Lending a Hand with Both Hands

It is such a special occasion when an orphan is adopted into a new forever family! There are many joys and challenges in what can be a very expensive process. Legal issues bring even more joy and challenges! But, God is faithful. My dear friends, Mark and Diane, are getting ready to welcome to their family of five a little boy and a little girl from Congo! These kids are going to be so blessed!

But first, Mark and Diane need to raise the funds necessary to fly them to the US. And while that’s happening, immigration issues are unmercifully dragging out this already long process! But, God is faithful!

Here are some ways you can help, if you’re so led! If all you can do is pray, then that help is more than enough. If you’re squirming in your seat at the thought of giving money to a family you don’t even know, that’s ok! Help another family who is in the same boat. Trust me: There are many! I don’t know too many people who can just hand over a check and walk away with child in tow.

The adoptive family is having a fundraiser this weekend where they will “Help an Orphan” and “Help a Widow” all at the same time. It’s through a program called Both Hands, via LifeSong for Orphans. Both Hands is an innovative process that helps remove the financial burden of adoption. Mark and Diane have identified a widow who needs help with her home (i.e., painting, repairs, cleanup). For each person who works on the home, letters are sent asking people to donate – or sponsor – the worker. The idea is similar to sponsoring someone who is in a charity run or walk. Kurt and I will spend this Saturday, May 14, working at the house. We couldn’t be more excited, and hope you’ll consider sponsoring us! The fantastic part is that 100% of all the money donated to this project is then given in grant form to Mark and Diane’s adoption fund! Indeed, both hands helping a widow and orphan!

Another fun way Mark and Diane are raising money is through an auction. Visit Sew A Seed of Love to learn more about the item(s) to be auctioned in support of this adopting family!

As Diane recently said, God always brings the right person, at the right time, to encourage when we need it most. God is faithful!

To follow Mark and Diane’s adoption journey, visit their blog: http://goinsgang6.blogspot.com/

To learn more about helping other families with adoption expenses, or to set up your own adoption fund, visit LifeSong for Orphans.

Journey to Bulembu: A Pandora’s Box for Monique

For this post, I asked Monique van Haaren to share her story of Bulembu. What makes the Bulembu part of the story so magnificent is the backstory. So, that’s where she starts. Part II will take you on her trip (with me) to Bulembu. I know you’ll be as touched by this story as I continue to be. Monqiue, the floor is yours…

For the first four years of my life there was only silence. Because of significant hearing loss, I heard nothing. I was sent to a school with other children who were deaf or had some hearing loss. Being at this school meant I would learn how to live life without the sounds of life. It also meant being away from my parents and younger sisters except on the weekends. Hearing aids taught me how to maneuver through the daily grind but I never felt like I belonged. I didn’t belong with the other children at the boarding school, and I certainly didn’t belong at home. The silence in my heart was deafening.

I spent many years struggling with depression, and in 1990, I went to a psychiatric hospital for treatment. I lived there four days a week for more than a year. But the problems persisted so much so that I stopped going outside of my home. I was terrified of meeting and talking with people, always feeling like I didn’t belong. The only person who ever really made me feel accepted was the man who became my husband, Rene. We have two beautiful children, 15-year old Glenn and 12-year old Kim. But each day with them meant that they were now locked in the same prison with me, a bedroom with the curtains drawn with no connection to the outside world. Thankfully, my parents were there to help and they cared for Kim for the first year of her life.

The van Haaren's: Rene, Kim, Monique and Glenn

Slowly, I developed the courage to seek ways to leave the house so I decided to volunteer at a place that serves people with mental challenges. My job was to serve coffee and talk with them. While I enjoyed it, I still felt afraid that I didn’t belong.

One year ago, a co-worker gave me a CD of The Canadian Tenors. Not thinking much about it, I took it home and put it in the CD player. I wasn’t really expecting anything. After all, I had never really “heard” music before so why would this be different?

When the music started, I found myself at the kitchen table shaking uncontrollably and weeping. I didn’t know how it was happening but I knew that I could “hear” music for the first time in my life! Suddenly, I heard emotions and feelings, in myself and in the singer’s voices. This is what my therapist calls the opening of Pandora’s box for me! I listened to the CD over and over and every time, it was the same as the first time. I felt determined to find out more about this group, The Canadian Tenors.

