Monday, December 14, 2009
Sergeis is here!
Today is Day 1 of Sergeis being with us for one month! He arrived in Atlanta at about 1:00AM this morning. We went to sleep around 4:00 and woke up around 10:30. :) So far we've stayed home and played outside. We did have a large amount of visitors today, though. We visited with Mandy and Kaitlyn outside and then later with Johnny and Jesse--other kids from our neighborhood. Then Jack and Stephanie brought over Anya, Faith, Caleb, Katya, Kristina and Zhenya! Later, Sam and Nick came to see Sergeis for a few minutes. And then I made pelmini for dinner (it didn't turn out as wondefully as I had hoped--it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either) and Tricia and her children and hosted child came over--5 kids in all! So we've had a busy day of meeting and greeting and getting to know one another again! We all just love him and he loves us and it is great for him to be here again!! Keep us in your prayers!
Monday, November 9, 2009
143,000,000
There are 143 million orphans in our world. 500,000 of them are in the foster care system of the United States. Out of those 500,000 kids, 130,000 of them are adoptable. Did you also know that 70% of those that are homeless in the US are people who have aged out of the foster care system and have nowhere to go?
Here’s another number: 400,000. That’s how many Christian churches are in the U.S. If only 3 families in each church stepped up to adopt one of the 130,000 children waiting for a forever family here in the United States, there would be no more waiting children here. And it would actually take less than 3 families per church because some of those children would come as siblings to the same family. And if only 1.25 people in every Christian church in America stepped up to foster a child, then every foster child in America would have a Christian home to belong to while they needed it. Surely, that is doable! Especially since there are some churches where 100 or more families have stepped up to meet the need!
Let’s tackle the bigger number now. 143 million orphans in the world. Obviously not all of them are adoptable but a lot of them are. If 5 families from each Christian church in America adopted only one child, 2 million children would have a forever family. But let’s carry this to the rest of the world. Data from different sources states that there are between one and two BILLION Christians in the world. That is the number of orphans times 13!! Surely out of 2 billion people, there would be 143 million people willing to step up and follow God’s Word to care for orphans by either adopting, sponsoring or building a relationship with the orphans in this world and eradicate this crisis!!
I watched the Cry of the Orphan’s campaign on Orphan Sunday (November 8) that was done to promote awareness of the orphan crisis in the world. There were good speakers and good singers who all have a heart for there to be no more orphans in the world. I believe it was Jedd Medefind, executive director of Christian Alliance for Orphans, who said, “Love for orphans transforms.” He is right. You can’t stay the same after the experience of caring for one of these children. I think we all desire to help an orphan so we can help better THEIR lives when in reality it is our lives that are changed tremendously in the process. We become forever connected with all orphans in the world. We become people who won’t rest until we’ve done all we can to try to help as many as we can. We develop a love for a country or countries where we’ve met an orphan. We attempt to provide education and financial help for families with young children so that they won’t have a reason to give their children into government care due to an inability to care for their children. We develop orphan ministries within our church or separately from the church for all these things. We go on mission trips where we are once again changed in an awesome way and develop an even greater desire to be used by God to help change the world. Love for orphans does, indeed, transform.
Before accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are also orphans. The Bible tells us we have become adopted as sons and daughters of God. (Ephesians 1:4.) Without Jesus, we are orphans who are alone in this world, even if we have loving earthly parents. As orphans we walk through this life and its hardships alone, hurting, confused, angry, crying out for someone to help us. But Jesus promises in John 14:18, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” God has provided a way for us to have a Heavenly Father who will never leave us nor forsake us. Through Jesus Christ, we gain a family and are no longer alone during the hard times. We have Someone to cry out to when we need help. We gain a joy that cannot be measured! This is the most important adoption that will ever take place and it is open to ALL who believe and accept Jesus as their Savior! Orphans are close to God’s heart because we are His adopted children!! Orphans, those without earthly parents, are close to God’s heart because one of the best ways to come to know our Heavenly Father is through an earthly one! When we have godly parents who model for us family, love and a Christ-like attitude, it is more likely for a child to come to know and accept their Heavenly Father. The Bible speaks often of helping the orphans throughout the Old and New Testaments. The Law of the Old Testament commands those who follow God to care for the orphans by providing for them. Examples of adoption are scattered throughout the Old Testament. The New Testament speaks of orphans as well. James 1:27 tells that pure religion is to care for the widows and orphans. As Christians, we are told to help the orphans and not only are we told this by God, but we should WANT to care for the orphans the way God cares for us as orphans! On the broadcast last night, a couple spoke who adopted a child and I loved what they had to say. The husband said that they are now living parables of what God’s done for us through Christ!! How awesome and true!!
