4theVoiceless Photos: Top 12 in 12 (1-4)

4theVoiceless Photos: Top 12 in 12

Today: #1-4

Last week, we began a look back at the ministry of 4theVoiceless in 2012 through a series of my favorite photos of the year.  Today, we look at four of my favorites from 2012.

#9-12

#5-8

Click on the photos to read (or re-read) the stories.

# 4

Kards 4 Kids

Approximately 400 hand-made Christmas cards went out from CHC to kids in orphanages in Columbia, Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, Jamaica, South Korea through the Kards 4 Kids effort of Orphanos Foundation.  Another 30 or so went to kids in Haiti and Star, Mississippi.

# 3

Flavors of Forever Families: A Collection of Recipes and Redemption Stories

In December of 2012, 4theVoiceless published the Flavors of Forever Families cookbook to help raise money for our adoption fund, a fund that will assist financially as families pursue adoption.  The book contains eight unique stories of adoption (along with close to 200 great recipes!).  Reviews on the book have been great, and we still have plenty; click on the link above or the graphic below to get your own copy!

Adoption Stories:

"Temporarily Todd"
"Growing Paynes"
"It All Happened So Fast"
"Found! God's Perfect Timing"
"Give Me Faith"
"The China Connection"

# 2

Lynleigh

Tony Pillstrom and I had just returned from the Together 4 Adoption conference in Atlanta in time for the CHC Hernando preview service.  We had spent the better part of two days learning to lead an adoption ministry in our church, and I captured this shot of Tony back home living it out.  Though not of the best quality (phone camera), this photo is my favorite of 2012.

# 1

Orphan Sunday 2012 -- Washing the Feet of Orphans in Haiti

My very favorite photo of 2012 is, in fact, one that wasn't taken.  The moment just seemed too holy to snap a photo or take a video.  I assure you that the scene is captured forever in my mind.  Read the story behind the towels and then click the photo to re-live my favorite moment from 2012.

2012 -- what a year.  And to think that it all began with a suggestion, a free book, a "chance" meeting, and a "Taco Bell Moment."  I go back to those moments often to realize just how big a work God has done through this ministry this year.  We have much to be thankful for as we reflect on how God has so richly supplied what He called us to do in the first place.

Thanks to everyone who has made James 1:27 ministry happen at Colonial Hills Church and beyond.  I can't wait to see what 2013 brings!

Thanks for reading, both today and all the other times you have visited the 4theVoiceless blog.  I am honored by your interest in what we have to say.

"Speak up for those who have no voice, for the justice of all who are dispossessed." Proverbs 31:8 (HCSB)

4theVoiceless,
Al

4theVoiceless Photos: Top 12 in 12 (#5-8)

4theVoiceless Photos: Top 12 in 12

Today: #5-8

Yesterday, we began a look back at the ministry of 4theVoiceless in 2012 through a series of my favorite photos of the year.  There are many more photos and memories that could have been a part of this series.  2012 was a great year for this, the first year of 4theVoiceless.

#9-12

Click on the photos to read (or re-read) the stories.

# 8

Progress on the House of Abraham

Jacob Walley and I joined with a team mostly from Charleston, Illinois, and a few from Florida in late October, early November, to help with the actual construction of the first House of Abraham building on their permanent site.  Between our crew and the Haitian workers working there that week, we made significant progress.  Work has continued on and off as funding has allowed.  This is the most recent photo I have of the work that has been done to date.  There is much left to do!

Relive our trip:
Days 1 & 2
Day 3
Day 4
Days 5 & 6
Day 7 (Wait until Photo #1 to re-read this one!)
Day 8

# 7

Russia Mission team, May

In May, a group of six young adults from CHC joined others from Texas on a trip to Russia to invest in Russian college students as they minister to orphans there.  In preparation for their trip, the group from CHC led worship and shared about their trip in many of our small groups.  Our small groups also invested prayer and dollars into this group as they prepared for their trip.

