Reflections Today

What could YOU do in ONE day?

2012-05-16T13:00:52Z

Would your church youth group or college campus ministry be willing to spend ONE day to live out James 1:27...literally?

Knowing that God is already at work in your church or campus ministry, Both Hands Foundation & Lifesong for Orphans invite you to roll up your sleeves (and maybe get your hands dirty!) by creatively serving the widow and the orphan at the same time!

Colorado Big Build--volunteers form Ellerslie Bible College

Students + Widows = Orphan Care

To find out how your youth group or college campus ministry can get involved, please contact Keith McAfee (keith@lifesongfororphans.org or 423.402.0248) or Rich Metcalfe (rich@lifesongfororphans.org or 309.747.4528).

New Strawberry Business - Lifesong Ukraine

2012-05-14T14:31:02Z

Lifesong Ukraine has recently started up a new strawberry project that is taking place in the developing nursery. These strawberry plants will be used to start a 'nursery business' for growers in Eastern Europe. Listen in as Denis Poshelok shares an update from from Lifesong Ukraine,

"Greetings! We appreciate your prayerful support as we enter a busy season this year with our strawberry nursery trial. We received the plants, the weather was good and the crew is excellent. The crew is a combination of our Kharkov graduates and Izume church members. Also, we have three older ladies coming from the local church to help plant!"

Andrei unloading strawberries from Plant Sciences, Inc.

Let the planting begin!

Please join us in prayer for this new endeavor for Lifesong Ukraine! Pray that God can use this for His glory!

Thank you from Both Hands Widow...

2012-05-11T15:00:00Z

Please enjoy this "Thank You" message from Sharon, the widow who was served last month through a Big Build Both Hands project in memory of Ty Osman II.

Wow...oh....wow!

That is all I can say at the moment, but I must forge through. I am very overwhelmed. I want everyone to know what is in my heart. Thank you so very much for the love and support you showed me in my time of need.

My dear husband died on August 28, 2011 and it was a great loss. Every day I miss him, in small ways as well as major ways. The work you have carried out I can never repay. I really didn't think it was going to be as extensive as it was. I thought to myself that some people would be sitting around picking at their folded hands until it was time to leave. Man! Was I wrong! I am by myself a lot but I try to do the best I can. I am sure people keep me in their thoughts and are just busy.... but what you've showed was, all were strangers to me, that are now true friends to me, they love the Lord deeply, love people, therefore they love, whether it is through donations, volunteering, or any help. All work... to the glory of the Lord. All the people, the food, the fellowship, the work, photography, the gas that was used, the extra items that were purchased, the hugs, the encouraging words, the moments of concern shown to me on my behalf, the prayers, the news on television, the web site, the newspapers, as well as the children that all of this will help, certainly give the up most glory to the Sovereign Lord God Almighty.

Thanks...for choosing me for your project. Thank you for going the extra miles when you didn't have to. Thank you for helping the widows and children. Thank you for the overwhelming love, encouragement, heartfelt prayers and support that I feel from you, and your organization. Even thanks to the ministries that work with you, that do extra services. You have given me a new lease on life, a new hope, and strength to walk on.....forward.

May Our Father receive the glory in our daily walks with him. To God be the glory.

Sharon P.

To learn more about Both Hands Foundation, please visit their website.

Summit VIII Reflection

2012-05-08T16:43:55Z

Listen in to Summit VIII reflection from Christian Alliance for Orphans' President Jedd Medefind:

Summit VIII was nothing short of amazing. Even for those of us who spent a lot of time scurrying behind the scenes, the passion and wisdom and experiences brought not only by formal presenters, but by virtually every attendee, left us full-to-the-brim. Many of the workshop and plenary sessions will be available for download online in the weeks ahead, and we’ll share more stories and reflections as well. But here’s one window from an article in the Christian Post that accurately captured the theme that pulsed in every aspect of Summit: Justice and Mercy Flow from the Gospel.

Here's a glimpse into the Lifesong booth displaying the 2300 handprints (2nd picture) representing the number of children Lifesong has help bring into Christian adoptive families. We were so excited to MEET some of these families who have partnered with Lifesong like Dustin & Katie (3rd picture)

We'd love to hear from YOU! Whether you were able to attend Summit in person or through the LIVE Webstream, what was your favorite part or how did God speak to you through this event? We'd love to hear from you!

Also: Register today for Summit IX in May 2013 in Nashville, TN!

Please pray for Saphira...

2012-05-04T15:00:42Z

Listen in as Luke Gudeman, Lifesong Zambia missionary, shares the story of Saphira,

Two months ago, Saphira, a 31 yr old widow and one of our farm employees, asked for a salary advance. I usually don’t like this (people asking for salary advances) but this time was different. Instead of needing money because she misspent her previous salary, she wanted transport money to bring 3 of her relatives’ children to come live with her. ‘WOW, that’s great,’ I said to her, amazed at how she desired to help others. God had blessed her with an income and now she was using it to bless these disadvantaged children. An income of $80/month and she is going to change the lives of 3 children.

Two weeks ago Saphira’s 6 month old baby died from asthma/malaria. It was and is so hard for her and for the farm and school staff. Just when things were starting to look sunny…this is tough. Please pray for Saphira as she recovers. Pray that this can bring the farm staff closer together and that God can use this for his glory. Also, pray for Saphira’s heart that she can continue to bless others with what she has.

-Luke Gudeman, Lifesong Zambia, Farm Manager

Please join the Lifesong staff in lifting up Saphira in prayer...

"The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." James 5:16

Summit VIII - LIVE Webstream Available!

2012-05-02T12:00:52Z

Can't make it to SummitVIII this year?

For the first time ever, Summit’s plenary sessions and certain other special features will be web streamed live on May 3 and 4!