Interestingly, I started “meeting” a lot of Tenors fans on Facebook. They all spoke of similar life-altering experiences while listening to their music. Whether their songs helped them through a particularly difficult time in their lives or they felt healing from an emotional wound, souls were being touched in profound ways.

Through these new Facebook friendships, I felt safe. I was still at home, so there was no way for people to reject me. But I also wanted to change things in my life. I didn’t want to live like this anymore. My first thought was to go listen to The Canadian Tenors in a live performance. But the closest place to me here in the Netherlands was a show in London. How could I not go? Yes, I was terrified but I had to go! I ended up meeting so many of the people I had befriended on Facebook. And to my amazement, they all seemed to accept me as I am. I had the chance to meet the Tenors after their performance, which was even more emotional and inspirational than I ever imagined. They were so genuine and interested in ME. They wanted to hear more of my story and made me feel special. For the first time in my life, I felt like I could do so much more!

I went home inspired to learn more about them and to try to figure out a purpose for my own life moving forward. I discovered the charitable work the Tenors were involved with in the town of Bulembu. The stories of the people in Bulembu touched me. I felt a connection with them and understood the struggles they were trying to overcome. My heart was ready to do more.

In exploring ways I could try to help, I had become fast friends with Theresia, who was also becoming more involved with The Canadian Tenors and Bulembu. To start, I translated the Bulembu web site into Dutch so my fellow citizens could learn and understand about the mission in Bulembu. Some of us decided to host a Canadian Tenors Fan Day in Holland and raise money for the benefit of Bulembu. It was all still very safe because I was back in the comfort of my own home. But I knew there would be more, and I knew more meant leaving that comfort zone.

It was September 2010; almost time for the annual Voices for Bulembu concert featuring The Canadian Tenors. Two shows in British Columbia would raise money for the Bulembu charity. Theresia and I began talking about going together in an effort to learn as much as possible so we could both continue to support the charity with our respective talents. And so we made our plans. I flew from Amsterdam to Vancouver by myself to meet a woman I’d never met in person and stay in a town I’d never been to before and to participate in activities and meetings I’d never dreamed of all while speaking a language I hadn’t used much before. Talk about a Pandora’s box!

In the Netherlands, I could always read lips in social settings. Reading lips in my native Dutch is easy. Reading lips in English is altogether different. I had moments of wondering what the heck I was doing but the entire trip was a success for me! I felt that, through The Canadian Tenors, the people in the organization of Bulembu International, and other fans I’d met at this event, I belonged on this earth, and I could be the person God intended me to be!

Back home, I started preparing for the Fan Day event in October, which ultimately raised nearly $4,000. I ended up doing a presentation for the guests at the Fan Day and one for a local school who expressed an interest in supporting the orphans of Bulembu. The tremendous support and encouragement I received gave me a new desire: To go to Bulembu! And that opportunity came along when Scott Campbell asked for a team of people to travel to Bulembu to become voluntourists. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, a trip of a lifetime. I received complete support from my husband and children, and I would make the trip with Theresia.

Monique and Theresia prepare to leave Schipol in Amsterdam for the long flight to Johannesburg and Bulembu.

Start an Adoption Fund at your Church

Today there are currently more than 143 million orphaned and vulnerable children in our world. In some ways, it seems like a drop in the bucket when compared to a world population of nearly 6.8 billion. But it isn’t a drop in anything to those children who need a home, a meal, a family to love. Churches across the US recently commemorated Orphan Sunday, in part to acknowledge the crisis, but also to touch the hearts of the Body of Christ and compel them to action.

My church, Zionsville Fellowship, is blessed to have an orphan ministry. And we are thrilled to have nearly 40 adoption stories in our 30 year history. (And those are just the stories we know about!) There are many more families who wait to bring a child into their forever family. It is the Lord who reminds us throughout Scripture that we are a people called to defend the fatherless. And there are numerous ways to care for the orphaned child in addition to adoption. One such way is to walk alongside those families who are on the journey called adoption.

The biggest obstacle for many families who seek to adopt a child is, arguably, financial. Our orphan ministry has partnered with LifeSong for Orphans in an effort to establish an adoption fund and help our members overcome that obstacle. It is the mission of LifeSong for Orphans to bring joy and purpose to orphans. They do that by “mobilizing the church where each member can provide a unique and special service; some to adopt, some to care, some to give.” LifeSong provides adoption loans and grants for those who are called to adopt.

