Hope Is Fading

Hope is Fading – Orphan Sunday from Allan Rosenow on Vimeo.

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Tony Dungy on Adoption

Always Room for One More from Family First on Vimeo.

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Artists and Ministries Unite for Orphan Sunday

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In one month, on Thanksgiving Day, Americans will gather with their families and friends and celebrate God's goodness to us as a nation with a traditional meal full of great food, laughter, joy and offers of thanks to our heavenly Father. On November 7th, there will be gatherings of a different kind across the globe, as Christians will come together as part of the second annual Orphan Sunday in gatherings not marked by laughter and joy, but rather prayers and sober reminders of the more than 140 million children who have lost their parents.

Hope for Orphans Executive Director and Co-Founders Paul and Robin Pennington (with Noah, Ethan and Hope), Stephen Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman, and Lisa and Francis Chan


If you want to find out more about the orphan crisis, and more about God's heart and plan for the orphan, there is a great opportunity for you. We at Hope for Orphans, a ministry of FamilyLife, have teamed up with our good friends at Focus on the Family and Show Hope to produce a special one-hour program called Answer the Cry, hosted by Francis Chan, and featuring the music of Steven Curtis Chapman and Mark Schultz.

If you're a part of a small group or Bible Study, consider sharing this program in your meetings during the week of November 7th. Or, invite friends from your church or others to watch and discuss it together. Or, use Answer the Cry as a teaching opportunity with your children, sharing with them what God's word says about the orphan and His expectations of us as His followers in loving and caring for them.

To find out more about how you can utilize Answer the Cry in your church, small group, or family, and to see a short preview of the program, click here,or you can pick up your free copy at your local Family Christian bookstore.

Note: "Answer the Cry" will be shown at Willow Creek Community Church (67 E. Algonquin Rd, So. Barrington, IL) at their Orphan Sunday event. 5:30-7:30pm in room b100 under the chapel. Childcare is available for those who r.s.v.p. with the number of kids and their ages. Contact Dina at avoiceforhischildren@gmail.com.

Exciting Pre-buy offers from the James Fund and Family Christian Bookstores

Here are a few great ways to support The James Fund, the Family Christian Store's Foundation to support orphans and adoption. It's a great way to shop for Christmas, and to share your love for God with a hurting child.

Every CD you buy helps to rescue another victim. In fact, 27 million men, women and children are held as slaves. That is why artists Natalie Grant, Sara Groves, Third Day and many others are uniting for the Freedom project, a music initiative to help the victims of slavery and violent oppression. International Justice Mission® is an agency dedicated to defending individual human rights. In response to Isaiah 1:17, IJM’s professional work tirelessly to rescue, protect and secure justice for victims across three continents.

For every Gaither Gospel Series DVD or CD sold in stores or online between now and December 24, 2010, Family Christian Stores will donate $.50 to The James Fund.

For every copy of Outlive Your Life sold from now through 11/11/2010, Family Christian Stores willl donate $1 to World Vision to help build a spiritual retreat center to help children orphaned due to AIDS-related causes in Malawi, Africa.

For each copy of the And If Our God Is For Us... CD sold between now and 11/15/2010, The James Fund will donate $.75 to Pray America to help care for widows and children in need in Guatemala.

Barnabas Bear

Donate a Barnabas Bear to a child in need this year. Purchase one bear at any Family Christian Store, and a matching bear will be donated to an orphened child.


Family Christian Stores' Foundation, The James Fund, is a non-profit organization dedicated to meeting the needs of orphans and widows around the world. God's direction and purpose for this mission is defined in scripture: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." James 1:27 (NIV)

To make a monetary donation using safe and secure Google Checkout, visit www.thejamesfund.org. Google charges a small fee for this service!
Donate Today

The James Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and your donation is tax deductible.

Winter Coats Needed for The Children's Closet

With winter right around the corner, The Children's Closet is in need of replenishing their stock of winter coats. Sizes 6 months - 5T for both genders are especially needed. Please donate new or gently used coats.

The Children's Closet provides support to families by supplying clothes and basic supplies for Safe Families or foster families with new placements. They also lend small child equipment like pack-n-plays, baby gates, exersaucers and other necessities.

The closet is located at Calvary Community Church, 1000 S. Springingsguth Road, in Schaumburg, IL.

To donate items, please contact Teri 630-205-6013 or Lisa 847-466-2660 to schedule a drop-off or a pick-up. All donations are tax deductible.

