ABC World News Spotlights Adoption of Children with Special Needs

An organization called Reece’s Rainbow helps to match adoptive families to children with Down Syndrome and other special needs.  Below is an excellent report from ABC News that spotlights the adoption of a little girl with down syndrome from Ukraine.

Please remember to pray for this vulnerable children who do not have a voice, and that God would use this report to find many more forever families for these kids.
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/utah-family-saves-ukraine-girl-15236476

Hope Ethiopia: 100 Challenge Results

A message from LifeSong for Orphans.......

Do you remember that Hope Ethiopia:100 challenge we gave you? The one where YOU all completely exceeded our goals? 

And that one phone call where an AMAZING donor committed to match ALL donations (up to $130,000) to Lifesong Ethiopia through the end of 2011?

Well, we found out about that donor on November 17th! That's 45 days to raise $130,000... which made this goal seem next to impossible... in OUR eyes! However, as you all know... GOD had different plans for THESE kids -

and these kids - 

Plans that we could never had imagined... plans to give them hope and a future! 

Thanks to an AMAZING TEAM of individuals and their fundraising efforts, coupled with the provision of our Lord, THE MATCH HAS BEEN MET! Did you hear me? All ONE HUNDRED THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS has been donated for the children at the Adami Tulu and Ziway, Ethiopia schools! 

We stand in complete awe of our MIGHTY Jehovah Jireh! 

Thank you fundraising team for your efforts, for the way you never stop advocating for these children, and for our faith in our Lord God Almighty to provide for ALL of their needs! 

Thank you donors who stepped up to the challenge and did not let the dollar amount get in the way... but trusted that EVERY one of your dollars mattered! 

Thank you to all of you who advocated for these children, pray for them, and have invested in their lives... it will surely be an invest with an eternal reward! 

Check the Adami Tulu site often to learn more about The Project, the fundraising priorities, and what's in store for 2012! 

http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/

"Careful the Things You Say"

The following, is taken from "Rita's Blog" from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

http://www.davethomasfoundation.org/who-we-are/blog/

Rita Soronen, President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

September 14, 2011

Last week I heard a child welfare professional charged with the care of dozens of children waiting to be adopted say, “We have done so much work for him, but had to take him out of another placement.  Honestly, he is just proving to me that he is unadoptable.” The child about whom she was speaking is 14 and being moved out of his fifth home in almost as many years. I have thought about that comment nonstop since then. Unadoptable. The word makes me angry and sad. But mostly angry. Words have consequences.

In his compelling Broadway musical, Into the Woods, Stephen Sondheim addresses nearly every iconic family theme – the relationship between parent and child, the difficult transition from childhood into adulthood, self-discovery, longing, loneliness, grief and guilt, wishes and hope. Of course other messages resonate in this intertwining of classic fairy tales (or it wouldn’t be a Sondheim musical!), but to me, none more profoundly than that of the responsibility we have as adults for children. All children. Responsibility for our actions and in how we speak. “Careful the things you say, children will listen,” sings the Witch. “Careful the things you do, children will see and learn.”

I have always connected this show to the work we do for maltreated children, vulnerable families and, in particular, children in foster care waiting to be adopted. The quest for home and the recognition that the threads of childhood are delicately woven into how we grow as adults is at the core of foster care adoption. And yet, knowing what we know – how basic and essential it is that childhood threads are sewn into a safe and nurturing family – we allow thousands of children to linger without homes, and thousands more to age out and never realize their quests for families.

Too often it is because, either consciously (or worse, unknowingly), we label children “unadoptable,” or “hard to place,” or just simply “difficult.” As many a rhetorician has noted, words have consequences. In this case, it is a bit of a double jeopardy. When we call a child unadoptable, we not only criminally diminish his or her hope, but we extend the myth that some children are less deserving than others of what you and I consider birthrights – family and home. Using the word allows those of us charged with assuring an adoptive home for every child the escape hatch of failure. If HE is UNADOPTABLE, then it must not be MY fault if I cannot find him a home that sticks. Enough excuses, particularly those that blame the child.

At the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, we work each day under the notion that every waiting child is adoptable. If a child has not been placed in a home with a pending finalization, it is our fault. We have not worked hard enough or smart enough to assure that the child is prepared, that an appropriate family has been sought or that the family has been given every resource to succeed. Our fault, not the child’s. He is not unadoptable. She is not hard to place. They are not difficult. Enough. Our failures, not theirs.

