Family Friday: Eric & Samantha

I couldn't help but share this sweet & creative thank you note we received from Eric & Samantha. We feel blessed to partner with them in their adoption funding.  Please join them in prayer as they continue on their journey to adopt from Lesotha.

He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground...He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.”   Joshua 4:21, 24

I’ve always been interested by Standing Stones, monuments made out of precariously balanced, random rocks. In Scripture, a pile of standing stones is often created to commemorate something great that God has done, like when Israel passed through the Jordan River or when Jacob wrestled with God.  Through the process of our adoption, God is doing something spectacular, worth remembering for years to come. In honor of you and others who have given so generously to help bring two orphans into our family, we have created our own remembrance. This is the beginning of a new family quilt. Each leaf is labeled with the name of each person who has walked with us, whether in a big way or small. Your name is on this quilt and we thank God for your love and generosity. We have been blessed to add you onto our quilt, our pile of standing stones.  

-Eric & Samantha

Child Sponsorship in Ethiopia!!

We are excited to share with you the Lifesong Ethiopia Child Sponsorship program that has just launched last week!

For just $19/month, you can sponsor one of the kids at the Adami Tulu School and ensure that they get the incredible education, spiritual mentoring and food that they need to break the cycle of poverty. Many of these kids are already orphans; all are vulnerable children sitting on the razor’s edge of extreme poverty that can rip families apart and create orphans for life.

There are 189 children at the Adami Tulu School and thankfully as of today, 45 have already been sponsored!

We invite you to connect your heart with one of remaining 144 students...

Students like...

Abonesh - Age 5

Habtamu - Age 4

Abanezer - Age 4

Head over to the Adami Tulu website to see the 144 students who still need sponsorhip and how YOU can join this exciting opportunity!

Connecting Hearts Conference

When?: February 25, 2012 (8:30 am - 2:30 pm)

Where?: East White Oak Church (11922 E 2000 North Rd, Carlock, IL)

What?: a FREE conference to help educate & equip YOU--a worker in HIS field

Why?: The Connecting Hearts with the Forgotten Conference exists to help people capture the heart of God for the fatherless among us and throughout the world.

Visit The Connecting Hearts with the Forgotten Conference to see sessions, speakers, schedule, exhibitors and how you can register for this special event! 

Lifesong will be there...will you?

Give Thanks to God for You - Lifesong India

We are blessed to share this update from Bob Stoll,  Lifesong India liaison,

"You deserve a sincere thank you for your faithful participation in this ministry. Your prayers, gifts and obedience to the Holy Spirit have encouraged us and made possible a notable miracle in the multitudes of lives which have been changed spiritually, materially and physically.

Receiving Christmas presents

It has been a blessed privilege for Siromani and me to be a voice communicating on behalf of the kids in India.  It is also our duty toassure you of their appreciationfor the blessing you have provided year after year for more than thirty-four years. We have gladly undertaken this responsibility because we believe this is our calling for God's glory.

You have built six homes where you are providing total care to 570 children. They receive a new set of clothes at Christmas (enjoy the Christmas pictures!), education through college, food, toilet articles, and Bibles.

Christmas Celebration

You have also been faithful to provide continual help to nearly 60 poor pastors and gospel workers, 130 indigent widows and elderly and have built nearly 40 new churches for remote village congregations.

We send their sincere thanks and our to you and assure you that our friends in India 'pray for you and give thanks to God for you every day.'" 

A Day in the Life -- Lifesong Liberia

Meet Andrew.  Andrew was 9 years old when he came into the loving care of Lifesong Liberia 'Home of Champions' School & Orphanage.  Andrew was rescued from the Belle Forest, a 'refuge' where many Liberians ran to during the 14-year civil war that ended 9 years ago.  A war that took the lives of over 500,000 Liberians.  Inhabitants of the Belle Forest still believe that the war is going on and because of their fear have never left it's barren bush.  This has left many hungry, uneducated, fatherless children...children like Andrew who come to the home in a terrible condition... starving, lost and alone.

But we know that beauty can come from ashes. Joy from the place of mourning. Praise instead of despair. Home instead of a wasteland. Family replacing loneliness. Isn't this how our God works? Andrew is just one more example of how our God delights in transforming a life through His great love for us and for the splendor of His own glory!

"...he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning,  festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory..." Isaiah 61:3

Learn more about how YOU can sponsor a child like Andrew today! Click here.