A Night With the Chapmans

Don't miss this night of music and inspiration. EDAN Concerts presents Steven Curtis Chapman, Mary Beth Chapman, the their sons band "Caleb".

Harvest Bible Chapel

1000 N. Randell Road, Elgin, IL



Saturday, August 23, 2010
7:00 pm (doors open at 6:00 pm)



For tickets, call 1-800-965-9324 or click here: http://www.itickets.com/events/246331/Elgin_IL/A_Night_with_the_Chapmans.html

Dan Kulp

If you're looking for a creative event for fundraising or to raise awareness about adoption, check out Dan Kulp, musician, speaker, comedian, and adoptive dad. You can reach Dan at dan@thedigproject.com or 855-317-7335.

Food for Thought.....

The following post is taken from a blog called "Once Upon A Mooncake". I believe Patty, the blogger, has many good points to consider.


Yesterday I was poking around the web and made a few discoveries. One of them being that Washington State, where I've lived most my life, is ranked number 7 in the most international adoptions to take place last year. There are only six states that brought home more children last year.

Do you want to know how many children were adopted internationally last year in WA?

502

Yup. That is a 5-0-2.

Our neighboring states don't even come close. Oregon had 242 adoptions. That's roughly the size of my church. Idaho--came in with 74.

Do you want to know what else interesting? My state is the most unchurched state in the entire nation. WA boasts of having the highest percentage on non-religious people living here. Church membership is the lowest of all the other states in the nation. Yet we are number 7 in adoption last year. Strange, considering adoption is such a "trendy" thing to do among christian circles right?

Or not.

Here's some more numbers for you. The top 16 churches in the US have well over 13,000 members. The number one church has over 40,000 members, followed by two mega-churches with over 20,000 members each.

Total international adoptions last year?

12,753

Do these numbers bother you?

Now before you get defensive..........let me just say, I know that adoption is not for everyone. I know that, I really really do. I know it is hard. It is messy. It is cluttered and draining. I know that not everyone is in the position to do such a thing and that many churches are filled with elderly, young, sick, hurt and so on.........people who could not or should not be adopting.

But let me ask you this..........if you are one of those who is able...........why aren't you?

What are you investing your life in? What does your heart value? What does God's heart value?

I believe wholeheartedly that if every able christian would adopt just one child, we could wipe out the entire orphan crisis in this world. (both here in the US and internationally.....I'm only speaking of international because that is what our family is involved in and where I can find good statistics because of the amount of visa's issued. I would hope that all children would be valued and christians would consider adoption regardless of where a child is born.)

When I was looking at these numbers it reminded me of when we were in China in 2006 getting our son. We were in Beijing and I'd sat on a bench next to a guy that turned out to be a police officer that worked at the airport. I asked him what he thought of all these americans coming over there adopting kids. (you may have heard this story already......)

His response?

He said he didn't get it. He said nobody cared. He repeatedly said "no one cares, they are just orphans. We don't want them, no one cares."

And then his girlfriend leaned over and asked me if I knew "christian". I asked her if she was talking about Jesus and she got very excited and said "yes yes, Jesus. I know Jesus too" and then told her boyfriend "that is why they come, they know Jesus and they love orphan".

That conversation has never left me.

Yet when I look at these statistics........12,753 adoptions---and who knows how many of those were actually by christian families---I have to wonder. Do we care? Or are they just orphans.

Christian friends, we have alot of work to do.

Orphan Care Conference

Harvest Bible Chapel in Elgin, IL is hosting an

Orphan Care Conference
on
Saturday, November 6
From 9:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.

Doors Open at 8:30 A.M.

Please register below for this free conference!
Childcare is available for children toddler-sixth grade.
You are invited to bring infants into the sessions with you.


Workshop Offerings:

The Impact of Adoption (available twice)
Intro to Safe Families Ministry
Foster Care 101
Domestic Adoption 101 (available twice)
International Adoption 101 (available twice)
Panel Discussion-Families involved with Orphan Care
Funding an Adoption (available twice)
Caring for the Orphan is -Gloriously Painful
Attachment Disorders
Unleashing the family
Race Matters
Panel Discussion-Children/Adoptees/Foster children and siblings
Communicating to your family in difficult situations
Intro to Harvest Bible Chapel Orphan Care Ministry

For more information or to register for the conference, visit http://www.harvestelgin.org/Event.aspx?site_id=10425&event_id=225822

Registration between 10/13/2010 - 11/4/2010.

