Considering Adoption?

While many people have stated that adoption has crossed their minds, often there is a gap between the thinking and the doing. When it comes to planning a family, sometimes we over-analyze the pros and cons, dismissing or delaying the decision to adopt due to a number of reasons or unknowns. Watch this video and see if adoption may be something for you to consider.

Orphan Care and The Big Red Tractor

Francis Chan wrote this children’s story to illustrate what God ordained the church to be in the world. Since God has called the church to care for orphans, I think “The Big Red Tractor” also applies to the current orphan care movement that is growing within the church.

The Big Red Tractor from Jacob Lewis on Vimeo.

“Haiti Orphan Rescue Mission” Details Emerge

“Haiti Orphan Rescue Mission” Details Emerge

Posted using ShareThis

Wonderful Ministry!

Both Hands Video from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

National Stakeholder Sessions Tomorrow: Haitian Adoptions Policy & TPS Filing Instructions/Fee Waivers

I received the following email which is from Homeland Security and wanted to share the information regarding Haitian Adoptions. Instructions for the conference call is on the attached scans. Click on them and they should enlarge.

The email read:

Dear Colleague,

The US Citizenship & Immigration Services Office of Public Engagement will be facilitating two stakeholder sessions tomorrow, January 21, to address issues related to the response of USCIS to the situation in Haiti.

The first session will take place at 11am EST and will focus on the topic of Haitian adoptions policy. With this meeting, you have the option of attending in person at the Tomich Center (111 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC) or by teleconference. Further details can be found in the attached invitation.

The second session will take place at 2pm EST and will cover filing instructions for both the Temporary Protected Status form and employment authorization form and guidance on fee waivers. This meeting can only be attended by teleconference and the dialing instructions are included in the invitation.

We welcome your participation and would appreciate if you could share this invitation with any other colleagues or affiliates that may be interested.

Sincere Regards,
US Department of Homeland Security
DHS Center for Faith-Based & Community Initiatives

ONE VERY INSPIRING ADOPTION!

Meet Sveta: Her parents had enough girls in their family already

Today is Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

Every 2 minutes, a child is forced into slavery somewhere in the world, robbing them of their childhood forever.

One of the girls we were able to help, Sveta, has grown up to become a veterinarian. But her life started with an unthinkable choice...her parents decided that they had enough girls already and abandoned her to the orphanage.

Read more about Sveta: http://tomdavis.typepad.com/tom_daviss_blog/2010/01/htad2010.html

Please encourage others to take action against trafficking, and let others know that you are doing something to fight for the millions of children who have lost their childhoods to human trafficking.

For the Fatherless,
Tom
CEO, HopeChest

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to Help Adopted Family in Kemah, Tx.

Congratulations to the Beach family getting brand new home!

Volunteer opportunities: January 7 - 16, 2010
(Episode to air in March)

The home will be completed in 106 hours by a team of vendors and volunteers lead by Blu Shields Construction, and will be designed to fit the needs of the Beach family. In 23 years of marriage, Larry, 40 and Melissa, 40; have fostered over 85 children that other adoption agencies were not able to place. They have four biological children and nine adopted children. They include Chris (23,), Michael (21), Jose (20), Mikala (18), Paul (14), Faith (13), Hope (9), Justin (8), Jacob (4), Grace (4), Jeremiah (23 months), Mercy (22 months) and Cody (19) currently serving in the Marine Corps in Afghanistan. During the last 12 years, they have fostered approximately 85 children, but decided to start adopting after seeing that so many were not being placed in homes.

Due to water damage from Hurricane Ike, the Beach family home is unlivable and they are residing in a travel trailer on their property. Therefore, they have been unable to adopt additional children. But all that is about to change!!

Spokesperson Chiquita Taylor says that an amazing number of people have registered as volunteers and donations are still coming in as the community pulls together. Please visit www.blushieldsextreme.com for more information. For a complete list of construction materials and supplies still needed go to www.blushieldsextreme.com and select the Construction Needs page. If you can help with these specific needs please contact the Construction Team at Construction@wiredin.cc.

To Make a Monetary Donation:
Please visit http://www.blushieldsextreme.com/donations. An account has been set up with PayPal to ensure safe, direct donations.

Extreme Blood Drive
On January 14th the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center will be in the parking lot of the Kemah Visitor's Center at 603 Bradford in Kemah. The Houston Bay Area is up to the challenge of beating any previous blood donation records associated with EM:HE and encourages everyone to come out and give the gift of life. Additional blood drives will be held at the following locations:

* Monday, January 11th City of Dickinson at 4403 Hwy 3 from 8:00am-6:00pm
* Wednesday, January 13th Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership University of Houston - Clear Lake Delta Building 2700 Bay Area Blvd. from 8:00am-6:00pm.

For further information, please call 281-534-8836.

Extreme Food Drive
Also, Interfaith Caring Ministries will be on hand at the Kemah Visitor's Center at 603 Bradford in Kemah collecting non-perishable items for a food drive Jan. 9 - 14 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Items needed: Canned meat, spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, cookies, juices, toilet paper, sanitary napkins, toothpaste, size 5 diapers, and baby wipes.

Adopting For Life Conference- Friday & Saturday, February 26-27th 2010

Adopting For Life Conference- Friday & Saturday, February 26-27th 2010 from Southern Seminary on Vimeo.

Disturbed?

This is a post from Amy which I thought it was so awesome I wanted to share it with you.

I ran across this prayer that Sir Francis Drake wrote...

"Disturb us, Lord, when

We are too pleased with ourselves,

When our dreams have come true

Because we dreamed too little,

When we arrived safely

Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when

With the abundance of things we possess

We have lost our thirst

For the waters of life;

Having fallen in love with life,

We have ceased to dream of eternity

And in our efforts to build a new earth,

We have allowed our vision

Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,

We ask you to push back

The horizons of our hopes;

And to push back the future

In strength, courage, hope, and love.

This we ask in the name of our Captain,

Who is Jesus Christ."

AMEN!!!! Here are just a few of my thoughts as I digest this...

Please read the rest of Amy's post at "Loving The Least Of These". You may just agree with Amy and say, "Disturb ME, Oh God!"