Children in foster care waiting to be adopted are unique and cherished individuals whose life experiences have already made them wiser than most adults. Now they simply need our indefatigable efforts to assure that they have families and homes. He is adoptable. She is wise. They are deserving of our best efforts.

Careful the things you say. Words have consequences. And if we do this right, it will be with the best possible results – homes for children who need them most. No excuses.

Oh, and if that word (you know what word) is ever used around us again – you might just get the Giant’s boot!

Family hopes state enables more international adoptions

Carolyn and Kiel Twietmeyer and their large family sit down for dinnner… (Zbigniew Bzdak, Chicago Tribune)

Joliet couple see adding more kids as part of their religious mission

November 24, 2011|By Manya A. Brachear, Chicago Tribune reporter

As the parents of 14 children, including six adopted from Africa, Carolyn and Kiel Twietmeyer believe they are doing God's work.  Two of the six children the Joliet couple adopted from Ethiopia suffer from HIV. Bringing them to the U.S., where they could get the medical attention they needed, was a matter of life or death.  "The worst part of HIV is the stigma," Carolyn said. "In the U.S., it's considered a chronic and manageable disease."

But the Twietmeyers and other like-minded large families in Illinois face an obstacle to their mission of adopting from countries where the orphan crises are especially dire. In order to adopt children from countries such as Uganda, India and the Philippines, parents must be licensed by the state as foster care families. That's a problem for the Twietmeyers and other families who far exceed the standard licensing limit.

It's also a problem for Jojo, Carolyn Twietmeyer's nickname for Jonathan, a 3-year-old child with Down syndrome and HIV, who lives in a Ugandan orphanage. Twietmeyer dreams of the day she can bring him home and call him her son.
But social workers at the Twietmeyers' adoption agency say they have been told the family won't be licensed for more children, a necessary step to adopt from Uganda, where adoptions are not finalized until after children reach the U.S.
The conflict pits the families' desire to live out their religious mission of caring for orphans against the state's mission to protect children.  To read the complete story, click here:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-11-24/news/ct-met-adoption-limits-20111124_1_international-adoptions-biological-children-joliet-couple 

Great Story & Video from Little Rock

The following, is taken from the Christian Alliance for Orphans blog.  Get you kleenex before viewing the video.   It drives home the fact that belonging to a family is a beautiful thing.

December 22nd, 2011 | by Jedd Medefind |

“Defending the fatherless” takes on countless forms as Christians act in response to God’s call. Barbara Rainey recently shared with me the news story of a young couple from Little Rock who made a remarkable decision in this regard, giving the gift of family to a teen girl not much younger than they are.  TV station KTHV tells the remarkable story HERE. 

Although the news report doesn’t mention it explicitly, it in inescapably clear from the home video that this incredible moment springs up from hearts that love Jesus Christ.  You can also watch a home-made video of the “big moment” below.  This video is of such an intimate moment that it almost takes your breath away; you feel almost embarrassed to watch.  Yet ultimately, you know you’ve been invited in on a moment that the girl and the couple…and those who get to watch it…will never forget:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iexJtB57bkY

Set your DVR for "A Home for the Holidays"

 

 

‘A Home for the Holidays’ television special

“A Home for the Holidays” is a powerful CBS special. It shares stories of foster care adoption and features performances from some of America’s most popular musical artists.

This heartwarming holiday special will air at 7 p.m. Central Time on CBS on Wednesday, December 21, 2011, featuring all-star talent. See the joy of having a family through the eyes of a child — not just for the holidays, but forever.

This year’s talent includes Justin Bieber, Mary J. Blige, Gavin DeGraw, Martina McBride, OneRepublic and Christina Perri. Presenters are Katherine Heigl, her Sister Meg Heigl-Beltran, Denise Richards and Jillian Michaels.

Give the gift of family. Text the word HOME to 50555 to make a $10 donation to DTFA. Standard text and data rates may apply. Follow our live Twitter chat (@DTFA) during the show using #ahomefortheholidays.

Sponsored by Children's Action Network, CBS, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Wendy's.

2012 "Empowered to Connect" Conference

Registration is now open for the next Empowered To Connect Conference on February 17-18, 2012, at Irving Bible Church in the Dallas, Texas area.

Empowered To Connect, together with Show Hope, will host the Empowered To Connect Conference — a two-day conference designed to help adoptive and foster parents, ministry leaders and professionals better understand how to connect with "children from hard places" in order to help them heal and become all that God desires for them to be.

