Why adoption? One adoptive father
from our ministry shares what adoption has meant to him, his family, and his
little girl (originally posted by Karl
Shreeves):
This shot of my daughter is worth a
million to me, but not because it’s a nice photo. Certainly people relate to
it, and they’ve given me kind words about her gleeful expression, or how it
takes them back to when Daddy pushing you on a swing was one of life’s greatest
joys. Her delight’s genuine, and you can see it. But, while it’s great to
create a good image, there are many things that are more important.
What makes this image special is
that in it we see changed lives – my daughter’s, my wife’s and mine. We adopted
my daughter. I can’t imagine what it’s like for anyone to grow up without
loving parents, but it makes me wonder whether she would have had moments like
these. On the other hand, I now know what my wife and I would have missed;
thinking what might not have been makes me weep.
Too many children grow up without
families. There are about 163million orphans in the world who have lost one or
both parents (and one is too many). Consider, on the other hand, that there are
about 1.4 billion families (households) if only about 1 in 9 [families] adopted
one child – we could close every orphanage! Not every household can do so, but
others would (and do) adopt two or more. And, of the 163 million orphans, many
still have a parent and a viable family if we worked to help them remain in
family and reunite with family. My point is that this should be a solvable
problem.
To be direct, what about you? If
you’re thinking about enlarging your family, give it some serious thought. I
wasn’t sure I wanted to adopt. If I’m honest, I was basically dragged into it.
But my fears, concerns, worries and hesitation vanished the instant I held my
little girl for the first time. Now I thank God that He didn’t let me off the
hook on this one. When you become an adoptive parent you give a lot, but you
get a lot more than you give. For every smile we’ve put on our little girl’s
face, she’s put a hundred on ours. I think it’s one of God’s ways of teaching
us what’s really important.
Are you considering adoption? Come
check out our monthly “Thinking About Adoption or Foster Care” seminar this
Wednesday, January 6th from 6:30-8:30pm in the MO2 Gathering Room of
the Lake Forest Saddleback Church campus, or call 949-609-8555 for more
information.
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“God
showed up. In a hug. In a smile. In a handshake. In the presence and lives of
some of the most gracious people I had ever encountered.”
Feel what it’s like to go on an Orphan Care PEACE Trip in this amazing mini documentary from one of this summer’s Saddleback PEACE teams created by Chris Hartwell. Get a taste of what it’s like to help train families and lay social workers in local churches in Rwanda, and sit in the home of Rwandan families who have adopted with the support of sponsorship.
You will see the families that Saddleback Orphan Sponsorship helped. Sponsorship helped the Rwanda church do what the church is called to do. In this video you will see the faces of families with children rescued from the orphanage who now have a home. We are grateful to those who have given to Rwanda Orphan Sponsorship for making a difference in the Rwanda church, the Rwanda family and the life of a child forever.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor and helping children leave the orphanage in Rwanda, visit www.saddleback.com/sponsorship. If you would like more information on how you can go on a Rwanda Orphan Care PEACE Trip, email orphans@saddleback.com or call 949-609-8555.
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Perhaps, like me,
you’ve been tempted to worry for your children that adoption will affect them,
especially in the long run. When I am tempted to fear this is my prayer:
If something in them is ruined, may it be
apathy. If they are disrupted, may it be for the plight of the orphan and the
widow, the sick and the lonely, the refugee and the homeless. If this does, in
fact, create baggage down the road, may they experience the peace that comes in
unloading their burdens on the only One who can fully bear the weight. If they
are uncomfortable, may they embrace the presence of the Spirit, our Comforter.
If they are ever questioned or teased for the differences in their family, may
the Spirit strengthen them in every way, and may the experience increase their
compassion and empathy. In this Land of Opportunity, may they take every
opportunity to show the mercy that they have been shown. I’m not advocating for
a life riddled with uncertainty and inconsistency for our children. They need
safe rhythms and security, and one of our primary roles is to protect them. But
as we do, may we protect them from a life anesthetized by comforts that blind
them to the needs of others. We are called to love and to live sacrificially.
May we help them see there is a story bigger than their own. As we teach our
children that Christ has done the monumental work of saving the world, may we
never forget to show them how He invites us to join in the incremental work of
loving our neighbor, even when it means disruption. Obedience leads ultimately
to joy and freedom. He turns disruption into a gift.
Originally posted as The Gift of Disruption by Katy Rose Oct 20, 2015 on
Kristen Welch’s blog wearethatfamily.com If you would like information on how to begin your adoption or foster care journey, email us at orphans@saddleback.com or call the Orphan Care Initiative at 949-609-8555.
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Fall has arrived, kids are back in school, and it's a great time to get connected, learn, and gain the tools to help your family and other families! Whether you are new to orphan care, or have been around a long time - there is a spot for you to grow and learn! Gain some new insight to help your kiddos, or to serve vulnerable children locally and globally. We hope to see you at one of these great opportunities:
Orphan
Care Skills Training – Oct. 24 from 9am-1pm in the upstairs Refinery classroom
Learn how to end the
orphan care crisis by helping children remain in families, reunite with
families or regain a family through adoption can only be done through healthy
churches helping launch healthy families. You’ll learn an overview of the
practical advanced skills that you can use in your own family and give away to
a church. Learn the skills churches need in parenting children from hard places
using Trust Based Relational Interventions, Adult Attachment and Trauma
Informed Care.
Adoption/Foster
Care Support Group – Meets Tuesdays 11am-1pm, starts Oct. 27
Join other parents as
we listen, learn, and grow together. This season's Adoptive and Foster Family
Support Group meets on Tuesdays from 11am to 1pm in the upstairs Refinery
classroom on the Lake Forest Saddleback Church campus, starting October 27. The
support group will be studying from the DVD curriculum The Connection: Where Hearts Meet written by Dr. Karyn Purvis and
Elizabeth Styffe. Unfortunately, no childcare is available.
Questions? Email
orphans@saddleback.com or call the orphan care line at 949-609-8555!
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“If one family out of every four churches in the U.S. would
adopt a child, there would be no more orphans in the United States.”
Elizabeth Styffe, Director of the Orphan Care Initiative at
Saddleback Church, recently spoke with Ruth Bell Olsson, from Bethany Christian Services during their "Every Child" podcast, about the orphan crisis facing our world today and how the global
Church can be equipped to end this crisis by learning about God’s heart for the
orphan.
“Not every believer needs to adopt, but every believer needs
to say, ‘What can I do to end the orphan crisis?’” Elizabeth says that the
Church is the only entity that cares for people from cradle to grave and that
God has called each of us to care for the orphan: “Every night, including
tonight, children are going to bed praying what my children say they prayed.
Every night they prayed for a mom and dad…It’s not overly dramatic, it’s not
overly emotional, this is real as it gets. This is reality.”
The local church can end the orphan crisis by helping
children remain in family, reunite with family, or regain a family of their own
through adoption. Elizabeth notes, “This is about doing for a child physically
what God has done for us spiritually.”
Listen to the full podcast here.
If you are interested in becoming involved with the Orphan Care Initiative, email orphans@saddleback.com or call 949-609-8555.
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