Churches can begin their own adoption grant and/or loan program to help members meet the financial commitment that comes with adoption. Partnering with an organization such as LifeSong for Orphans can take the doubt and fear out of the entire process. For a church staff that already has a full plate, LifeSong will manage/facilitate the adoption fund and carry the administrative load on behalf of the church. For churches that feel uncomfortable or awkward approving or denying their own families (including viewing personal information such as financial documents), LifeSong will provide all the screening, reviewing, and approving/denying as a partner on behalf of the church. For those who feel an adoption fund is simply unfamiliar territory, LifeSong has a passion and expertise in this area. Their knowledge and experience establishes financial integrity and avoids recreating the wheel.

LifeSong for Orphans will create a customized adoption fund to fit the needs of every church. Best of all, there is no cost to the church!

It just doesn’t get any easier than that!

If this sounds like a commercial for LifeSong for Orphans, then so be it. The purpose isn’t to advertise on behalf of one organization. I just happen to know and trust this one. The point is to challenge believers, especially pastors, as we know that the church is the only institution large enough – and the only institution called to deal with this issue.

Consider the aid offered by LifeSong or go somewhere else. Just do something. One-hundred-forty-three million children are counting on it.

LifeSong for Orphans

It isn’t what you think it means

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “adoption”? Like most of the rest of the planet, you probably think adoption means to permanently place a child within the home of another family. But, I’m here to tell you, it isn’t what you think it means. Biblically speaking, adoption means much more than child placement.

The Greek word from which “adoption” is derived is actually a compound of the words that mean “son” and “to place”. So, yes, adoption IS about child placement, but when we look at it from a Biblical perspective, it doesn’t end there. Adoption is also about renewal of creation. (See Romans 8:19-23) Where the Bible is concerned, when you have “adoption” you also have “renewal of creation”. You never have one without the other.

Dan Cruver, from Together for Adoption tells us, “God’s work of adoption will one day result in the comprehensive restoration of all creation so that it becomes the happy home of all of His children. One awe-inspiring day creation will be restored to a home of unceasing communion and fellowship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In that day we will enter into the overflowing and never-ending peace and joy and gladness of our Father.”

It is important to remember that the Christian’s adoption is vertical before there can ever be a horizontal adoption. Once we are welcomed into the family of Christ through adoption, we must then, as a church family, “care for the orphans and widows”, according to Scripture. There are so many ways to do this; to place a child in a home and to create renewal.

One way to discover how to do both is to participate in the National Orphan Sunday, which will be held on November 7, 2010. Visit the link below to find a church in your area that is participating and learn how you can get involved. Check back here often this week as we will discuss more Biblical implications of adoption and how we can all care for orphans in preparation for Orphan Sunday.

 

www.orphansunday.org

 

 

It’s Time to Get M.A.D.

What do the following people have in common?

1. Cyrus the Great
2. Aristotle
3. Alexander the Great
4. Julius Caesar
5. Johan Sebastian Bach
6. Charles Dickens
7. Rudyard Kipling
8. Leo Tolstoy
9. Nelson Mandela
10. John Hancock
11. Gerald Ford
12. Bill Clinton
13. John Lennon
14. Faith Hill
15. Tim McGraw
16. Halle Berry

If you guessed that they were all adopted as children, then you are absolutely right. At one time, each of these celebrities were children who needed a family and someone cared enough to get M.A.D. so they (the children) could make a difference in the world. And I’d say they were pretty successful, wouldn’t you? Oh, and by M.A.D., I mean, Make A Difference.

There are so many ways to make a difference in the life of a child: as a teacher, a parent, a mentor, a coach, a big sister or brother. But right now I want to talk about how you can make a difference in the life of a child who is an orphan.

The traditional definition of an orphan is a child whose parents have died, but actually an orphan may be a child whose birth parents are alive, but he or she has been abandoned or neglected. To make a difference in the life of an orphan you must:

1. Open Your Eyes to the Great Need. In recent blog posts, I have shared with you some astonishing statistics about the plight of orphans across the globe. The need is great. There’s an old saying, “There is none so blind as he who will not see.” And while we “see” the statistics, we also need to “see” the faces that are behind the numbers; the faces of the children who need a place to call home.

