Orphan Sunday 2011

Orphan Sunday is JUST around the corner! As we talk with families and churches across the US we are thrilled to hear how God is orchestrating all kinds of events to raise awareness and advocate for the fatherless around the world!

How can YOU be a part of this growing movement and give voice to the voiceless? Kim Smith at Calvary Church shares how they were involved last year,

We did a prayer vigil the Friday night before Orphan Sunday followed with deserts & coffee where we had tables displayed with ways to take care of orphans & foster children . At the prayer vigil we had guest speakers for each segment: foster care, orphan care, and adoption, followed with a special prayer. We also had a special musician from our church who played adoption & orphan songs. 

One of our special speakers was from Malawi, Africa who shared about his work with orphans. It was a great night!

Need more ideas?

Host a prayer group. Teach a Sunday school lesson. Encourage your pastor to preach about orphans. Host a gathering or lecture at your college campus. Take part in a Both Hands project. Serve Gobena Coffee at your church. Launch an adoption fund or Adopt an Orphanage program at your church.  Orphan Sunday Partnership Packages are provided online for more ideas and help on how to utilize resources provided by orphan care ministries throughout the country.

We can't wait to hear how hearts are moved to action in your community!

School Dedication - Lifesong Liberia

Please enjoy this update from Lifesong Liberia:

(Written by Keith Knapp, Liberia Liaison to Greg Buzek, Retail ROI)

"I just wanted to send a note to say how well the school is going at Marshall, Liberia.  Retail ROI's generous gift will change the lives of many children in Marshall. This is a community that did not have a school. Currently about 60 children are attending but many more would like to come. Kay and I were greatly blessed by the school dedication!

Since this is the rainy season, we were concerned if anyone would come to the dedication but the Lord granted us the most beautiful day that I have ever experienced in Liberia. There was a cool breeze and bright sunshine, which made the day really pleasant with about 60 children and 40 adults in attendance. As I spoke to the community leaders, I encouraged them to take pride in their community and help change Liberia.

This would not have happened if it were not for you!"

In His Name,

Keith Knapp

Brush to Berries-Zambia & GIVEAWAY!!

Brush to Berries from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

"Simply giving this person money is treating the symptoms rather than the underlying disease and will enable him to continue with his lack of self-discipline... a better solution would be to develop a relationship that says, we are here to walk with you and to help you use your gifts and abilities to avoid being in this situation in the future'" (An excerpt from the book, When Helping Hurts)

Lifesong is serving the people of Zambia... the orphaned, the at-risk, and the poor... by utilizing the land that is, like the people, so full of potential. Lifesong farms-Zambia reaped its first strawberry harvest in June, and local grocers have been purchasing the berries. With additional acres to farm, we are hoping to process some of the berries and begin marketing Lifesong Farms Strawberry Jam.

By harvesting fruit, we are able to serve more orphans by providing the gift of a job at Lifesong's gardens and self worth to an orphan's caregiver. We are also able to provide future employment for our kids as they transition into adult living, develop a system to raise funds to help cover operational costs, and develop expertise that can be replicated in multiple countries where Lifesong serves. Most of all, we are seeking to glorify Jesus as we teach others how He walked.  

**GIVEAWAY:

1st PRIZE: We are giving away a 1-night hotel stay for the LIVE ORPHAN SUNDAY event in Kansas City!!! Let me just tell you, this event will be FABULOUS!!!

2nd PRIZE: We are giving away FREE Gobena Coffee for 1 year - 2 lbs per month shipped straight to your home.

 

HOW do you enter? Well, I'm glad you asked! There are several ways to enter. PLEASE LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT ON THIS POSTING FOR EACH ENTRY, including your email address so we are able to contact you!!!

1. Share how the Lord is working in and through your adoption/orphan care ministry (1 entry)

2. Re-post this Zambia blog posting on YOUR blog to share what the Lord has been doing at Lifesong Zambia (1 entry)

3. Tell us about an Orphan Sunday event you had or attended in the past (1 entry)

4. Tell us your plans for THIS YEAR's Orphan Sunday on Nov. 6th (1 entry)

5. Re-post this on your facebook wall (1 entry)

6. Re-post this on your twitter page (1 entry)

7. Ask your friend(s) to post on THEIR blogs, facebook, or twitter and tell us YOU sent them (1 entry)

8. Tell us what you think about the 'Brush to Berries' video - what moved you, what stood out to you, what are you excited about? (1 entry)

9. Become a fan on facebook here (1 entry)

10. Send an email to info AT lifesongfororphans DOT org asking to receive our monthly updates (1 entry)

PLEASE leave a separate comment on this post for EACH entry, including your email address so we are able to contact you!

***Giveaway starts immediately and ends at midnight on Monday, October 3rd.

Upcoming Events

Hello bloggy world,

Here's a few upcoming events that may catch your eye. For more events, check out the Lifesong calendar frequently!  

Empowered To Connect, together with Show Hope, hosts the Empowered To Connect Conference — a two-day conference for adoptive and foster parents, ministry leaders and professionals designed to help them better understand how to connect with children from hard places in order to help them heal and become all that God desires for them to be. The next Empowered To Connect Conference will be on September 23-24, 2011, in Nashville, Tennessee at Brentwood Baptist Church.

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Connecting Community Crafters for Global Good! 

Crafts for a Cause is newly established initiative. The structure is simple! The booth fee, silent auction proceeds, and concessions are all donated to our sponsored cause!

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Join us October 21-22 in Phoenix for Together for Adoption Conference 2011. Over 1,200 people will gather together at Redemption Church (Gilbert Campus) to explore the theme Missional Living, the Gospel and Orphan Care. One of our primary objectives for this year’s conference is to create a forum to consider the good news of the Gospel, explore its implications for how we think about and implement orphan care strategies, and discuss how we can move toward greater collaboration as the people of God for the sake of orphans worldwide.

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The Tapestry Conference is completely free!  But even though it is free, we believe the breadth and quality of the conference is truly outstanding. 

We can't wait to see what the Lord has in store through these fabulous events!

Going Deeper

Church Fund Partners,

Don't miss this exciting opportunity to connect with other orphan care and adoption ministry leaders! We'll be hearing how God has been working in and through your ministries throughout the US as well as providing you with tools to equip you to go deeper!