A Time to Praise! Over 200 Church Funds!

Guess what? Last week we celebrated our 203rd Church Fund Partner!

We invite you to check out what God is doing through active and intentional churches who desire to defend the fatherless not only in word, but in ACTION...

Churches like Grace Hands of Hope in Indianapolis, IN who has partnered with Lifesong to establish a Church Fund. Their fund financially assists families who are bringing orphans into forever families and also are active in Lifesong's work in Honduras. They are planning their second trip to Honduras this fall and are eagerly raising funds for computers and Rosetta Stone software. 

 

They encourage other churches to, "Take a step – most of the time not fully seeing the next step, pray, watch God work, be blessed! That’s the cycle of getting involved in orphan care and it truly does give joy and purpose to life that is hard to describe."

 

First Baptist McKinney in McKinney, TX is another fund we are blessed to serve.  Like Hands of Hope, they have an active role in funding adoptions in their local church through providing grants and loans.  Along with their local service, they are also globally minded with a heart for Lifesong Zambia as they support missionaries Shane and Mitzi McBride. 

They share, "To step foot on the campus of Lifesong in Zambia is confirmation that God is at work there. The staff is amazing. The kids are beautiful and smart and James 1:27 is tangible at Lifesong School for Orphans in Zambia! It is our privilege to be able to partner with Lifesong and join God in the work He is doing."

We praise God for the faithful churches we are blessed to partner with and invite you and your church to join the movement of active and intentional movement for the fatherless.

To learn more about Lifesong Church Funds, please visit our website or contact Rich Metcalfe at rich@lifesongfororphans.org

A Person with a Different Mentality - Lifesong Honduras

Please enjoy listening in as Francis, another life changed, shares his heart at Lifesong Honduras, 

We ask for your continued prayers for this young man and the on-going work in Lifesong Honduras to reach more young adults for Christ.

 

"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

For an update on the Lifesong Honduras Multi-Purpose Building project and Matching Grant, please visit our website.

Thank you from Both Hands Widow...

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.

A Completely New Path - Lifesong Honduras

We are blessed to share this update & story from Guy Henry,  Lifesong Honduras,

"600 students finish the school year with their lives marked & changed forever! 80 graduates are launched into the future!

The following story is from the life of a graduate who overcame the 'trials' of her home life and the odds that were stacked against her.  Not only has her life been marked and changed, she has been completely redirected, all to the Glory of God...

Darlene signing her diploma

Those leaders that were present can still remember Darlene's interview. She entered and left the room with the same shy stance. Her hair was long and curly, framing her big brown, downcast eyes. Perhaps she was shy and nervous, but perhaps she also was feeling a sense of shame. Her mother was pregnant with her fourth child and admitted that her children each had different fathers. Based on this young ladies natural beauty and the little bit of innocence that she still had, her need to be accepted for the next year was apparent, an overwhelming need to protect her was felt by all.

Darlene has excelled in her studies and always has had high percentiles. She graduated with honors and was nominated "Female Student of the Year". Her attitude has always been respectful and cooperative, teachable and receptive to the guidance of both the leadership staff and her teachers. She is a strong young woman and a beautiful example of how God can lift a head that was once cast down. She is determined to not repeat the pattern, and instead a completely new path."

2011 Highlights & Year-End Giving

Lifesong projects impact 3,000+ orphaned & vulnerable children each year.  

The Lord has continued to lead Lifesong this year in ways that we could not have imagined!  

Here is a glimpse:

·       Created 45 jobs for orphan’s caregivers through micro-lending & sustainable Strawberry Farm in Zambia

·       Installed 59 computer systems in Honduras, giving skills to break cycle of unemployment thank you RetailROI!

·       84 children now have their FIRST school in 14 years (due to civil war) in Marshall, Liberia

·       Completed 100^th repair of a widow’s home & hit $1,000,000 mark in adoption funding through Both Hands partner

·       Helped 638 children become adopted into US Christian families, removing financial barriers through Adoption Grants & Loans (disbursed over $3,500,000 in adoption funding)

·       Our joy to partner with 167 churches through Adoption Funds & Orphan Care initiatives in 32 states

·       Launched Adoption without Borders (indigenous adoption) in Ukraine and have helped 120+ Ukrainian orphans become adopted by Ukrainian Christian parents

·       Helped Sergey, Andrei and several other Ukrainian orphans launch a landscaping business w/ over 1,000 plants (job skills & sustainability)

·       Sveta and 835 other children have been mentored through Constant Christian Presence

·       Now helping 550 orphans & vulnerable children through education & feeding programs in Ethiopia

·       Renovated 15 foster agency waiting rooms to help foster kids feel loved through“Project Sunshine”

Thank you for prayers, giving & your heart for orphaned and vulnerable children around the world.

You can DONATE NOW! (tax-deductible), a year-end gift before 11:59pm on December 31st! 

100% of your donation goes directly to orphan needs – absolutely ZERO administrative costs are deducted (paid for by TMG Foundation). 

2011 Gifts of Purpose from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.