Lifesong Cup Builds Relationships - Lifesong Ukraine

We invite you to share a word of encouragement to our staff at Lifesong Ukraine. To do so, please comment on this post or on our Facebook wall and it will be forwarded to our staff. Thank you in advance for your kind words of support!   Please enjoy this update from Denis, Lifesong Ukraine Director... "This past weekend we had our fourth LS cup soccer competition where four teams have been qualified and participated in the semi-finals and final game. Sport is a great tool to reach out to the kids who would not typically attend our regular CCP lessons and Bible studies. With some of the kids we have just reinforced our influence and secured our relations.  As we did in previous years we have rented local Football Club Metalist stadium training fields and played four games. It was a two day event where all of the kids competition participants stayed at our camp property. LS cup goes to Zap this year, Sach got silver, Loubetin bronze.  October 11-14 there was a small camp at the Equestrian Sport base "Scope" for children who have already graduated from a boarding school in past years. The camp was attended by both boys and girls, who study in boarding schools, and those who have finished boarding. Some of them are now members of the Kharkov churches, some with spouses and children - they were talking about their faith. We could also see the results of our service."  Please continue to pray for the kids that we serve -- specifically that their hearts would be open and soft to the acceptance the Gospel.

Family Friday: "Many wanted to do more..."

Listen in with Dave & Sue as they share their expereince of adoption fundraising with Lifesong.  Dave & Sue adopted their two children, Erica (6) and Silas (2), from Ghana and we were so excited to be just one piece of the puzzle to help bring them home to a forever family! 

We have a great support system made up of family and friends in our community and church. They have all prayed for us and helped us prepare for the arrival of our two kids through an adoption shower. But, many wanted to do more and Lifesong provided them the opportunity to support us financially while also receiving a record of their donation and a tax deduction.  Everyone at Lifesong was more than willing to answer our questions and our emails were responded to almost immediately. We also appreciated the encouragement and prayers from the staff.

The fact that Lifesong is a 501c3 helped us immensely. More people gave because of the stability and professionalism of Lifesong. The letter of support for our adoption and fundraising was also a big help. Knowing that we had to go through an application process and be accepted to fundraise with Lifesong offered those who know us, but not well, the peace of mind that the funds would be used appropriately. And, we were pleasantly surprised how many people donated money that we didn’t know or hardly knew.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! May God richly bless you all for your commitment to helping orphans around the world. Your work has truly been a blessing to our family. 

-Dave & Sue, adoptive parents 

 To learn more about adoption funding, visit our website. 

Sarah's Birthday of Purpose

Meet Sarah.

Sarah just celebrated her 6th birthday last month. You would expect to see dolls, games, and maybe even a bike on her birthday list, right?

Wrong. 

For the second year in a row, Sarah has asked that instead of gifts for her birthday, money be given to Lifesong for Orphans as we care for children around the world.

Recently we recieved this note, along with a check to Lifesong from Sarah's mom,

Enclosed is $500 to help fund the adoption of an Ukrainian orphan into a Christian Ukrainian family through your Adoption without Borders program. Our daughter, Sarah, chose to collect donations for Lifesong in lieu of presents to celebrate her 6th birthday. God bless you and your efforts at Lifesong!

Isn't so refreshing to know that because of the selfless choice of ONE child, an orphan in Ukraine can become adopted into a forever family!

Sarah, thank you SO much for the example that you have shown us of what Christ's selfless love looks like. We pray that God our Father would bless your heart and life as you live for Him!

The Day After Orphan Sunday - Village of Hope

Please enjoy this update from Village of Hope-Guatemala, 

Yesterday, all over the social media world, people were posting this:

Churches around the world will pause today to consider the growing orphan crisis... Our prayer is that they don't forget tomorrow! 

Have you forgotten already? 

Have you asked the Lord to break YOUR heart for the things that break HIS?

 

What is He calling YOU to do?

 

What can YOUR family sacrifice? 

Right now this very minute there are children waiting. Children who are living with HIV in a culture that rejects them. Schools do not want to accept them; most orphanages do not want to accept them either. And so they wait - in hopes that one day someone will welcome them in, wrap their loving arms around them and tell them they are valued, cherished, and loved. And we wait, for the body of Christ to come together to make the vision of Village of Hope a reality for these children. 

To date, the Lord has provided for 840 bricks... PRAISE HIM! This means that we still have a LONG way to go before we can build the first home for the children the Lord will send us. Stop. Read that sentence again. CHILDREN ARE WAITING... we will have to turn them away without the funds to build the first home. 

We have an AMAZING opportunity that a very GENEROUS donor has offered... For the next FIVE days (through the 9th only), the next 48 bricks purchased (up to $1,200 total) will be MATCHED!!!! AND, everyone that buys a brick during this time will be entered into a giveaway for a FREE Village of Hope t-shirt and bag! 

To hope GIVE faith, family, and a future to the children at Village of Hope, please visit our webpage here. Be sure to click 'Donate' next to the text, 'Buy a Brick, Give Hope'. 

*If you'd like to buy a brick as a gift or in honor of a love done, a card will be sent indicating your gift. This is a GREAT way to give a gift of purpose this Christmas season! 

Day 5 - Pray for Orphan Sunday

In honor of the upcoming Orphan Sunday (November 4^th), we are hosting a Prayer Campaign to prepare our hearts and minds for the day set aside to honor the orphaned, knowing that PRAYER is the best place to start!

If you missed our days earlier this week, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 & Day 4.

Well, we’ve come to the last day of our prayer campaign. Our hope is that your heart has been softened and prepared for this coming weekend when thousands of believers across the globe will spend dedicated time honoring the orphan. We hope you will too! (for local Orphan Sunday events or ideas for hosting your own, click here).

We’d like to dedicate this final day to praying for events, hosts, speakers and all those involved for Orphan Sunday this weekend.

Whether you know of a local Orphan Sunday event or if you need to look one up on Orphans Sunday’s website, please join us in spending in prayer for at least one event that will take place.

Dear God, we thank you for the past five days we’ve had to focus on the orphan and to learn more about Your character. Thank you for Christian Alliance for Orphans and their part starting this dedication of Orphan Sunday. 

We specifically pray for Olathe Bible Church in Kansas and for their event this weekend. Please prepare each heart to hear your Word.  Let Your love for the orphan be in their hearts and move them into advocacy and action. We pray that this group of believers would burn with a love for you and that your love would overflow to the orphans in their community and around the world! Prepare their way and walk before them as they speak on behalf of many who can’t speak for themselves. In Your Name Jesus we pray, Amen!