediest orphans and children in the world, I urge you to not just read this but to PRAY.


-Pray for the children in our world with no parent at all, with one parent, or with absent parents – that they will be comforted by our mighty God and will feel hope today.

-Pray for an 

increased awareness for the needs of vulnerable children in your own community, and for God to reveal to you how you might help.

-Pray that God would inspire His people – both your church and the Church worldwide - to speak up for the fatherless and become active in foster care, adoption, and global orphan care.

-Pray for Amazima’s outreach in Uganda to the vulnerable children we encounter. Pray that we serve well, love generously, and always direct them to Jesus Christ. Pray also for other parachurch ministries that are responding to Christ’s call to serve the widow and the fatherless around the world.

-Seek the Lord and ask whether He might want you to be the family for a child who does not have one.

You never know how your simple obedience in prayer will impact the world! Well, I take that back, you WILL know...but not till the other side of heaven! 

Get your kids involved in praying for orphans! Some of the biggest mountains I've seen moved have been as a result of the powerful, faith-filled prayers of a CHILD! One precious mommy I know prays with her children each morning, "Lord, how can we love on orphans today?" I can tell you that they have seen God move in BIG WAYS.

My prayer is that many who would not have normally prayed for the fatherless of this country and all over the world will be moved to do MORE than they have in the past.

I love when the people of God pray to Him about things on His heart! The results are amazing! (I look at our own Zeb and see how true this is!) 

Creative Love for Orphans

Tomorrow is Orphan Sunday.

What a great idea! Focus the people in the church to care for the millions of children around the world who would desperately love to join a family.

Oh Lord, please answer these sweet children's heartfelt prayers!

What can you do for orphans?

Become their forever family!

You are not ready to foster or adopt, you say.

That's okay.

Start where you are. You'll be surprised there are MANY ways to care for orphans that you never thought about!

You already know you can pray and give to organizations who are working with God's most precious children. And you can always donate directly to families who are adopting. That was a huge blessing in our own story.

But did you know you can do other things too?

Like what?

My dear friend is a foster mom with a heart of gold. She brainstormed this awesome and practical list of how to help a foster child and their family:

Pray: Choosing to foster is a decision that affects every member of the family. There are adjustments fro everyone. Additionally, the children in care have often only known abuse. But Jesus is bigger than any challenges that arise! Pray for healing for the children, for their biological parents to rehabilitate, the Holy Spirit's discernment for foster parents and God's covering over foster families.

Drive: Foster parents do a lot of driving to and from appointments: doctor, dental, and visits with the birth family, etc. Helping with transportation would really be a blessing!

Encourage: Gracious or encouraging words can be LIFE-giving! (Many foster moms are met with admonishing words to "be careful" rather than being lifted up and encouraged!)

Mentor: Take interest in a foster child. People of all ages can teach them a hobby, babysit, bake cookies together, offer to help with homework or teach life skills such as balancing a checkbook.

Serve: Many times accepting a new foster care placement is an emergency situation and families are harried. Offering to help with small tasks such as organizing a pantry, cooking, or laundry can really lighten the load and help the foster family and new child adjust.

Donate: Did you know that many children arrive at a foster home with their belongings thrown into trash bags? You can donate items such as suitcases, school supplies, clothes, shoes or even toys. Be sure that you are donating items in good repair. (If you wouldn't want your own children to wear it, don't send it to foster care agencies or foster families.)

Great ideas, friend!!

Did you know that you can do many of these for adoptive families as well? We were blessed so greatly by the people that brought us meals when we first came home. Coming over and handling laundry or grocery shopping for a family in their adjustment period is a BIG blessing!

Another "classic" way to help orphans is to find a trustworthy organization and sponsor a child. I am thrilled to begin my sponsorship of a 14 year old girl I met and fell in love with while in Uganda! She and I met while I visited one of the prisons that Sixty Feet works with...and she shared her story and I was broken for her. (If only I could have adopted her too!) Please consider SPONSORING A CHILD from the Sixty Feet site or Compassion or World Vision. Make an ongoing difference in the life of a child without leaving your living room!

Did you know you can also SHOP to benefit orphans?! I created a list of people selling online things that will have the proceeds benefit orphans. 

Shopping List to Help Orphans!

Handcrafted, personalized jewelry with all proceeds benefitting Joel and Lisa Bailey’s Ethiopian adoption!

www.munchkinmama.com Now through November 25, 2011.

Glass Christmas ornaments. Benefit a family adopting 2 children who have been stuck in Uganda for 7 months without income.

www.makingroomformoore.blogspot.com

Tee shirts of many varieties are sold and benefit individual adopting families. Here is a browsing list:

http://gracekeepsme.blogspot.com/p/t-shirts_25.html

http://www.thebrownbrigade.com/p/adoption-store.html

http://hopeshirts.blogspot.com/

http://www.projecthopeful.org/shop/

More jewelry! All benefiting the world’s orphans.

http://www.funkyfishdesigns.com/

Ugandan made paper bead necklaces. Made by children in the prisons Sixty Feet works with...proceeds benefitting a family’s Ugandan adoption.

http://lovewithrecklessabandonment.blogspot.com

Bible study bags, adorable coffee sleeves that benefit a family adopting one of Zareb's friends from his orphanage!

 http://www.etsy.com/shop/Nebraskaree 

Hats, gloves, scarves--FASHION that benefits the world’s orphans along with home items and jewelry!

http://www.sarabrinton.noondaycollection.com/ambassador-sarabrinton.html

Tee shirts, jackets, dolls, totes, bracelets that help bring home orphans from China! This is Stephen Curtis Chapman’s organization.

http://store.showhope.org

Buy the amazing book Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis and 50% of the proceeds benefit her incredible work with orphans in Uganda. This and so much more at 

http://www.147millionorphans.com (Book sales only during the month of November!)

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”                              James 1:27 

Countdown is on! November 6 is Orphan Sunday!

As you will see, just because we adopt one child does not mean the work is over. Orphan Sunday will be held on November 6, 2011.

I hope to help raise awareness for the needs of these precious ones around the world.

Will you join me?