Monthly Gathering

Our monthly pot-luck gathering of Adoptive, Foster and Safe Families will take place this Sunday, October 17th from 5-7:00pm at Willow Creek-So. Barrington. As always, we will meet in rooms 105-109b.

This month we are hosting "Story Night" where we will hear a panel of adoptive, foster and Safe Families tell their stories. Please come to enjoy a meal, connect with other adoptive & foster parents and hear some inspiring stories.

Please bring a dish to share. Child care is available if you r.s.v.p. with the number of children and their ages to avoiceforhischildren@gmail.com.

Bridge Builders Training

You are invited to attend "Bridge Builders" Training.


Bridge Builders: The basics of biblical wisdom around race, poverty and the gospel.

Too often our engagement with the world of the inner-city is through writing a check or saying a silent prayer for someone far away in distress. Opening our lives and homes to those in crisis raises many important questions.

In this 3 part series, we will look carefully at the reasons why "God's heart is for the poor" (PS 113), how we as believers can understand poverty in it's broader context of creation and the kingdom of God, and how we can respond effectively to the needs of individuals and families in crisis.

This training is especially valuable if you are crossing cultures as a Safe Family, DCFS foster family or an adoptive family with an open adoption.


Bio:

Joel Hamernick lives and ministers in the community of Woodlawn in the heart of the African American Southside of Chicago. Together with his wife Paula, the Hamernicks have 7 kids and have worked in the urban context for 12 years.

As the Executive Director at Sunshine Gospel Ministries, Joel leads a ministry committed to pursuit of mercy, justice and discipleship ministries in Chicago 's inner-city. His passion is to see the body of Christ both in the city, and in the suburbs, grow in interdependence in accord with 1 Corinthians 12.


Willow Creek - North Shore Campus
315 Waukegan RD
Northfield, IL 60093

November 4th, 11th and 18th, 7-8:15pm (dinner offered at 6pm for $5)

Childcare/Children's program offered as well for infant-5th grade.

For more information or to register, contact Jackie Herron Whitfield at jherronwhitfield@willowcreek.org.

New book release: "Bound by Love"

In 2006, our family welcomed home our second daughter, Mia, adopted from China. Our agency was Chinese Children Adoption International (CCAI) in Colorado. CCAI does amazing work not only to facilitate adoptions from China, but to care for the orphans that remain. CCAI has just released a brand new book which chronicles the life and work of Lily Nie, co-founder of CCAI. I'm especially excited to receive the book (I just ordered mine tonight) because it includes the names of all CCAI children adopted from 1994 through 2009. I'm also excited to read this inspiring story about an amazing Christian woman who is caring for the fatherless.


There are many of us who know who Lily Nie is. Some know her by name only, and some have had the privilege of meeting her in person, but many, in fact, thousands, have had their own lives touched by hers.

In the world of China adoption, Lily's accomplishments are widely seen. But until now, only a few people have known the extent of Lily's journey -- growing up in a tumultuous China, struggling to establish herself in the United States and then returning to China time and again to unite families and work for the well-being of her homeland's orphans.

A new book -- written by adoptive mother Linda Droeger and featuring cover art by Mary GrandPre, adoptive mother and artist for the "Harry Potter" series -- offers a chance to discover the amazing story that is Lily's life, exploring the emotional and spiritual journey that led her to co-found Chinese Children Adoption International with her husband, Joshua Zhong.

It is an opportunity, for you and those whom you love, to participate in the story and to celebrate a life of struggle and triumph, sorrow and joy, pain and forgiveness, and to marvel at how we are, in so many ways, bound by love.

A portion of the proceeds from "Bound by Love" will go to the Chinese Children Charity Fund, which works to improve the lives of orphans in China.

Please click here to order.
http://chinesechildren.org/LilyBook/LilyBook.aspx

Chosen for Life Conference

First Christian Church in Champaign, IL is hosting an adoption and foster care conference on Saturday, October 23rd, featuring author and keynote speaker, Jill Savage. If you're looking for a great opportunity to be challenged and encouraged in the adoption/foster care journey check it out!

Keynote Speaker: Jill Savage, author, adoptive mom and Founder/Director of Hearts at Home, an organization designed to encourage and educate women in the profession of motherhood.

First Christian Church
3601 S. Staley Road
Champaign, IL

Saturday, October 23, 2010
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
217-356-1649

$15 admission fee includes breakfast, lunch & speakers & breakout sessions.