# 6

Baby Dedication for Annie Faith Basinger

Joel and Lisa Basinger helped start the ministry of 4theVoiceless, but they moved to Texas this year.  While there, they completed their adoption of Annie Faith.  During a visit to DeSoto County, they dedicated her to the Lord before a gathering of their former small group members and other friends.  Annie's adoption is significant because -- while there have been others before her who were adopted into families in our church and there are other families in the process now -- hers was the first adoption to be finalized after the beginning of 4theVoiceless.

# 5

You Can Go Home Again -- Homecoming at Wesleyanna UMC, Star, MS

I had the opportunity in July to return to Star, Mississippi, to my home church and preach a message at Homecoming Day on God's call to the church to minister to the voiceless (widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor).  They were very encouraging to me personally and to the ministry of 4theVoiceless.  The people at Wesleyanna have bought bracelets, fed us a meal during our trip to the Baptist Children's Village home later this past summer, and provided recipes for our adoption cookbook.  Thanks again to my hometown for your support of 4theVoiceless!

Next Monday: Photos #1-4 from the ministry of 4theVoiceless in 2012.

Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al

4theVoiceless Photos: Top 12 in 12 (#9-12)

For a ministry that didn't even exist prior to this year, 2012 was quite the whirlwind year for the 4theVoiceless ministry.  While we may not have even put a dent in the world's orphan crisis, we certainly did more than nothing.  As ministry opportunities opened up to us throughout the year, God's provision did, as well, through great relationships and training opportunities.

Among the year's highlights:

We had several families enter into the adoption process, including one adoption that was completed in 2012.  At least three families completed PATH training and are now qualified to take in children to their homes through the foster care system.

We were a part of mission trips to the Baptist Children's Village in Mississippi, to a deaf school in Jamaica, to orphanages in Russia, and to the House of Abraham in Jacmel, Haiti.

We made paper bead jewelry and paracord bracelets and produced a cookbook to fund the 4theVoiceless ministry.  We had many opportunities to speak to people and make them aware of the needs of the fatherless both close to home and far away.

For the next few days on the blog as we close out the year, I want to share some of my favorite photos and review the stories behind them.  These photos capture some of the highlights of 2012.

Click on the photos to read (or re-read) the stories.

# 12

August Trip to Baptist Children's Village in Star, MS

A guys-only trip that was as much fun for the ones who went as it was for the kids that we served.  Nothing like a slip-n-slide on a hot summer day!

 

# 11

Bracelet Sales throughout the year to raise funds for 4theVoiceless

Crafts fairs, farmer's markets, Christmas fairs -- we served at them all!  Great conversations about orphan care and funds raised for adoption and orphan care at them all.

# 10

Hope for Haiti

The original "Hope for Haiti" post was by far the most popular blog post of the year.  These bracelets began a movement that so far has raised over $10,000 toward building a new House of Abraham home for children in Jacmel, Haiti.  Though there is still much left to do to make the new home a reality, the Hope for Haiti movement has generated interest and awareness in a great way this year.

# 9

CHC Mission Team to Haiti in March

Kim Bennett felt like she had to lead a team of ladies to care for orphans.  This became a reality when 10 ladies, along with Jim May, our missions pastor, went to Haiti in March.  This trip generated an incredible amount of interest in serving there and assisting Fenel & Mimi Bruna and the staff who serve at the House of Abraham.  This trip took place before we began blogging, but you can read how the trip affected my friend Stephanie by clicking on the photo.  She blogged in detail about their trip on her blog, Welcome to Walley World.

Check back tomorrow for photos #5-8 of the 4theVoiceless year in photos top 12 on '12.

Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al

Five Minutes of Bedlam and a Not-So-Ordinary Joe

Dysfunction for Dollars

It's a sad story that you hear all too often nowadays.  You can see it practically every day on one of the so-called talk shows.  Girl gets pregnant; current boyfriend is not the father; bedlam ensues.

