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! 

Orphans Serving Orphans: Lifesong Honduras

Please enjoy this update from Lifesong Honduras:

• Our senior Business Students recently launched a sewing and alterations business.  A church group who visited earlier this year donated several new sewing machines, making this endeavor possible.  This is a tangible example of lives being redirected.

• Some of our students were blessed to visit an orphanage in San Pedro Sula.  They ministered to the children there through perfoming musically and theatrically, providing food and clothing, and even giving haircuts!  Most of all they were able to show these orphans the love of Christ through the simplicity of human touch and quality time.

 

Ironically, many of the students reaching out to these children come from very hard places of their own.  But whether they are single orphans, double orphans, or extremely poor, our students recognize the abundance they have in great contrast to the children at the orphanage.  This experience has greatly impacted their hearts, giving them a broader vision in each of their own lives!

Thank you for your continued prayer and support as we strive to bring joy and purpose to children in Honduras! 

Don't forget to vote for KC4K here for a chance to win our drawing (see below)!

Family Friday: Derry and Janelle

Meet Derry and Janelle!

They recently came home with they're little guy, Moses, from Uganda!  Here is what they have to say about their adoption experience and working with Lifesong:

When we first began looking at an international adoption we were overwhelmed by the cost.  However, we were confident this is what God has called us to do, we had to go for it. 

As we continued to move forward with the application and dossier we learned that great organizations like Lifesong help aid in the financial burden of adoption.  So, we began the search.  We came across Lifesong for Orphans and were intrigued.  We talked with some friends who had recently adopted and learned they too were blessed by Lifesong.  So we decided to apply.

Working with Lifesong was so wonderful.  Every person we communicated with was very helpful and kind.  After applying, we quickly learned we were blessed with a matching $2000 grant!  We were so excited and extremely thankful.  Not only were we blessed by Lifesong, but it also gave our family and friends an opportunity to join us on our journey.  When all said and done, our total gift was over $7,000.  We were blown away at how generous God’s people were.

And I love this little story Derry shares on his blog on their eventful last day in Uganda:

We were supposed to get a call from the US Embassy at 3 to let us know if Moses’ visa was ready.

At 3:10 we started calling around to everyone we needed. No car. No driver. We are stuck.

At 3:30 we were in utter confusion.  At risk of no Visa and not going to be able to change our tickets.

I posted on Facebook and Twitter:

I cannot begin to describe the spiritual attack that is happening right now. Pray against confusion, chaos. Pray for a car. Pray for a call.

You all must have started praying!

At 3:45, a car and driver loaned to us by another person at the apartment.

At 4:00 p.m., a call from the Embassy while stuck in traffic... "Your Visa is printing now."

I (Derry) hop on a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) and head to the Airline office to get Moses ticket printed.

Janelle stays in the car heading to the Embassy.

Janelle gets to the Embassy at 4:30 (15 minutes before close) and picks up Visa.

After a credit card rejection, a broken ticket printer, and an amazingly kind KLM and Kenya

Airways agents assistance, I get Moses' airline tickets 5 minutes before office close.”

Wow!  God certainly has a gift for pulling through in the final hour, doesn't He?  Thank you Derry and Janelle for sharing!  Lifesong is blessed to be a part of your story!

If you would like to read more about Derry and Janelle you can read Derry's blog HERE.

Overcoming Illiteracy: Lifesong India

Please enjoy this update from Lifesong India:

• The new school year has started in India and Lifesong for Orphans is once again making it possible for 585 poor children to obtain a quality education all the way through college.

• Illiteracy is rampant among India's poor.  Even though India is making rapid economic progress as a nation the illiterate poor are unable to benefit.  Thanks to Lifesong and our faithful supporters many children who have illiterate parents are escaping the curse of illiteracy and are able to take their place in India as productive citizens. 

• At Jyothi Nivas (shown below), one of our 6 homes, we give total care to 270 children who attend grade school through college.  Our college graduates have become engineers, nurses, pastors, teachers, computer specialists, etc.  The average college tuition of $400 yearly is something we are committed to paying and for which we depend on the generous gifts of our supporters.

Thank you for your continued prayer and support as we strive to bring joy and purpose to children in India!

Going Green: Lifesong Ukraine

In Ukraine the story is common.  An alcoholic mother.  A non-existent father.  A childhood spent in an orphanage.

For Sergey, though, this is not just a story.  This is life.  At the age of three, Sergey was moved to Loubetin Orphanage and in that same year, he lost his eye when it was stuck with a needle by his mentally handicapped brother.  In the orphanage he didn't receive an artificial eye until he was 12 years old.  Already very shy and quiet by nature, Sergey spent most of those 9 years hiding his face behind his hand. 

But when Sergey was 16 years old his life started to change.  After spending time with the Lifesong Ukrainestaff, participating in Bible studies and activities, Sergey gave his life to Christ.  That same year he changed his family name to Poshelok, the name of Lifesong Ukraine directors, Denis and Tanya Poshelok.

Today Sergey is 20 years old.  He graduated this year with a degree in landscape design.  Now, after working on over ten landscaping projects, Sergey has joined with some of the fellow young men in Lifesong's transition programand started a small tree nursery business.  

In a country where orphans typically end up continuing in a cycle of hopelessness, Sergey has greatly risen above his circumstances.  We praise God for His ability to makebeauty from ashes... a gift that never ceases to amaze!