Next Generation Leaders - Lifesong Ukraine

Please enjoy this update from Lifesong Ukraine director, Denis Poshelok:

“We trust our Father everything is well with you and your families. There are many challenges in the work we do but there is confidence that He will provide all we need to be successful in this ministry. Please pray for our country!

It’s been very exciting to see three orphans, graduates Sergei Poshelok, Andrei, and Ruslan, plant a landscaping nursery/business on the property.  

We have planted about 2,000 plants of 18 different varieties of evergreens total. It is located on 2/3 of an acre of our camp land. Our boys did a great job and we all are prayerful for the good growth of the plants and success of this small business initiative.

This initiative means a lot for them and brings them hope for the future. This nursery provides not only growing opportunities for the plants and potential profit, but it provides a brighter future for our orphanage graduates.  Developing next generation leaders!"  

Orphans Lifesong has served are now mentoring, loving & encouraging other orphans…

“It is incredible to see orphan graduates invest in volunteers. Two of these kids are graduates from Sakhnovschina, Andrei and Ruslan. Without Lifesong, would they have heard the gospel, would they now be serving God, sharing the gospel? 

Alexei, Natasha, Tatyana, Galya, Oksana, Vitalek, Luda. Andrei, Ruslan and so many more!!!”

~ Denis Poshelok, Director Lifesong-Ukraine

Glimpse of Redemption

I walked into work this morning to an email with an AMAZING story of redemption!

 

Mitzi McBride, missionary at Lifesong Zambia tells the story SO well -

My Redeemer... My sweet Jesus. He is certainly about making whole, making beauty out of ashes, and filling any gaps, scars, and holes that a sinful world has left marked on His children.

 

 Today, I saw it for my own eyes. It was such a beautiful outward display of what is in the hearts of two boys. Boys that have lived through the death of both their father and their mother. Boys that have wondered "what will happen to my life now?" Yet, they are boys who have experienced REDEMPTION, grace, and LOVE... They have experienced the hands and feet of Jesus in their lives through LifeSong. They see that there is more to life than the hopelessness they see around them. They acknowledge that God has a plan for their lives, and they want to follow him.

 

Just yesterday, we took them to get some clothes (which we need to do for most of the kids)... and Haggai had some extra money left over. He could have spent it on another pair of socks, or food for himself. However, He bought apples with it and gave it to the street boys at the market. He didn't do this to receive praise... but rather it was out of love and gratitude for what God's provision has given him... and so he has decided to share it with those around him in need.

Redemption... now being spilled out of one broken soul to the next. They will see Jesus in them. I know it. Because I see it.

 

These boys are wanted...

Loved...

Desired...

Chosen...

Made New...

and Redeemed...

"Who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with love and compassion."

Ps 103:4

 

Click on the image below to be directed to Mitzi's blog and CHECK OUT THE VIDEO! To God be the Glory!! 

 

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.

New School Year - Lifesong Ethiopia

Please enjoy this update from our Lifesong Ethiopia directors, Gary and Peggy Ifft:

On September 12 we turned over our new year here in Ethiopia and now we are in 2004.  We are looking forward to many good things in this new year!

School started here on Monday, September 19.  Opening up 3 campuses with over 600 students was quite a challenge.  This is especially true, considering that we had two brand new school buildings to open up. Opening up 2 new buildings and adding over 200 students also requires a lot of new teachers, teachers' aides, feeding program cooks, cleaners, and so on.  We now have a school staff of 62 employees and 5 employees in Samuel's Home.  This is a great responsibility which we take very seriously.  At times we lie awake at night thinking about all the families who are dependent upon us for their livelihood.  We are especially grateful for faithful supporters! 

We also want to recognize a special team which accepted the challenge of building 4 additional classrooms at our Adami Tulu campus.  This team committed to building additional rooms to allow us to have 2 classrooms each of Nursery School, Lower Kindergarten, and Upper Kindergarten.  As a bonus they also decided to raise funds for a brand new latrine for the students.

 

The amazing thing was that the team members didn't really even know each other personally before becoming involved in this project.  The one thing they had in common was that each had adopted or was in the process of adopting an Ethiopian child.  They went through a rather arduous fund-raising process and decided also to come to Ethiopia to do some "hands-on" work with the building they sponsored.  So, in mid-August they arrived and spent a few days painting the buildings.  They also taught Vacation Bible School to up to 200 kids and did a lot of other very worthwhile things. We are grateful for all they did, and we really appreciate the fact that they are also determined to help us expand the work in Adami Tulu!”

God's blessings to each of you and your families,

Gary and Peggy, Lifesong Ethiopia

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!!