The conference features Dr. Karyn Purvis, and is ideal for adoptive and foster parents, those considering adoption or foster care and those who are serving and supporting others, including social workers, agency professionals, church staff and ministry leaders, counselors, therapists and others involved in adoption and foster care.

Registration for the Dallas ETC Conference is now open! Visit www.etcconference.org for more details and to register online at the discounted “early bird” price. In addition, for a limited time you can register for 1/2 off of the “early bird” price by using the discount code: FOCUS.

Make plans to join us for the Empowered To Connect Conference in Dallas on February 17-18, 2012!

Christian Alliance for Orphans Webinar

 

Alliance Webinar Series

  

The Christian Alliance for Orphans Webinar Series is designed to help individuals like you create and grow effective adoption, foster care and global orphan ministry in local churches.

  

You're Invited...   

Grown Up Orphans - Self Sufficiency in International Settings

Although the best place for any child is a loving home, sometimes this is not an option. In such cases, a well-designed continuum of care can effectively minister to the diverse needs of a broad range of children.  Learn about both broad principles and specific practices for supporting all levels of care through partnerships, with a special focus on transitional care approach.  

This webinar is designed for individuals who are interested in orphan ministry or who are already involved. Whether it be church leaders, lay people, organization representatives, we can all learn from each other as we discuss the importance of an integrated approach to caring for the fatherless.

Register Here:  https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/251906384

 

 

Presenters:     John Lookabuagh, Valley Ranch Baptist Church

                        Jeff Jones, Buckner International  

Date:  Wednesday, December 14, 2011             Time:  1:00 PM Central 

 

Each 60-minute webinar in this series will give local advocates access to the knowledge and experience of top Alliance member churches and organizations nationwide, covering key topics on adoption, foster care and/or global orphan care.  Every webinar will be hosted by a local church orphan ministry and co-presented by one or more national experts on the subject matter.  This pairing will deliver a combination of specialist information and resources alongside a “here’s how it works in a real church” perspective.

Adoption at the White House

Last month, in recognition of November being national adoption month, the White House hosted a panel on the importance of adoption in our country. The panel specifically focused on the role of secular and faith-based organizations in providing homes for children who are waiting in foster care.

Focus on the Family was invited to be part of that discussion in recognition for the outstanding work Focus on the Family has done through their Wait No More program. While they don't agree with the White House on many issues, they were pleased they recognized the important work of faith-based agencies which strive to place children in homes headed by moms and dads.

	Watch this Citizen Link report in which Stuart Shepard talks with Focus on the Family's Vice President of Community Outreach Kelly Rosati about her experience on the adoption panel. http://www.citizenlink.com/2011/11/30/white-house-panels-discuss-adoption/

Wait No More^® is an initiative that encourages the collaboration of adoption agencies, churches and ministry partners to educate and equip families with the tools they need to adopt from foster care. There are currently more than 100,000 legal orphans waiting for families in our country's foster care system—and it is their hope and goal that they will each find a forever home.

Since its inception, Wait No More has helped approximately 1,800 families start the process of adoption through foster care. That means that, through the joint efforts of Focus on the Family, state foster care programs and adoption agencies, more families are considering the possibility of welcoming children into their forever families.

For more information visit http://www.icareaboutorphans.org/WaitNoMore.aspx

Know anyone in San Antonio?

Hope for Orphans is kick-starting a promotion with Chick-fil-A restaurants in the San Antonio, Texas area and we need your help! This fundraiser will significantly help Hope for Orphans continue to serve the Church and orphans in 2012. Please help us spread the word by forwarding this information to family, friends, and those serving in the military who live in the San Antonio, Texas area:

On Wednesday, December 14th, every San Antonio area Chick-fil-A restaurant will donate all proceeds from their brownie sales to Hope for Orphans! Stop by any San Antonio Chick-fil-A restaurant and pick up a delicious, moist, gooey, fudge nut brownie or two - or even a whole tray! And, don't forget to pick up some extra brownies for your friends and let them know that a brownie can help Hope for Orphans this Wednesday. Let’s help every participating Chick-fil-A in San Antonio sell out of its brownies by the end of the day on Wednesday! Please thank our friends at Chick-fil-A for their generosity and your purchase will help us reach more churches to reach more orphans. And, feel free to forward this message, or post it on Twitter or Facebook. Call ahead to order your brownies or stop your local Chick-fil-A restaurant on December 14!

Safe Families Holiday Gathering

Safe Families Northwest and Lake County

Holiday Gathering

Tuesday December 13^th at 9:30a.m. or 7:00p.m.

Safe Families Northwest & Lake County invites you to join them this holiday season to celebrate the amazing families who have blessed Safe Families for Children.  Safe families like yours, who open their homes and hearts, make a difference for children and families in crisis.

 Please join them for coffee in the morning or

 wine and cheese in the evening.

Location: 

Sheila & Ben Applegate’s home

1315 W. Kenilworth Ave, Palatine

Children are always welcome

RSVP to Sheila Applegate

Sheila@applegates.com  or 847-323-0150

Hope Ethiopia: 100 - LifeSong for Orphans

Hope Ethiopia from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.  (Please mute blog music before starting video)

Children at the Lifesong Ethiopia school are fed 2 nutritious meals per day, provided with a quality education, and taught the message of Jesus Christ. This gives kids like Beza the hope they need in order to break free from gripping poverty.

We currently have a need to build a 12-room expansion to our existing school, in order to reach more children like Beza. We have been blessed, by the generosity of a donor, to be able to MATCH all donations to the Ziway and Adami Tulu Schools between now and December 31st... up to $130,000!!!

This week, the 5^th through the 9^th, we invite you to join Hope Ethiopia:100. We are looking for 100 people to give a one-time $100 donation! We have currently raised $59,472.21 of the $130,000 needed, which is about 46%. 

  

Joining this team will not only give hope to kids like Beza, but your dollars will be matched AND you'll be entered into a drawing for a FABULOUS gift basket (details below). 

  

Donate Here: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=ppqgOrAcYI3SXUERUeoITJCJRWMzEB2sqOf4-gzr4Xw3HSeCqlYJRoVA3Li&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8db2b24f7b84f1819343fd6c338b1d9d60

Help us achieve the next $10,000 by being a part of our Hope Ethiopia: 100 Team!  

*Gift basket includes: $100 itunes or amazon gift card, Lifesong t-shirt, Lifesong cookbook, Journey On CD, handmade necklaces & note cards by orphans in Zambia, handmade ornament from a child in Ukraine, 5 bags of Gobena coffee, Gobena coffee mug, Gobena t-shirt, and Gobena tote bag. This basket is worth over $250!

*To commit via check, please send an email to info@lifesongfororphans.org. Make check payable to Lifesong for Orphans, indicate 'preference Hope Ethiopia: 100' in the memo.

  

www.lifesongfororphans.org

Hope Ethiopia from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

"If You Were Mine" Adoption Workshop

Is adoption part of God's plan for your family?

Come join us as we explore what God wants us to do in response to His call to care for orphans.  Through this biblical and practical video workshop, we'll learn the processes, challenges, and joys of adoption.  Explore the following topics in order to make wise, loving decisions and have healthy expectations about adoption. 

* God's Heart for the Orphan.
* Agency selection & funding options.
* How to prepare yourself, your family and your home.
* What to expect when your child comes home.

Date:          Saturday, February 18th  9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.Location:    Willow Creek Community Church, 67 E. Algonquin Rd., So. Barrington, IL 60010
Room:        B100 - Park in lot B, Enter entrance B (lower level, under the Chapel)
Fee:           $10.00 per person for workbook.  Payment due on day of workshop.

Lunch:       Provided

For more information contact: Dina @ vcministry127@gmail.com.  

To register, please send an e-mail providing the following information. 

* First and last name(s)

* E-mail address

* Phone number

* Any dietary concerns for lunch

Sponsored by the Vulnerable Children's Ministry at Willow Creek Community Church.

The Children's Closet has Winter Coats

The Children's Closet has winter coats available to give to any of your Safe Kids, Foster kids or any child in need in your community. Also a ton of little kids winter clothing is available.

For the Schuamburg area contact Lisa Serwatka Phalen at #224-357-0060 and for McHenry and Kane County contact Teri Altpeter at #847-220-4602.

Help Warm the Hands of a Child in Foster Care

This Christmas season, you can help warm the hands
of a child in foster care! 
On Saturday and Sunday, December 10th & 11th, the Vulnerable Children's Ministry
will be collecting mittens and gloves that will be donated
to our local D.C.F.S. office in Elgin for them to give this winter. All sizes are needed.
We will collect new mittens and gloves (100 hats have already been donated!) 
before and after each weekend service in the atrium at Willow Creek South Barrington. 
Just look for the balloons to find us. Hope to see you there.