For more information or to register go to www.fcc-online.org or
http://fcc-online.org/#/calendar-events

Adoption/Foster Care Support at Willow Creek McHenry

The following, is an invitation to adoptive and foster parents who live in the Crystal Lake area. For more information or to get on their e-mail list, contact Amy Braido at echofortheorphan@yahoo.com

Happy Fall Everyone!

Just wanted to let you know the dates for our upcoming support meetings!

We will now have babysitting on-site. Please RSVP
if you're attending with children so I can plan accordingly!

The dates for the meetings are:

Sunday Oct. 24th
Sunday Nov. 21st
Sunday Dec. 12th (Christmas Celebration!)
6:30-8pm (new time)

Willow Creek McHenry County
Room 108
220 Exchange Dr.
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
rsvp regarding childcare please!

These dates are for our support meetings, but an additional email will be sent out soon regarding more Echo initiatives!

Have a great day!


Amy Braido
The Echo Foundation, Inc.
Adoption & Orphan Care Ministry
www.echoministry.org
847-846-3572

30,000 Orphans Sent back to Russian Orphanages

News outlets are carrying the troubling report that one of every three children adopted by Russian families from Russian orphanages in the past three years have been returned to state institutions. This means roughly 30,000 children were sent back to their orphanages.

This news comes on the heals of the recent uproar over the tragic story of the American woman who sent her adopted Russian son back to Russia.

The reports claims a key cause for the disturbing trend in Russia the fact that the Russian government has failed to maintain many of the payments it had promised to adoptive families. When the payments stopped, the report claims, many of the families decided to return the children.

This situation highlights an array of issues every Christian orphan advocate should keep in mind:

•Children growing up in institutions often carry deep wounds and profound needs. To choose to love such a child—via adoption, foster care or otherwise—can be a very challenging road. It is a discipleship journey, often full of joys, but also refining.

•If adoption and other forms of orphan care are taken on with the wrong motives, whether for financial gain or otherwise, trouble is likely ahead. If we are to “stick with it” through thick and thin, our choices must be rooted first and foremost in the love of the God who first loved us despite our destitution and profound need.

•To love an orphan along a long, difficult road to wholeness, it’s tremendously important to have a Christian community to walk the road with us. In addition, the guidance of true experts—from families that have experienced the challenges we face, to psychologists like Dr. Karyn Purvis—is also indispensable.

•As American Christians discover the truth of this prior point, it’s vital that we help grow that vision beyond the U.S. I believe that over time, the single most important thing American orphan advocates can do is to help local churches worldwide care for orphans near to them via adoption, foster care and other means.

•Potential problems in international adoption are equaled—and often far exceeded—by the realities orphans face daily in many countries. Most all of us felt angry about the American woman returning her adopted son to his Russian orphanage; but for anti-adoption advocates to claim the situation was an argument against international adoption was simply false.

This article is taken from the "Orphan Matchbox" blog of the "Christian Alliance for Orphans".

Foster Mom's Coffee

You are invited!

for a

Mom's Coffee

Who: DCFS Foster Care & Safe Families Moms

When: Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Time: 9:30-11:30

Where: Terri Hooker’s House
2000 S Ela, Schaumburg
(On Ela between Central and Algonquin.
Turn on Timber Ridge to access driveway)

Children are Welcome.

Coffee, Tea & Treats will be served.

Hope to see you there!

Please R.S.V.P. to Terri Hooker at
thooker@americandooranddock.com or
847-366-7502

Orphan Sunday @ Willow Creek Community Church

Sunday, November 07,2010

5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Willow Creek Community Church
67 E. Algonquin Road, So. Barrington, IL 60010

room 100b (under the chapel)

Contact person:Dina Ackermann avoiceforhischildren@gmail.com

* View "Answer the Cry", a video created for Orphan Sunday 2010, featuring Steven Curtis Chapman, Mark Schultz, Francis Chan and others. It will address the plight of the orphan and what we can do to help.

* View the Heart Gallery of Illinois, a gallery of portraits of children in foster care and waiting to be adopted.

* Hear speakers from local ministries serving children.

* Light refreshments will be provided.

* Child care is provided if you r.s.v.p. with the number of children and their ages. avoiceforhischildren@gmail.com

*This event is FREE of charge.

For more Orphan Sunday events around the country, visit http://www.orphansunday.org/ and click on events.