We are not all called to adopt and that is okay. There are millions of orphans who, for one reason or another, cannot be adopted. However, these children still need forever families. They need someone who cares for them. They need someone to write letters to them. They need phone calls, birthday gifts, Christmas gifts…they need a relationship with someone who will share Jesus with them in a real way. They need Christians who will live out in their everyday lives what they say that they believe in church on Sundays. These kids need hope…and we can help provide that for them.
Genesis 1:2 tells of a “darkness over the surface of the deep.” As God is creating the world, there was darkness. “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3) God brought light into darkness at creation and he now calls us to do the same. Matthew 5:14-15 says, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither does a person light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, he puts it on a lampstand where it gives light to everyone in the house.” WE ARE LIGHT! We are called to shine into the darkness with the love of Christ! 143 million orphans is a dark place in our world. But with 2 billion Christians, we ought to be able to shine so that dark place no longer exists!! Those verses in Matthew are clear. We are not to “hide” our light by staying in our comfortable lives, our comfortable churches, constantly receiving but never giving. We are called to let our lights shine so that it affects EVERYONE we meet! Since there is no need for light where it is already bright, we should be taking our light to those dark places and brighten them up!!
So, what are you waiting for? Why are you waiting? There are 143,000,000 who are running out of time to wait on us. You can’t help them all on your own; you can help one, two or maybe even a few more. But TOGETHER we can help them all! Together, we can bring the 143,000,000 to ZERO. So, get out there and shine your light! A little bit of light can make a big difference!!
(If you would like to know how you can help, you can either email me at brooke@inhissight.org, click on our links to the left for different ways to help, or read back through our other posts for different organizations you can support.)
Here’s another number: 400,000. That’s how many Christian churches are in the U.S. If only 3 families in each church stepped up to adopt one of the 130,000 children waiting for a forever family here in the United States, there would be no more waiting children here. And it would actually take less than 3 families per church because some of those children would come as siblings to the same family. And if only 1.25 people in every Christian church in America stepped up to foster a child, then every foster child in America would have a Christian home to belong to while they needed it. Surely, that is doable! Especially since there are some churches where 100 or more families have stepped up to meet the need!
Let’s tackle the bigger number now. 143 million orphans in the world. Obviously not all of them are adoptable but a lot of them are. If 5 families from each Christian church in America adopted only one child, 2 million children would have a forever family. But let’s carry this to the rest of the world. Data from different sources states that there are between one and two BILLION Christians in the world. That is the number of orphans times 13!! Surely out of 2 billion people, there would be 143 million people willing to step up and follow God’s Word to care for orphans by either adopting, sponsoring or building a relationship with the orphans in this world and eradicate this crisis!!
I watched the Cry of the Orphan’s campaign on Orphan Sunday (November 8) that was done to promote awareness of the orphan crisis in the world. There were good speakers and good singers who all have a heart for there to be no more orphans in the world. I believe it was Jedd Medefind, executive director of Christian Alliance for Orphans, who said, “Love for orphans transforms.” He is right. You can’t stay the same after the experience of caring for one of these children. I think we all desire to help an orphan so we can help better THEIR lives when in reality it is our lives that are changed tremendously in the process. We become forever connected with all orphans in the world. We become people who won’t rest until we’ve done all we can to try to help as many as we can. We develop a love for a country or countries where we’ve met an orphan. We attempt to provide education and financial help for families with young children so that they won’t have a reason to give their children into government care due to an inability to care for their children. We develop orphan ministries within our church or separately from the church for all these things. We go on mission trips where we are once again changed in an awesome way and develop an even greater desire to be used by God to help change the world. Love for orphans does, indeed, transform.
