Orphan Sunday -- Testimony

 Orphan Sunday.

A day to stop. reflect. learn. serve. act. pray. 

A day that was recognized across the globe by churches, small groups, families, and individuals sending out the call of responsibility that is on the shoulders of the Church of God to defend the fatherless and satisfy the needs of the oppressed. 

We feel honored to partner with Houston's First Baptist & Legacy 685 Church Adoption Fund and share how they honored the orphan on Orphan Sunday... 

The leadership had prayed two things for Orphan Sunday; that we would be able to raise awareness for the orphan and second, that we all would respond to God’s leading on how He is asking us to care for the orphan.

We had a video showing the orphan crisis and how our church was responding to that crisis.  We had interviewed 6 couples that had either gone on a mission trip, adopted a child or foster-to-adopt, each sharing their testimony of the impact on their lives.  After worship and a message, about 14 families shared their 'before and after' story of adoption, foster or orphan-care mission trip through cardboard testimonies.  Following a final song, to close we had everyone go to a prayer fence that had been built using chicken wire and old wood. There were 200 pictures of either orphaned children that our church supports or adoptable children in Houston.  People were led there to begin to pray for the 163 million orphans worldwide and then were encouraged to take a picture with them and to continue to pray for them.

It was a powerful time, very moving for many people and the response was real and genuine.  Our prayer is that the seeds that were planted will begin to be cultivated and people will continue to seek God in caring for orphans and what that looks like in their life and family. 

-Steve Klein, Houston's First Baptist Church & Legacy 685 Adoption Fund

  Cardboard testimonies...

  Worship...

Orphan prayer wall...

Thanks for sharing Steve--what a special day! For more Orphan Sunday recap stories, see the Christian Alliance for Orphans blog!

Encourage Growth

Check out these two fabulous videos from Dr. Karyn Purvis as you walk the road to helping your children heal -

The Importance of Repairing Your Mistakes

There is no such thing as a perfect parent — and that is actually good news, so long as parents are willing to focus on repair when they fail and make mistakes.

Watch as Dr. Karyn Purvis explains why it is important for parents to repair their mistakes, and how repair can actually encourage growth and strengthen the relationship between parent and child.

The Importance of Repairing Your Mistakes from Tapestry on Vimeo.

Understanding Sensory Processing and Difficult Behaviors

Sensory processing issues often play a significant role in some of the challenges that adoptive and foster families face. And yet, parents are often completely unaware that sensory processing is in fact the issue.

Sensory processing is an important topic for anyone who loves and cares for a child from a hard place. Beacuse of their histories, children from hard places often experience altered brain development which impacts the way in which they process sensory data.

In this brief video, Dr. Karyn Purvis explains what sensory processing is and why an understanding of it is vital for adoptive and foster parents.

Understanding Sensory Processing from Tapestry on Vimeo.

Family Friday

Dear Lifesong...thanks for making this moment possible!  Taye Melese Coon arrived home on Friday, October 7th!  

We appreciate you all sooooo much!

-Jason & Emily Coon

Just Around the Corner...

Orphan Sunday, November 6, is your opportunity to raise a torch for the fatherless in your church, family or small group. 

We’re less than two weeks away, so here are some easy ways to make the most of Orphan Sunday:

• Request the Orphan’s Table (by Oct 27) and receive a simple meal, along with a prayer and discussion guide, for family or any size group.
• Request a free copy of the “Answer the Cry:  Faces of Hope” 30-minute DVD to show and discuss.
• Join the LIVE from Kansas City hour of GUIDED PRAYER and WORSHIP for the fatherless at 6 PM CST on November 6, along with Jon Egan of the Desperation Band, David Platt and other Christians around the globe!

See more at the Orphan Sunday website, including ideas for activities, downloadable posters and other materials, prayer and study guides, short videos, and much more!

Visit the Orphan Sunday Facebook page here.

The Hard Questions

We believe it is critically important that parents who are preparing to adopt or foster a child must be honest and realistic about the journey and the challenges that lie ahead. Just as Jesus in Luke 14 challenged those who would follow him to ‘count the cost,’ so too parents who respond to God’s call to adopt or foster must be willing to count the cost of the adoption journey and prepare to “lay down their lives” to love their child and help him or her become all that God intends." - Michael Monroe, Tapestry

Read the rest of Michael's article, Ten Questions for Parents Preparing to Adopt or Foster here!

In the Irving, TX area? Don't miss the 2011 Tapestry Conference!!