Inexpressible and Glorious Joy

Welcome to another Family Friday! We recently received a note from the Dinn family updating us on their family since the adoption of their daughter Joy from China this past May.  Lifesong had the pleasure of partnering with the Dinn's in assisting with their fundraising efforts to bring home their little Joy.

     

We want to thank those who so freely and sacrificially gave so that we could bring our daughter home.  We know that it takes many people giving from their hearts and we are grateful.  Joy continues to do remarkably well and we are so blessed to have her in our family! --Clayton, Angie & family

Thanks Dinn family for keeping us posted on your family...we love hearing (& seeing!) from you.  We pray that God continunes to fill your family with an inexpressible and glorious joy as you continue towards the goal of your faith...the salvation of souls! (1 Peter 1:8-9)

May God Lift Up

We were more than pleased this to get this precious card in the mail this week from the Michaelian family announcing their recently adopted son Ezekiel 'Zeke' from Rwanda.  You can't help but smile back at this little guy! 

Thanks Michaelian family for giving us the privilege to be big a small part of God's big picture He is painting of your lives.  We pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Eph. 3:17-19).

Family Friday...

We are excited to give you a glimpse into the Stum family's Both Hands project from last fall while they raised funds for their adoption AND served a widow...Check out their video!

Both Hands - Stums from Jake Stum on Vimeo.

 " I get all weepy seeing this video again. I have to say, though, that while we are thankful for every dollar the project raised for our adoption, the very best thing about it was our widow accepting Christ. In the midst of reorganizing a room she had not touched since her husband passed, a volunteer simply asked her.  She said yes. Isn't that amazing!?!"

-Merica Stum

 Yes! That is amazing! Thank you so much Jake & Merica for allowing Lifesong/Both Hands be apart of your adoption story and ultimately the story of HIS glory! To read more about their project check out there blog...here and here.

To hear and see other stories like the Stum's, visit Both Hands & Lifesong for Orphans.

Don't miss our upcoming webinar!

 

How does an adoption fund fit with your church's mission/vision?

• Evangelize the lost – Adoption is evangelism at its core…Bringing the mission field home, where children are loved, cared for, and discipled to know Jesus Christ as their Savior.

• Edify the saved – Adoption Fund challenges, encourages, and enables Believers to put their faith in action, by stepping out in faith to adopt (fulfilling God’s commands in scripture).

• Minister to those in need – There are millions of children waiting for forever families who would like to adopt them, but just can’t because of the financial barrier.

• Be a Conscience in the community –  As th e Church becomes obedient to God’s commands concerning the fatherless, the community will see Jesus Christ is alive and working in the lives of His people to care for those children who can’t care for themselves.

Read more. Reserve your spot now!

Rallying an Industry behind the cause of the orphan

Retail Orphan Initiative  - Rallying an Industry behind the cause of the orphan    

It started as a chance meeting between two retail technology executives. Paul Singer was a huge adoption advocate working with JCICS and CCAI. Greg Buzek had recently launched an orphan care ministry and church adoption fund at Grace Chapel in Leipers Fork, TN. They met in the midst of a gathering of over 40,000 technologists in San Francisco to talk about how they might work together and learn from each other.

In their discussions they bemused, “Wouldn’t it be great if we could get the $12 trillion retail industry excited about the cause of the orphan?”  Then it was just as if the Lord dropped the name right out there…Retail Orphan Initiative or RetailROI. It’s a term that resonates with the technology side of the business. 

2 weeks later interested parties were invited to a conference call and 6 weeks later the Retail Orphan Initiative was created.  The charity has three primary goals:

1. To raise awareness to the needs of the over 400 million orphaned and vulnerable children worldwide.

2. To help companies create internal programs to help in their communities and supply chain.

3. To help collect funds and distribute those funds to charities who are on the front-lines of working in orphan care and adoption.

RetailROI held its first major fundraiser in January 2010 in conjunction with the National Retail Federation Show and raised $115,000. In attendance were retailers representing more than 107,000 retail stores. People are starting to catch the vision! Vendors are now making donations in lieu of giving away coffee mugs and other branded items. 

RetailROI has given over $90,000 in grants to LifeSong, Bethany Christian Services, 4Kids of South Florida, Lydia Home, Free for Life Ministries, and FulaaLifeline.

The charity is now working with retailers to take donations from consumers at the cash register where they can round up their transaction to the nearest $1 or make a fixed dollar contribution at the register. 

God has a big plan for orphan care through His church and through you... He has no backup plan!