Before accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are also orphans. The Bible tells us we have become adopted as sons and daughters of God. (Ephesians 1:4.) Without Jesus, we are orphans who are alone in this world, even if we have loving earthly parents. As orphans we walk through this life and its hardships alone, hurting, confused, angry, crying out for someone to help us. But Jesus promises in John 14:18, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” God has provided a way for us to have a Heavenly Father who will never leave us nor forsake us. Through Jesus Christ, we gain a family and are no longer alone during the hard times. We have Someone to cry out to when we need help. We gain a joy that cannot be measured! This is the most important adoption that will ever take place and it is open to ALL who believe and accept Jesus as their Savior! Orphans are close to God’s heart because we are His adopted children!! Orphans, those without earthly parents, are close to God’s heart because one of the best ways to come to know our Heavenly Father is through an earthly one! When we have godly parents who model for us family, love and a Christ-like attitude, it is more likely for a child to come to know and accept their Heavenly Father. The Bible speaks often of helping the orphans throughout the Old and New Testaments. The Law of the Old Testament commands those who follow God to care for the orphans by providing for them. Examples of adoption are scattered throughout the Old Testament. The New Testament speaks of orphans as well. James 1:27 tells that pure religion is to care for the widows and orphans. As Christians, we are told to help the orphans and not only are we told this by God, but we should WANT to care for the orphans the way God cares for us as orphans! On the broadcast last night, a couple spoke who adopted a child and I loved what they had to say. The husband said that they are now living parables of what God’s done for us through Christ!! How awesome and true!!
We are not all called to adopt and that is okay. There are millions of orphans who, for one reason or another, cannot be adopted. However, these children still need forever families. They need someone who cares for them. They need someone to write letters to them. They need phone calls, birthday gifts, Christmas gifts…they need a relationship with someone who will share Jesus with them in a real way. They need Christians who will live out in their everyday lives what they say that they believe in church on Sundays. These kids need hope…and we can help provide that for them.
Genesis 1:2 tells of a “darkness over the surface of the deep.” As God is creating the world, there was darkness. “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3) God brought light into darkness at creation and he now calls us to do the same. Matthew 5:14-15 says, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither does a person light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, he puts it on a lampstand where it gives light to everyone in the house.” WE ARE LIGHT! We are called to shine into the darkness with the love of Christ! 143 million orphans is a dark place in our world. But with 2 billion Christians, we ought to be able to shine so that dark place no longer exists!! Those verses in Matthew are clear. We are not to “hide” our light by staying in our comfortable lives, our comfortable churches, constantly receiving but never giving. We are called to let our lights shine so that it affects EVERYONE we meet! Since there is no need for light where it is already bright, we should be taking our light to those dark places and brighten them up!!
So, what are you waiting for? Why are you waiting? There are 143,000,000 who are running out of time to wait on us. You can’t help them all on your own; you can help one, two or maybe even a few more. But TOGETHER we can help them all! Together, we can bring the 143,000,000 to ZERO. So, get out there and shine your light! A little bit of light can make a big difference!!
(If you would like to know how you can help, you can either email me at brooke@inhissight.org, click on our links to the left for different ways to help, or read back through our other posts for different organizations you can support.)
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Hosting 2009
We are once again hosting Sergeis for Christmas this year! We are so excited to have him in our home again and to be able to reconnect with him during this holiday season. As we await our adoption process to begin, it is wonderful to know he can at least visit with us for a few weeks. Please pray for us and Sergeis before, during and after our hosting. We don't have exact dates, but he will be here sometime in mid-December and leave sometime in mid-January. Pray for everything involved in hosting--our emotions, finances, logistics, etc. It will be extremely hard to send him back to Latvia at the end of this hosting....much harder than last time. But as hard as it will be on us, it will be 100x harder on him when he leaves to go back to a place where he has no family to love him and comfort him during his sadness.
Thank you for your continued support and love!!
Thank you for your continued support and love!!
Monday, September 28, 2009
But the workers are few....
Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. The He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."
Matthew 9:36-38
Jesus said these words after traveling "through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synogogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healling every kind of disease and every kind of sickness." (Matt 9:35)
These words are how I feel about Latvia. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. This verse is true for almost all places all over the world. The harvest is plentiful everywhere across the world. And the workers are few almost everywhere across the world...except the U.S. Here the workers are many. But in every other place in the world, there simply aren't enough workers. Here there are churches on every corner and in between. Can you imagine driving through towns without seeing a church? Probably not because that doesn't happen here. Praise God for the church here in America. Now if the church (the body of Christ) would only take His message to the rest of the world!
There is a post on facebook today from Helen, the lady we stayed with in Riga. Her secretary is leaving today for England. Helen's post read, "Tomorrow, she'll be one of the mass exodus of people leaving Latvia looking for a better life."