I admit that I stopped for about five minutes on one of these shows this week.  If you've ever spent even five minutes watching one of these ridiculous displays, you know the script.  Introduce girl with totally dysfunctional life; introduce guy who makes her dysfunction look practically Cleaver-ish; introduce his new "love interest"; and let the shouting, name calling, and security enforcement begin as they strain to claw one another's eyes out before the next commercial break. The lure of the DNA test results that are "coming right up" is supposed to keep the audience engaged in the madness.

Lost sometimes in all the mayhem of these shows are the children and what their lives are and will be like.  One episode usually mentions multiple babies born to multiple women, fathered by who knows who...but for the demented pleasure of the viewers, they show all the backlash.  Now, I'm sure these shows are quite staged, but I have talked to enough social workers and police officers to know that they are not too far off from heartbreaking reality for way too many children.

Stop for a moment and imagine what type of lives the babies in these nightmarish situations endure.  No one is looking after their best interests...at least for far too long.  Imagine toddlers, little children, even teenagers growing up without even the slightest notion of normal.

A Stark Difference

A few weeks ago, I was reading a book about orphan care, about the failure of an entire nation to adequately care for the needs of the fatherless.  That's why Joe's story stood out so starkly.  The story started the same as on many of the "tabloid for TV" shows: teenage girlfriend pregnant, not his baby, emotions running wild.  He was prepared to walk away from her and the baby that was not his, and he would have had every right to do so.

Unlike most of the others, though, Joe decided to stick around.  He stuck with his girl through her pregnancy and eventually married her.  After enduring a trying delivery, she had a healthy baby.  Though the book doesn't say much about the rest of Joe's story, it insinuates that he was devoted to his now-wife and that he adopted the little boy and fathered him as his own. 

Well done, Joe.  Well done. 

Joe's son went on to great power and fame while Joe faded into the background, a quiet and often-forgotten figure but heroic in his own way.

Remembering Joe at Christmas

There's a line in the familiar Christmas song "Mary, Did You Know" that asks the musical question: "Mary, did you know that . . . this child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you?"  I wonder if Joseph ever pondered -- whether musically or not -- "Joseph, did you know that this child that you've adopted, will soon adopt you?"

This Christmas, as your family hopefully tells the Christmas story, consider Joseph as more than an outlying character.  His adoption of Jesus was more central to the story of redemption than most of us have ever thought. Joseph is not the fiance to be pitied or to be cast aside as a minor character in the story of Christmas; instead, he is the representation of God Himself, the God who offers salvation and adoption as sons to those of us who trust in the Son whom Joseph adopted.

I'll see you all back on the blog after Christmas.  Merry Christmas, everyone.

Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al

To read more about Joseph's adoption of Jesus, check these blogs out:

Jason Kovacs on Love Large, the Abba Fund blog.
Paul Cooper on The Coop Report blog.

Both of these blogs mention Dr. Russell Moore's excellent book, Adopted for Life.  If you have never read it, you should.  You will gain more insight into God's adoption of us and how that is reflected through physical adoption than you could ever imagine.

Kidney Stones, Connecticut, & a Little Perspective

I had only heard the news of the shootings in Connecticut, the shootings of the police officers in Memphis, and the stabbings in China second-hand last Friday. I actually read the reports while in the emergency room with my wife and her kidney stone in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

I shouldn't have read the responses to the news reports. While many readers were simply offering condolences, others went directly to the now-expected political rhetoric in favor of gun control. Then against gun control. It didn't take long for the sorrow of the families and of the communities where they took place to become background noise. How sad.

Our agendas seem so important to us. Social media only exaggerates this. To the high school students who weren't exempt from their exams, it seems like the most tragic thing in the world to have to go to school while others don't have to be there. To the adult who has to wait a little longer in traffic or in line at the store, that can be infuriating. On Facebook, links to the tragic stories from last Friday were mixed together with all the perceived "tragedies" on one news feed to offer some stark differences in perspective.

I probably can't offer any perspectives that haven't already been offered on the tragedies from last Friday. I'm just a guy who writes a blog and who, by the way, tends to get frustrated at traffic and long lines in the store. I'm also the husband of a wife with kidney stones and the dad of three good kids with their own agendas. And I'm recovering from a pretty bad (from my perspective) stomach virus.

But here in this little nook of the blogosphere, let me challenge you to something, especially over the next week: Look outside of your own agenda to find someone who will be spending their first Christmas without a loved one and reach out to them with a gift, a card, a note of encouragement -- something to let them know that they aren't forgotten. Follow one of these unique stories here.

Thanks for reading. Even more for acting on what you've read.

4theVoiceless,
Al

The Good News First

Update from Haiti

Good news from Haiti: As you can see from the photos below (Thanks to Dusty Cooper from IsleGo for posting these), construction began again recently on the House of Abraham.  The concrete roof was poured for the first floor.  Also, the walls are several blocks higher now than they were when our team was there a little over a month ago.

Further good news:  The kids and staff of HoA will be able to stay in their current house a while longer while work construction of the new home continues.

And now, the bad news: In messaging back and forth with Fenel earlier this week, I have also learned that construction stopped again shortly after these photos were taken.

The project is about $25,000 short of being funded.  Please take a moment to pray that the funds would be raised up, that these precious kids would have a permanent home, and that God would get the glory for it.  If you would like to give a Christmas gift toward this project, you can do that here.

Cookbook Update

We have sold over 100 Flavors of Forever Families cookbooks in the first week!  Thanks to everyone who has invested in families and the children they will adopt into them.  If you haven't gotten your book yet, they will be on sale at CHC Southaven and CHC Hernando before and after services at least until Christmas.  You can get one online here.  (For online orders, please order by 12/17 in order to get yours in time for Christmas!)


Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al

Adoption Stories: The China Connection

The 4theVoiceless adoption cookbook, Flavors of Forever Families, released this past Sunday.  As we have stated in various ways in previous posts, the goal of the cookbook is three-fold:

• To raise awareness (and ultimately, funds) for adoption.  The part of this book that sets it apart from other cookbooks is the adoption stories from so many angles.
• To provide a tool for people to share their faith.  What God does through His adoption into His family of those who place their faith in Jesus Christ reflects what lengths he is willing to go to redeem fallen man.  God's adoption of us is reflected in so many ways in the adoption of children into families.
• To provide some really good recipes.  Many are recipes you could find in other cookbooks, but I guarantee you that we have some unique ones, too!

Over the last couple of weeks, we have shared parts of some of the stories in the cookbook:

• Jay Trawick's story of adoption and re-connecting with his birth family.
• Joe & Annette Payne's story of the call to adopt and the resulting frustration of waiting, waiting, waiting...and finding God's will for their family in the process.
• Vicki Sharp's story of two domestic adoptions that both happened in a rush of circumstances.
• Larry Gideon's story of an intriguing journey to find his birth family that didn't know he existed.
• Joel & Lisa Basinger's story of a journey through James that led them to a greater "Faith" journey.

Today, I want to share parts of the stories of the Kobes, the Pillstroms, and the Satchers.  Like the Paynes' story that we shared earlier, all of their stories involve adoption from China.

The Kobe Family: The Family That God Built

God really started our journey to China long before WE started our journey to China.   For eight precious months, He allowed us the privilege of being parents to our sweet little daughter Helen.  Born to us with a rare chromosome disorder, she was taken home to Heaven, but she left in us the desire to parent again.  This seed was planted and then nurtured through friends who had adopted  from China....

Our wait was the longest 11 months I have ever experienced, but once again, God's timing is wise.  I think it gave us additional time to work through our grief over Helen (She died June 2002.).  It gave me time to wallpaper and re-wallpaper –  never quite pleased with the results –  the room that was to be Lillian's.  It gave us months to read about hundreds of names, only to eventually turn back to family names....

Our story is not finished.  This year, God has opened a door for us...

The Pillstrom Family: Made in China, Loved in America

Our story starts with a ten-year-old little girl with big dreams.  I will never forget Christmas 1984.  The toy of the year was the Cabbage Patch Kid.  That was the only thing I asked for, and apparently so did every other little girl in America.  I didn't get a CPK that year, but what I received was the start of my heart for orphans.  My parents had a family friend hand make me an “adoption doll.”  She was hand-painted with green eyes and brown hair, just like me, and she was beautiful.  I'd never heard the word adoption until that day, but I was hooked!  Several years and about 10 Cabbage Patch Kids (of all colors) later,  I knew that one day I would adopt a child.

Fast forward 20 years.  Tony and I were married with one son and a child on the way.  We knew we were having another boy, but what we didn't know was God's big plan for our family.  Kaden was born in 2006 with a bi-lateral cleft lip.  No one that we knew of  in either of our families had ever been born with a cleft.  Tony and I knew then that God had something big planned for us....

(Tobie wrote a post for this blog several months ago that tells more of their story.  You can also follow their story on her blog.)

The Satchers: From an Orphanage to Our Home

Our adoption story really began many years ago for me personally.  I have a neurological condition, which contains a genetic mutation, that makes it 50% likely that any biological children would also be born with this condition.  With the difficulties I have faced throughout my life, I did not want to put someone else through my pain.  After marriage, my wife and I discussed this possibility, and we decided to take the risk and have a biological child.  Shortly after Arabella was born, I began to notice through some physical signs that she most likely had NF1 also.  This burdened my heart greatly because I know the difficult journey she has ahead of her.  After Arabella was diagnosed with NF1, April told me she wanted to talk about adoption for our next child....

In life, road blocks occur, and just after we decided to look into international adoption, my father died suddenly.  This sent my life into a whirlwind and put our adoption on hold....

At the time that I am writing this, we are still a family in process.  We are trusting God to provide us with the current expenses for the adoption, and we trust that we will be matched with the perfect little Chinese girl who will complete our family… for now.

(Michael wrote a post for this blog several months ago that gives some background of their story.  You can also follow his family's story on their blog or Facebook page.)

Read the rest of these remarkable adoption stories in Flavors of Forever Families: A Collection of Recipes and Redemption Stories, available here online, at the CHC offices during regular business hours, and at CHC Southaven and CHC Hernando on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights until Christmas. 

Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al

Adoption Stories: Give Me Faith

Two days away from the release of Flavors of Forever Families: A Collection of Recipes and Redemption Stories, we offer a taste (pun intended) of another adoption story.  This is Joel and Lisa Basinger's story (written from Joel's perspective) of how God brought a feminine touch to a boy-heavy family:

Give Me Faith

If I have been asked this once, I have been asked it a thousand times, “Why adoption?”  There isn't a simple answer to this question.  First of all, we don't have any issues with fertility.  Lisa has been interested in adoption for a while.  I on the other hand, thought we had a big enough family with three boys and couldn't see providing for another child.  God had other ideas for us! Almost two-and-a-half years ago, I decided to do an in-depth study of the book of James.  Little did I know, before I finished chapter one, I would go through a complete transformation.   James 1:27 states, "Pure and undefiled religion is this, to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from this world."  Wow, what a revelation!  it is clear that we, as Christians, are all adopted into Christ's family through His sacrifice on the cross and directed to care for the fatherless.  Does that mean that we are all called to adopt into our family?  No, but it is clear that we are called to care for orphans, just as we are called to make disciples of all nations.

So I don't think the question should be "Why adopt?"  I think it should be "Why not adopt?”  We explored international, foster care, and domestic adoption and went back and forth several times until God led us to an amazing adoption agency in Abilene, Texas.  During this time of exploration, God worked in Lisa's heart to have her explore different aspects of adoption: race, special needs, drug use of parent, and gender.  Through each of these, Lisa learned to trust God to be faithful to give us the child He wanted us to have.  We submitted the beginning of our paperwork in April of 2012 and attended the adoptive parent orientation in July.  We met some great couples that are still friends to this day.  We submitted all of our paperwork in September, and we were approved to be shown to potential birth mothers on October 15.  We were excited; several of the other families that we went to orientation with had already received babies, so we thought it would happen quickly.  We continued to  wait while we kept seeing friends get matched.  We started to get impatient; meanwhile, in February, God decided to move us from Mississippi to Texas.  Maybe He knew what he was doing...