2. Open Your Heart to God’s Compassion for Orphans. God doesn’t play favorites. But the Word of God makes it clear that those who are fatherless, the orphans, occupy a special place in God’s heart. If He loves the orphans, shouldn’t we?

3. Open Your Arms to Care for Orphans. Most people automatically think of adoption when we speak of orphans. But not everyone is called to adopt a child. There are many ways to care for orphans including foster care, providing funds for an orphanage in a foreign country, praying for orphans the world over or helping others who want to adopt but may not be able to afford it. Find what works best for you and then do it.

You’ve probably heard this story before but it seems apropos here. There was a young man on the beach tossing starfish back into the ocean so they wouldn’t dry out and die. A man watching him told him that with all thousands of starfish he had to feel like he wasn’t making a difference. The young man picked up another starfish and before tossing it back into the water, looked at the critic and said, “I’m making a difference for this one.”

Are you ready to get M.A.D.?

(Special thanks to Pastor David Dykes in Texas and the Christian Alliance for Orphans in preparation for Orphan Sunday, November 7, 2010)

The Garage Sale of All Garage Sales

My husband, Kurt, and I are blessed to be part of a wonderful church that has a large population of children who have been adopted. And there are lots of adults who were adopted in their youth. We feel like our church embodies James 1:27 which says we are to “look after the orphans and widows in their distress.”

Our church, Zionsville Fellowship, recently started an orphan ministry where we provide information, resources and prayer support for couples and families seeking to adopt. Through our ministry, we have partnered with LifeSong for Orphans, a Christian organization working to bring joy and purpose to orphans across the world. One-hundred-percent of all donations go directly to care for orphans and their needs. Part of their work includes providing grants and loans to those who seek the funds needed to complete their adoption.

Because of our passion for helping orphans and our church partnership with LifeSong, we are hosting the mother of all garage sales in which all proceeds will be donated to LifeSong for Orphans. Our entire ministry team, Larry and Judy, Steve and Jill, Scott and Stephanie, and Steve and Jill would greatly appreciate your support. Mark and Diane also serve on the team and are hosting the garage sale.

Here are the details:
Friday and Saturday (June 11 and 12) from 8:00 am until…
4403 Owl Court
Indianapolis

Please spread the word, come shop and help us as we help the least of these.

Brothers Seeking Forever Family

My husband, Kurt, and I are honored to serve on the adoption/orphan ministry at our church, Zionsville Fellowship. At our monthly meeting last night, we had the privilege of hearing from someone with ABL Adoptions, which is in Zionsville. She shared a heart warming story of three brothers who are in need of a good, caring, Christian forever family.

The boys lost their mother to murder and the father is not in the picture. They have lived with their grandmother since 2004, and due to illness, she is unable to continue to be their provider and care giver. She’s trying to do the right thing by providing them with a future before she becomes too ill to do anything about it. Here are some details about the boys who are Caucasian:

Alex – 11

No meds
Enjoys sports (soccer, basketball, swimming) – getting ready to run Track/Field
Enjoys attending and participating in church
Has attended week-long – all night church camp
Loves to read

Xavier – 10

ADHD – current medications

• Daytrana 30 mg patch (for ADHD)
• Zyprexa @ night 30mg

Enjoys sports (soccer, basketball, riding bikes, swimming)
Participates in Tech Club (computer) weekly after school
Has attended week-long – all night church camp
Loves to read
Enjoys church

Zeus – 8

Seizure disorder (none since 2006)

• Oxcarbazepine 300mg 3x-day
• Zypreza @night 30mg
• Budeprion 150mg *will be taken off of this within the next few weeks
• Intuniv 30mg *this is brand new, working well
• Focalin XR 15mg

Here are the details on the cost of this adoption:

$6500 agency fee
$1500 case management
$3800 legal if in Indiana or $4800 in out of Indiana
For a total of$11, 800 for an Indiana family or $14,000 out-of-state of Indiana family (includes ICPC)

If you are interested or know of someone who would be interested in adopting these really terrific young men, please contact Cara Ratay at ABL Adoptions.

Cara Ratay
ABL Adoptions
A Licensed Child Placing Agency – Indiana and Louisiana
140 1/2 South Main Street
Zionsville, IN 46077
317.873.3841 Adoptive Couples
317.873.4926 Fax
866.650.5683 Birth Parents Only

cara@abladoptions.com

Thanks and God bless!