Times are tough. People are leaving in droves for other countries with better opportunities. Yes, times are tough in America too, but people are still COMING here searching for better opportunities. And one of those opportunities is hearing the good news of Jesus! Every country deserves that chance. The people of every country are worthy of help.
We've mentioned several ways you can help the people of Latvia...hosting, sponsoring a child through Latvian Angels, donating to the One-A-Week project through Simple Obedience, taking a mission trip there and seeing for yourself....there are many others as well.
What if you don't feel called to help Latvia? That is fine--but our challenge to you is to seek out God's guidance of where you ARE to help, because we are all called to help somewhere--it may be in another country or it may be in your own backyard. But I can guarantee you that God is not asking you to sit idle and do nothing.
"How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him who they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?" Romans 10:14
You don't have to have a seminary degree or stand behind a pulpit to be a "preacher." Jesus' command to "Go" and share the gospel was for every believer, not a select few. You've already been given an invitation by God Himself to help bring in His harvest--how will you RSVP?
Matthew 9:36-38
Jesus said these words after traveling "through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synogogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healling every kind of disease and every kind of sickness." (Matt 9:35)
These words are how I feel about Latvia. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. This verse is true for almost all places all over the world. The harvest is plentiful everywhere across the world. And the workers are few almost everywhere across the world...except the U.S. Here the workers are many. But in every other place in the world, there simply aren't enough workers. Here there are churches on every corner and in between. Can you imagine driving through towns without seeing a church? Probably not because that doesn't happen here. Praise God for the church here in America. Now if the church (the body of Christ) would only take His message to the rest of the world!
There is a post on facebook today from Helen, the lady we stayed with in Riga. Her secretary is leaving today for England. Helen's post read, "Tomorrow, she'll be one of the mass exodus of people leaving Latvia looking for a better life."
Times are tough. People are leaving in droves for other countries with better opportunities. Yes, times are tough in America too, but people are still COMING here searching for better opportunities. And one of those opportunities is hearing the good news of Jesus! Every country deserves that chance. The people of every country are worthy of help.
We've mentioned several ways you can help the people of Latvia...hosting, sponsoring a child through Latvian Angels, donating to the One-A-Week project through Simple Obedience, taking a mission trip there and seeing for yourself....there are many others as well.
What if you don't feel called to help Latvia? That is fine--but our challenge to you is to seek out God's guidance of where you ARE to help, because we are all called to help somewhere--it may be in another country or it may be in your own backyard. But I can guarantee you that God is not asking you to sit idle and do nothing.
"How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him who they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?" Romans 10:14
You don't have to have a seminary degree or stand behind a pulpit to be a "preacher." Jesus' command to "Go" and share the gospel was for every believer, not a select few. You've already been given an invitation by God Himself to help bring in His harvest--how will you RSVP?
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Latvian Angles Project
I'd like to encourage everyone reading this blog to please visit this website:
http://latvianangelproject.org/.
Craig said in one of his last posts that we have mentioned several ways to get involved in missions within Latvia and this is one that doesn't involve much money. This organization works with children's homes in Latvia to provide sponsors for the children. These sponsors send a Christmas gift (items that can fit into a 2 gallon ziplock bag--you pay for the items in the bag and the organization sends it there) to a child, pray for them daily, write letters or emails to them and can even send gifts at other times of the year if they so choose. The point is to pray over the kids and build a relationship with them. You can be the only family they will ever have...and it will mean the world to them. Our goal for this Christmas is to add 2 new children's homes to this project for a total of 246 kids sponspored. That's 246 sponsors needed if everyone only sponsors one child but with the minmal costs involved here many can sponsor more than one. Please consider sponsoring a child and making an eternal difference in their lives!!
http://latvianangelproject.org/.
Craig said in one of his last posts that we have mentioned several ways to get involved in missions within Latvia and this is one that doesn't involve much money. This organization works with children's homes in Latvia to provide sponsors for the children. These sponsors send a Christmas gift (items that can fit into a 2 gallon ziplock bag--you pay for the items in the bag and the organization sends it there) to a child, pray for them daily, write letters or emails to them and can even send gifts at other times of the year if they so choose. The point is to pray over the kids and build a relationship with them. You can be the only family they will ever have...and it will mean the world to them. Our goal for this Christmas is to add 2 new children's homes to this project for a total of 246 kids sponspored. That's 246 sponsors needed if everyone only sponsors one child but with the minmal costs involved here many can sponsor more than one. Please consider sponsoring a child and making an eternal difference in their lives!!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
More Thoughts
This was a profound learning trip for me. We lived a mini version of a missionary family beyond just the mission trip aspect. We lived in an apartment in the middle of the city we worked in. We shopped the local stores, we went to church, we walked the cities, we lived a daily life in addition to doing mission work per se. I know this was condensed and didn’t give all possibilities we would normally face, but we did experience life on our own in a foreign country. Our kids stood up remarkably well. God answered prayers in watching over them. They said repeatedly how much they liked it and even wanted to stay. Eileen made me proud volunteering on her own to go to children’s church in a Russian church we went to last Sunday. She did not understand the words but understood the meaning and purpose.
