Celebrate Advent, Love Orphans

Ad·vent 

noun \ˈad-ˌvent, chiefly British -vənt\

Definition: the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas and observed by some Christians as a season of prayer and fasting; the coming of Christ at the Incarnation; a coming into being or use

(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/advent)

I'm sure many of you have celebrated "the countdown" in various different ways from eating a candy a day to daily acts of kindness to reading a portions of scripture. 

This year, I invite you to read the letter below from Jenna and Jessica Metcalfe, daughters of our Program Director, Rich Metclafe.  Jenna and Jessica used their creative hearts to come up with this special advent calendar. Listen in...

Over three years ago, our family felt God calling us to adopt.  The process has been long and crazy, but God has opened our eyes to the huge orphan crisis around the world.  We learned of the need for Christians to step up and be God’s hands and feet to reach out to His children.  So often it’s easy for us to think, ‘Oh, I’m just a teenager… I can’t do anything about a big problem like this.  Maybe when I grow up God will call me or show me how to help orphans.’ 

But God has told us as believers to help the fatherless, and there is no good reason why we shouldn’t start now.  First Timothy 4:12 says, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”  We have the opportunity and the responsibility to use our time, energy and enthusiasm for God’s kingdom and for His glory.  So let’s do it! 

We’ve put together an advent calendar that counts down to Christmas from December 1st-24th.   Each day there is a little instruction saying something like "Give 2 cents for every pair of shoes in your home".  Also, there are two Bible references each day – one about orphans and one telling the Christmas story. We hope to raise awareness about the plight of orphans and God’s heart for them. And that from an increased awareness, we all would not only realize how blessed we are in America, but also be motivated to share from those blessings to bring physical relief, joy and purpose to orphans. 

Thank you for prayerfully considering this opportunity to show the love of Jesus to so many vulnerable children.

In His love,

Jessica and Jenna

This is where you, your family, church, youth group, college group, office team, and whoever else can come in! How to get your calendar(s):

1. Contact us at info@lifesongfororphans.org & order the number of calendars you need
2. Lifesong will send you the Advent Calendar Kit which includes letter, instructions & calendars
3. Get your group together to introduce Calendar (feel free to use Lifesong videos) and assemble (1-step process) 
4. On Orphan Sunday, November 4th, present idea to church and pass out calendars
5. After Christmas, collect money and send in to Lifesong for Orphans

100% of the money raised will go straight to the orphans that Lifesong helps care for (that’s more than 3,500 orphans!).

Advent Calendar
 

 

ORDER YOUR CALENDAR TODAY -- info@lifesongfororphans.org

Immediate Transition Home Need - Lifesong Ukraine

Zap Transition Home - - Immediate Need

We are reaching out to you, our Ukraine supporters, to invite you to help give futures to the current and upcoming young men and women who will graduate from the State orphanages in Ukraine.   

...A young man like Igor.  

Igor was once an orphan impacted by the gospel through Lifesong Ukraine.  Because of that influence, after graduation, he chose to live in one of our transition homes.  He was baptized and became a Lifesong volunteer. His dedication in weight training earned him the title as Kharkov's State Heavy Weight Lifting Champion.  This spring he was married to a godly woman and we are thankful for his hopeful future.

 

(Igor & Anna with Lifesong Ukraine Director Denis, Tanya & family)  

Will you join us in building hopeful futures for young men like Igor?

To learn more about this project and how you can partner with Lifesong Ukraine, click here. 

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice." Proverbs 31:8-9

Paying it forward...

 

We were delighted to get this email from a Lifesong family who, several years ago, received a matching grant that assisted them in their adoption journey to China...

Dear Lifesong,

We wanted to send another letter of thanks out to your organization for helping us with a matching grant during our adoption journey.  It was so very helpful, and we deeply appreciate the work that you do!  It has been over 3 years since we returned from China with our daughter, and even though it has been a difficult road at times, we wouldn’t change a thing.  Our daughter will be turning eight years old on the 26^th of March. 

In honor of that special day we would like to “pay forward” a $1,500 matching grant to a family similar to ours.  We would like to provide this for a family that on paper doesn’t seem to qualify for help and is adopting an older or special needs child.  

Thank you again for all you do,

Lifesong family (asked to remain anonymous)

WOW! What a JOY it is for us to be able to work with families like this whose hearts are displaying the glory of our Father God!

Church Adoption Fund Story: Timothy & Cynthia

Lifesong is honored to work with almost 200 churches in administrating Church Adoption Funds.  Calvary Baptist Church of Show Low, AZ is one of them.  Just Love Them (the name of Calvary's Adoption Fund), generously gave Timothy and Cynthia a matching grant towards the adoption of little Anastasia from Ukraine.

Listen in as they share their appreciation...

God used Lifesong for Orphans and Just Love Them Ministries of Calvary Baptist Church to provide the money we did not have and to help break us of self-sufficiency. There was nothing we could do. We had no money after our first adoption. But with God nothing is impossible. He used Calvary Baptist Church to generously support us in bringing Anastasia home.

Lifesong for Orphans and Just Love Them Adoption Fund of Calvary Baptist Church were instrumental in changing the course of Anastasia's life. She now has a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). We moved forward to adopt not knowing where the money would come from, however the Lord knew. If we had waited or not acted because of lack of funds, we would have missed seeing God perform miracles on Anastasia's behalf. Thank you Lifesong and Calvary Baptist Church for obeying God's Word to care for widows and orphans in their distress (James 1:27). Thank You Jesus for laying it on donors hearts to give to Just Love Them Adoption Fund so Anastasia could call us Mama and Papa. Thank you for helping "set the lonely in families" (Psalms 68:6).

God's Blessings to All,

Timothy, Cynthia & family

To learn more about church adoption funds and how YOUR church help bring orphans into families, visit our website.

Give Education

 

"We met a mother in desperate poverty with a 6-year old son name Meyahel who needed to be at Adami Tulu School. And Lifesong made it possible. When we ask ourselves how much changing the world is enough, we know the answer: just a little bit more."

-Aaron Klein, Ethiopia Orphan Advocate

 

To give education. To give the love of Jesus. Visit our Lifesong for Orphans Gifts of Purpose Catalog.