The Chapel's "Compassion for Kids" Ministry kick-off

1,200 children in Chicagoland Safe Families this year
Over 13,000 kids in foster care in Illinois
500,000 children in the US foster care system
8,000,000 boys & girls around the globe living in institutional care
145,000,000 orphans worldwide

They need our compassion.
We can make a difference!

Please join The Chapel’s
"Compassion for Kids" Ministry kick-off

* Be inspired
* Learn about the vision of this ministry
* Discover opportunities for service

In recognition of Orphan Sunday “Defend the cause of the fatherless” (Isaiah 1:17)


*Saturday, November 6th - Grayslake Campus @ 6:30PM

and

* Sunday, November 7th - Lake Zurich Campus @ 1:00PM

* Pizza and childcare provided
* Heart Gallery of Illinois
* Brief presentations:

* Ministry Vision
* Safe Families
*Foster Care
* Adoption
* Volunteer opportunities
* Testimonies

For more information or to r.s.v.p. contact Laura Grimes at buildingfamilies@chapel.org or call 630-235-0903

IRS Issues New Guidelines on Adoption Tax Credit

In July, a friend of the Alliance reached out to ask us if we could help them sort through the vagaries of the recently-enhanced adoption tax credit. Although it was widely known that the credit had been expanded, even many tax professionals were unsure how to apply it.

After some research, it was clear that information being provided by the IRS on how to claim the tax credit had not yet been updated to reflect the changes. So, we reached out to our friends at the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) to see if they could make the official request of the IRS for updated guidance. (Government agencies always seem to react most quickly when the request comes from the entity that sets their budgets, Congress.) CCAI consistently does tremendous work on the adoption, foster care and global orphan front, and they took up the request immediately. The IRS responded quickly. Today, the IRS issued new guidance for how adoptive families can claim the Adoption Tax Credit for 2010.

IRS Issues Guidance on Expanded Adoption Credit Available for Tax-Year 2010

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued guidance on the expanded adoption credit included in the Affordable Care Act. The IRS also released a draft version of the form that eligible taxpayers will use to claim the newly-expanded adoption credit on 2010 tax returns filed next year.

The Affordable Care Act raises the maximum adoption credit to $13,170 per child, up from $12,150 in 2009. It also makes the credit refundable, meaning that eligible taxpayers can get it even if they owe no tax for that year. In general, the credit is based on the reasonable and necessary expenses related to a legal adoption, including adoption fees, court costs, attorney’s fees and travel expenses. Income limits and other special rules apply.

In addition to filling out Form 8839, Qualified Adoption Expenses, eligible taxpayers must include with their 2010 tax returns one or more adoption-related documents, detailed in the guidance issued today.

The documentation requirements, designed to ensure that taxpayers properly claim the credit, mean that taxpayers claiming the credit will have to file paper tax returns. Normally, it takes six to eight weeks to get a refund claimed on a complete and accurate paper return where all required documents are attached. The IRS encourages taxpayers to use direct deposit to speed their refund.

Taxpayers claiming the credit will still be able to use IRS Free File to prepare their returns, but the returns must be printed out and sent to the IRS, along with all required documentation.

Food for Thought Webinar

The impact of poor nutrition in early development.

Tips and insights for adoptive parents to help children catch up and thrive.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010, 7:00-8:00PM Central Time
Cost: $15

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER: http://www.adoptionlearningpartners.org/nutrition_webinar.cfm


What are the impacts? What do we look for? How can we help our kids now?

We all know the importance of prenatal and early nutrition. We also understand that it is likely our internationally adopted children have missed out on a fair amount of this key factor of development.

Join Dr. Dana Johnson, renowned international adoption physician, as he shares the results of his research on the common physical, cognitive and behavioral impacts of poor nutrition on international adoptees. He will give practical tips of what to look for in your child, what to ask your pediatrician to test for and how to help your child catch up and thrive both short and long term.

This webinar will share strategies and tips on:

• Understanding the impact of early nutritional deprivation

• Identifying signs of malnutrition in your child

• Having your child tested for nutritional deficiencies

• How to help your child catch up and thrive



Speaker:

Dr. Dana Johnson, MD PhD
Dr. Johnson is the Director of the Division of Neonatology and the Director of the International Adoption Clinic at the University of Minnesota. He has researched, published and lectured extensively on the effects of early institutionalization on growth, development and outcomes of internationally adopted children. He is a frequent expert speaker at worldwide conferences on issues relating to institutionalized children's health.


Webinar Sponsors: