Recently, WORLD Magazine did an article on The Shepherd's Crook Ministry. TSC specializes in helping children with special needs find adoptive homes. Since we were adopting four children at once, this was termed a special needs adoption and TSC came along side us with encouragement and a place for friends to donate, tax-free, to our adoption fund. Since then, we've received several emails from them highlighting a specific child with the desperate need to find a home.
Elli and I love to find children on waiting children's lists to pray for and we've seen miraculous things happen when people pray for children. Yesterday, we were on TSC's website, looking at the WCL and found a boy in Uganda who deperately needs a home. Please take a minute and look up TSC, the WCL and this precious child who needs God to send him a family. We are praying diligently here- the boy is Layne's age and reminds us of our Gavin. Please join us in praying a family for this boy and QUICKLY so he can receive the medical care he so desperately needs.
Finally, please leave me a comment to let me know you're willing to join us in praying for this boy- I believe a little accountability helps us remember to do what we say we will!!!
Visiting Lalibela
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Sanctity of Life
We watched an amazing video on Sanctity of Life Sunday. Every time I see a movie like it, showing the stages of a fetus's development, I'm brought to tears because of our Creator's gift of life and how intricate it is. I'm a passionate pro-life supporter!! I love that THE CHURCH embraces this topic, and people sign their names to support LIFE. I love the work done by places like Legacy Crisis Pregnancy Center, in our hometown of Sheridan, Wyoming. It's an easy cause to get passionate about. I mean, who really would believe that killing an unborn child is okay?
What I don't understand though, is that if we as Christians view this miracle of life as something worth fighting for and voting for, why don't we all embrace those little miracles that are all over the world waiting for homes? Why is it okay to let little ones DIE due to lack of clean water, lack of mosquito netting , lack of food and lack of good health habits? Why are children languishing in orphanages or in foster care here and around the world?
How is it any different? Why isn't THE CHURCH standing or rallying behind these issues too? Why aren't there signatures in every local paper stating who in their town are behind orphan care?
My sister sent me the following statistics (thanks, Brenda):
What is the equivalent of all the people killed by Hitler plus all the people killed by Stalin TIMES TWO???
All the abortions (over 50 million) performed since Roe v. Wade.
Now, how about these statistics?
There are an estimated 147-160 million orphans in the world, due to no fault of their own. Their lives are as holy in God's eyes as those unborn children we work so tirelessly to protect.
I am so thankful for the faithful warriors that we've met along our adoption road, those warriors who have seen and not been afraid to act, the warriors who are going again and again because LIFE IS WORTH IT.
I saw a t-shirt once that read if ABORTION and the B was crossed out and replaced with a D, the R crossed out and replaced with a P. hmmm I wonder if more women would choose life if more Christians chose ADOPTION, not just as a Plan B, but as a beautiful Plan A, because it's the right thing to do.
What I don't understand though, is that if we as Christians view this miracle of life as something worth fighting for and voting for, why don't we all embrace those little miracles that are all over the world waiting for homes? Why is it okay to let little ones DIE due to lack of clean water, lack of mosquito netting , lack of food and lack of good health habits? Why are children languishing in orphanages or in foster care here and around the world?
How is it any different? Why isn't THE CHURCH standing or rallying behind these issues too? Why aren't there signatures in every local paper stating who in their town are behind orphan care?
My sister sent me the following statistics (thanks, Brenda):
What is the equivalent of all the people killed by Hitler plus all the people killed by Stalin TIMES TWO???
All the abortions (over 50 million) performed since Roe v. Wade.
Now, how about these statistics?
There are an estimated 147-160 million orphans in the world, due to no fault of their own. Their lives are as holy in God's eyes as those unborn children we work so tirelessly to protect.
I am so thankful for the faithful warriors that we've met along our adoption road, those warriors who have seen and not been afraid to act, the warriors who are going again and again because LIFE IS WORTH IT.
I saw a t-shirt once that read if ABORTION and the B was crossed out and replaced with a D, the R crossed out and replaced with a P. hmmm I wonder if more women would choose life if more Christians chose ADOPTION, not just as a Plan B, but as a beautiful Plan A, because it's the right thing to do.
I wonder what would happen if the defining cry of a political party or church was not only unborn LIFE but any LIFE.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Catherine Hamlin
#links
My friend Kristi wrote a great post on her blog for her birthday- Happy Birthday Kristi and thanks for this great read!!! I love seeing stories of people who are passionate about using their giftings for the benefit of others.
To read Kristi's post, click on the colored letters above. While you're on her blog, check out the cute boy at the top with her husband, Dale. That is our sweet sponsor son in Ethiopia at Kind Hearts. We all love seeing how happy and healthy he looks after almost a year of sponsorship.
My friend Kristi wrote a great post on her blog for her birthday- Happy Birthday Kristi and thanks for this great read!!! I love seeing stories of people who are passionate about using their giftings for the benefit of others.
To read Kristi's post, click on the colored letters above. While you're on her blog, check out the cute boy at the top with her husband, Dale. That is our sweet sponsor son in Ethiopia at Kind Hearts. We all love seeing how happy and healthy he looks after almost a year of sponsorship.
healing up..
It's been a long two weeks for several of my kids. Some unknown virus has run through many- mimicking mono. Good thing we homeschool because most days I had at least 3 kids needing a 2 hour nap each afternoon. I say that it mimics mono, because the mono spot is negative on the two that we tested. Fortunately, the color is starting to return to some cheeks and a LITTLE bit of energy returned today. Thankfully, the sun made a surprise appearance and motivated the kids to get outside to play or at least sit in the bay window and soak it up..
Also, on Friday, Elli really hurt her shoulder. She was running the vaccuum with her left hand, pulled it back and heard a "pop". All of her symtpoms point to an injured rotator cuff, which we're keeping immobilized and under ice. Hopefully, it'll start feeling a lot better tomorrow so we won't need to take her in.
The only reason I write about this, is it continually amazes me what kids go through when they're sick. My kids that just came home in August talk about not being able to rest when they were sick or WORSE yet, not being allowed to go to the bathroom when they had diarrhea if it was at night...Each time they're sick, they eat up the loving that we give them...
Also, on Friday, Elli really hurt her shoulder. She was running the vaccuum with her left hand, pulled it back and heard a "pop". All of her symtpoms point to an injured rotator cuff, which we're keeping immobilized and under ice. Hopefully, it'll start feeling a lot better tomorrow so we won't need to take her in.
The only reason I write about this, is it continually amazes me what kids go through when they're sick. My kids that just came home in August talk about not being able to rest when they were sick or WORSE yet, not being allowed to go to the bathroom when they had diarrhea if it was at night...Each time they're sick, they eat up the loving that we give them...
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Take Care of my lambs
I asked Karen Wistrom if I could copy her post. I ran this video a few weeks back, but with her explanation of the video, I'm going to run it again. .
There's a powerful and compelling video that's been circulating on the web for a few months now. It's startling ... and convicting ... and compelling because it makes you consider the plight of orphans in a completely different light - in the glaring, revealing light of "what if that starving, scared, sick and desperate child was your son or daughter?"
The title of the video is "Depraved Indifference". It was only when I googled the title in order to email a link to a friend, that the definition hit me. Depraved Indifference is a legal term ...
To constitute depraved indifference, the defendant's conduct must be so wanton, so deficient in a moral sense of concern, so lacking in regard for the life or lives of others, and so blameworthy as to warrant the same criminal liability as that which the law imposes upon a person who intentionally causes a crime. Depraved indifference focuses on the risk created by the defendant’s conduct, not the injuries actually resulting.
The legal definition struck a cord in me because there was a time when I could watch a video like this or hear first-hand accounts and it would disturb me for a moment ... but within minutes (if not seconds) it was relegated to a seldom visited corner of my mind and my heart. That's indifference. And my lack of concern and action can have a direct impact on the life (or death) of that child.
When we adopted our two orphaned sons from Ethiopia, two years ago, I could no longer watch a video like this or hear first-hand accounts without being deeply, deeply disturbed - not for a few moments, but for days and weeks and months.
You see ... it's different now.
I can't look at those faces and not see the faces of my sons. I can't look at those faces and not see the faces of my daughters and think ... what if? What if something happened to me and to my extended family ... would somebody protect them and care for them and love them and provide for them?
In John 21:15-18 (after the resurrection) when Jesus spoke to Peter, who had denied him three times before his crucifixion, the Lord asked Peter three times to affirm his love for him.
"When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Peter, "Do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
Again Jesus said, "Do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
The third time he said to him, "Do you love me?" Peter was hurt, because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?"
He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."
if you want information on how to help feed some of these children, click on the button that says, I sponsor a child at Kind Hearts. We just received a letter from our little guy yesterday-- sponsorship (and adoption) really do make a difference.
There's a powerful and compelling video that's been circulating on the web for a few months now. It's startling ... and convicting ... and compelling because it makes you consider the plight of orphans in a completely different light - in the glaring, revealing light of "what if that starving, scared, sick and desperate child was your son or daughter?"
The title of the video is "Depraved Indifference". It was only when I googled the title in order to email a link to a friend, that the definition hit me. Depraved Indifference is a legal term ...
To constitute depraved indifference, the defendant's conduct must be so wanton, so deficient in a moral sense of concern, so lacking in regard for the life or lives of others, and so blameworthy as to warrant the same criminal liability as that which the law imposes upon a person who intentionally causes a crime. Depraved indifference focuses on the risk created by the defendant’s conduct, not the injuries actually resulting.
The legal definition struck a cord in me because there was a time when I could watch a video like this or hear first-hand accounts and it would disturb me for a moment ... but within minutes (if not seconds) it was relegated to a seldom visited corner of my mind and my heart. That's indifference. And my lack of concern and action can have a direct impact on the life (or death) of that child.
When we adopted our two orphaned sons from Ethiopia, two years ago, I could no longer watch a video like this or hear first-hand accounts without being deeply, deeply disturbed - not for a few moments, but for days and weeks and months.
You see ... it's different now.
I can't look at those faces and not see the faces of my sons. I can't look at those faces and not see the faces of my daughters and think ... what if? What if something happened to me and to my extended family ... would somebody protect them and care for them and love them and provide for them?
In John 21:15-18 (after the resurrection) when Jesus spoke to Peter, who had denied him three times before his crucifixion, the Lord asked Peter three times to affirm his love for him.
"When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Peter, "Do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
Again Jesus said, "Do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
The third time he said to him, "Do you love me?" Peter was hurt, because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?"
He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."
if you want information on how to help feed some of these children, click on the button that says, I sponsor a child at Kind Hearts. We just received a letter from our little guy yesterday-- sponsorship (and adoption) really do make a difference.
Prayers needed-- not for us
Friends, we live in the hottest oil play in the nation. With that, brings hundreds if not thousands of men living here to work. Some of these men, including some that work for us, are living in camper trailers or slide out campers from the back of the pick-up trucks with no hook-ups in the winter- can you imagine using a port-a-potty at 25 below? ( There is very little, if not any housing available for all of the workers needed in the area). Tonight, we have a weather advisory for up to -40 to -50 --yep, that's right, 40 to 50 below zero. Please pray for protection for all the people working in the Bakken Oil Fields. So many men and women are out there right now, working hard, so that they might provide national oil to our nation. I can't even describe how cold it is out there.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Great opportunity
Project HOPEFUL and Univeristy of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital Adoption Clinic are hosting a parent forum open to prospective adoptive parents AND their extended family members who would benefit from expert medical knowledge on HIV/AIDS. Experienced adoptive families will be there to help answer all your questions about day-to-day life parenting kids with HIV and the adoption process. The UC medical staff will answer your specific medical questions as well.
This forum is a WONDERFUL resource for families with extended members who are very reluctant about considering adoptions of children with HIV as it is designed to equip them with all the facts and address their specific concerns.
The cost is only $10/family (no matter how large your group). For more info about how to register http://projecthopeful.org/events/details/23-project-hopefuluniv-of-chicago-parent-forum-more-info
This forum is a WONDERFUL resource for families with extended members who are very reluctant about considering adoptions of children with HIV as it is designed to equip them with all the facts and address their specific concerns.
The cost is only $10/family (no matter how large your group). For more info about how to register http://projecthopeful.org/events/details/23-project-hopefuluniv-of-chicago-parent-forum-more-info
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