Before leaving, I was nervous about the ignorance of the language and being able to fit in and adjust. Amazingly throughout the trip I felt like I belonged and not out of place. Driving was not a problem. Going grocery shopping was not a problem. And church was not a problem either.
I know we have a calling to help orphans. But God has really put a focus on even the lesser in this group – those who will more than likely remain in the homes until they age out and those who come up in homes with parents who do not fulfill the role. It is great for those who get adopted. As we pursue adopting Sergeis I cannot downplay this. But what of those who are left behind or do not even make it in to begin with? Most of these kids will never have the chance of being in a committed family. From legal redtape, to mental or physical issues, to complications over siblings causing ineligibility a majority are never given a chance. The ones who never even make it into a home typically keep the cycle going or could wind up dead – their mark only being a statistic. This group is often overlooked.
It is our hope and prayer that those who followed our blog and feel God tugging at your heart about orphans will think and pray about what God revealed to us. Not everyone is called to do work for orphans. But God has compelled us to not neglect them either. You do not have to go on a trip. You do not have to adopt. You do not have to spend hundreds of dollars. We’ve tried to mention various causes to support. Throughout the blog over the past two weeks, organizations have been mentioned and websites have been linked. I will try to update that list to make it easy to find. But if you feel called or just want to help in any way, please look these causes over. If these are not your calling, please look for any other cause to support. We’ve listed groups that host children, those who are adopting children, those who take needed supplies and clothing to them, those who organize trips, etc. You can donate time, cash, and goods. Some only ask you serve as a penpal. Christ gave all including his life for us. What can we give in return? Five minutes for a letter? A day for volunteering locally? Fostering? Hosting for 4 weeks? Adopting? Buying a pair of shoes or food? Helping a missionary or missions group? God made orphans a priority along with widows, mentioned both in the Old and New Testaments. It doesn’t take much to help and both compassion and love are free.
Before leaving, I was nervous about the ignorance of the language and being able to fit in and adjust. Amazingly throughout the trip I felt like I belonged and not out of place. Driving was not a problem. Going grocery shopping was not a problem. And church was not a problem either.
I know we have a calling to help orphans. But God has really put a focus on even the lesser in this group – those who will more than likely remain in the homes until they age out and those who come up in homes with parents who do not fulfill the role. It is great for those who get adopted. As we pursue adopting Sergeis I cannot downplay this. But what of those who are left behind or do not even make it in to begin with? Most of these kids will never have the chance of being in a committed family. From legal redtape, to mental or physical issues, to complications over siblings causing ineligibility a majority are never given a chance. The ones who never even make it into a home typically keep the cycle going or could wind up dead – their mark only being a statistic. This group is often overlooked.
It is our hope and prayer that those who followed our blog and feel God tugging at your heart about orphans will think and pray about what God revealed to us. Not everyone is called to do work for orphans. But God has compelled us to not neglect them either. You do not have to go on a trip. You do not have to adopt. You do not have to spend hundreds of dollars. We’ve tried to mention various causes to support. Throughout the blog over the past two weeks, organizations have been mentioned and websites have been linked. I will try to update that list to make it easy to find. But if you feel called or just want to help in any way, please look these causes over. If these are not your calling, please look for any other cause to support. We’ve listed groups that host children, those who are adopting children, those who take needed supplies and clothing to them, those who organize trips, etc. You can donate time, cash, and goods. Some only ask you serve as a penpal. Christ gave all including his life for us. What can we give in return? Five minutes for a letter? A day for volunteering locally? Fostering? Hosting for 4 weeks? Adopting? Buying a pair of shoes or food? Helping a missionary or missions group? God made orphans a priority along with widows, mentioned both in the Old and New Testaments. It doesn’t take much to help and both compassion and love are free.
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