Admittedly, there’d be no way to capture the full in-person experience online (and aren’t able to offer the closing night concert with Steven Curtis Chapman). But the webstream will still provide a meaningful window for your friends and other advocates into some of the rich content that you’ll be encountering firsthand at Summit VIII.

You may also want to invite your pastor and church staff to join online Friday, May 4, for the Pastor’s Track workshops with Rick Warren, Dr. Russell Moore and Alex Kennedy.

The Forgotten Initiative: Advocate Highlight

2012-04-30T13:28:00Z

My journey to becoming a Forgotten Initiative Advocate has been full of uncertainty, setbacks, and answered prayers. Every time I look back on the events of my life, I feel as if God has been leading me here all along.

He opened my eyes to the orphan crisis while I was still in High School. I knew very early in my Christian life that He was calling me to care for these forgotten children. Originally, I was bound and determined to move to Africa and work in one of the orphanages there. After meeting my husband, Ryan, we both felt that God was telling us that Africa was not His plan for our lives. He had something for us here, in our own backyard, but we had no idea what it was.

We knew that adoption was in our future, but had decided that we would have biological children before adopting any others. God had other plans. Shortly after we were married in 2009, we suffered two grueling miscarriages. In our despair, He gave us a verse that will forever shape our lives, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but one day you will understand.” John 13.7. After months of prayer, God spoke loud and clear that His plan was for us to adopt and not wait. He changed our hearts and showed us that adoption is not a plan B, but that our adopted child will be exactly the child that He designed for our family. Nine months later, we brought home a beautiful baby girl through adoption.

Since then, God has continued to open my eyes and show me the immense need for foster and adoptive parents in our community. As my heart grew for these children, I found myself wanting to do something more. We felt the pull of our hearts towards foster care. The more I learned about the foster care community and its brokenness, the less I was able to sit still and do nothing. I wanted desperately to help, but had no idea how just one person could tackle the huge needs of the foster care community. I stumbled across The Forgotten Initiative on a friend’s blog post one day and realized that this was exactly what God had been preparing my heart for all of these years.

Anna Shumpert: Forgotten Advocate – Columbia, South Carolina

To get involved in Columbia, SC, email Anna at tfi.columbia@gmail.com and “Like” Anna’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/tfi.columbia to stay up to date on local needs!

Interested in starting The Forgotten Initiative in your area? To learn more about becoming a Forgotten Advocate, please email info@theforgotteninitiative.org

Family Friday: Steve & Kim

2012-04-27T14:04:04Z

We have been blessed to partner in fundraising with Steve & Kim as they brought home their precious daughter Charis from Zambia. Listen in as they share some of their journey...

As we walked through the adoption process, we were grateful for the people who approached us asking if they could help. Lifesong became an invaluable partner for us, establishing an avenue for our friends and family to surrounded and support us in our mission to bring home our wonderful daughter.

We were impressed by the responsiveness and the flexibility Lifesong offered. Once we got the clearance to travel, things moved quickly. Lifesong responding by dispersing monies very quickly. Zambia is not like adopting from other countries. The staff at Lifesong were great to work with because they were willing to adapt procedures to match the uniqueness of the process.

Adopting Charis was the most amazingly wonderful and painful experience all wrapped up into one. The process was a mess. Yet, through it, we constantly saw God’s timing and perfect plan from lodging to “just happening” to meet the one person who could get a document processed quickly.

We praise God for his protection and provision.

Thank you Steve & Kim for partnering with Lifesong--it was our JOY to be just a small part of this incredible journey that God led you on. We commit you and your family to God in prayer...that He would continue to show Himself to each of your hearts and that your family could be a picture of the gospel to those you meet.

Construction, Sponsorship & Stories - Lifesong Ethiopia

2012-04-25T18:00:46Z

Please enjoy these updates from Lifesong Ethiopia...

Student Update: Meet Taretkegn

Taretkegn is a nine-year-old student atLifesong Ethiopia. He was very young when both of his parents died. His grandmother cared for him until he was four and then he went to live with an aunt who had the means to support him.

Taretkegn eventually got to go to school. This year he is in the first grade and loves it! Soccer is his favorite sport, so he's always looking forward to recess. In the classroom, math is his preferred subject. Taretkegn holds the dream of becoming a doctor someday.

Taretkegn is very thankful for the opportunity to go to school. He wants to tell everyone from Lifesong that he loves you.

Construction Update: Ziway & Adami Tulu

The two-story 14-room building at the Ziway Primary School is ready for the second-story. The workers are preparing to pour the floor of the second story. They are using eucalyptus poles which will support either plywood or metal to form the ceiling.
The four-classroom additional school building at Adami Tulu is racing toward completion, with the roof on, the stuccoing of the walls underway, and the forming up of the support for the veranda.

Child Sponsorship Update:

We are thankful to have 119 of our children sponsored! If you are interested in supporting one of the remaining 70 students, please visit the Sponsorship Website.

Family Friday: Scott & Alison

2012-04-20T13:04:28Z

Listen in as Scott & Alison, Lifesong adoptive parents, share their journey of brining home Ethan and Levi from Ethiopia.

Without a doubt, God's provision with our adoption expenses was one of the most amazing aspects to our adoption process. We had fellow adoptive families advise us to make a financial plan for our adoption but then also to step out in faith and watch and see how the Lord would provide. By the end of our adoption, nearly $20,000 had been donated toward our adoption! Unbelievable! A true Miracle!

We believe that partnering with Lifesong encouraged family in donating toward our adoption. Many were glad to see their money go directly to an organization and their funds used towards only our adoption expenses.

Thank you Lifesong for partnering with us and making our adoption a reality!