Coming: The China Connection

Next week on the blog, the China connection.  The first time I ever heard the suggestion of an orphan care ministry at CHC was at small group one night in the home of a couple who had twice adopted from China.  Several of the stories in Flavors of Forever Families are of adoptions from China.  There seems to be a special kinship among families who have this experience in common, so next week on the blog will be China week, when we will bring you a sample of each of these stories. 

All of the adoption stories can be read in their entirety in Flavors of Forever Families -- even as you browse the rest of the book for some new favorite recipes.  Order your copy today or pick one up at either CHC Southaven or CHC Hernando this Sunday! 

Previous previews:
"Temporarily Todd"
"Growing Paynes"
"It All Happened So Fast"
"Found! God's Perfect Timing"

Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al

Adoption Stories: Found! God's Perfect Timing

Flavors of Forever Families: A Collection of Recipes & Redemption Stories is a cookbook/adoption story book that will be available at Colonial Hills Church this weekend and online next week.  In the days leading up to the book's release, we are sharing parts of the stories that are included in it.

Today's teaser comes from a story that I discovered during a hospital visit, of all things, earlier this year.  This may be the most fascinating adoption story I have ever heard.  I have known Larry Gideon for many years, but I had never heard his story.  I am very grateful that he shared it with me and now with you.

Found! God's Perfect Timing -- Selected Quotes

 "She put me up for adoption because she was already on what was then called “relief” for herself and the six children living at home."

"I was adopted by closed adoption through the now-defunct Tennessee Children's Home Society (TCHS) in Memphis, run by the notorious black market baby broker Georgia Tann."

"I really had no desire to find out about my birth mother.  I never knew her and surely did not want to hurt Mama's and Daddy's feelings by making them think I was not happy with my life with them." 

"Daddy passed away in 1999, and Mama –  already diagnosed with Alzheimer's –  never recognized me again after Easter of 2001."

"... I was the only qualified person to open them.  I agreed to make the request."

"...my sealed adoption records were mailed to me."

"After getting over the shock that I had other siblings, Joy and I began searching for my relatives." 

"... I was about ready to give up, but my wife was determined."

"This woman said that the first names sounded like the names of her cousins from west Tennessee..."

"She said that now it all made sense."

"Our mother had told her and our siblings living at home that she was going to Paris, TN, to have a tumor removed from her abdomen."

"Our mother had given false information about our family..."

"My sisters thought he was delirious..."

"...she asked if she could ask me a very personal question." 

"...after what she had just heard from me that she was entitled to ask me anything." 

"I am told that had I made this contact with my birth family as little as a year before I did..."

"God knew we were going to need some type of replacement family when this happened..."

"It is only because of Him that this remarkable story is here for me to share."

 Larry's story is one of eight that are part of Flavors of Forever Families.  There are some pretty good recipes in the book, as well!   Get your copy for only $12.  Pre-sales will be going on at Information Central tonight at CHC Southaven before Wednesday Night Reveal classes and at CHC Hernando after Reveal classes.

Prior teasers:

"Temporarily Todd"

"Growing Paynes"

"It All Happened So Fast"


Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al

Adoption Stories: It All Happened So Fast

... and with just a click, it was gone.

Months of soliciting recipes.  Weeks of gathering stories and photos, categorizing recipes, changing it all when more copy arrived.  Ten days of formatting, re-formatting, tedious proofreading, editing, re-formatting again.  A furious last edit.  And then, this morning, with just a click, it was out of my hands and on the way to the printer.  Flavors of Forever Families: A Collection of Recipes and Redemption Stories will be a reality by the end of the week.

There were about 10 of us who looked over at least part of the final project.  Even so, there will still be some things that we missed, I'm sure. None of us has ever produced a book before.  I hope everyone who invests in this project by purchasing cookbooks finds at least a few new favorite recipes, but the purpose of the book is adoption.  To tell the stories.  To pave the way for more stories of adoption.

I have given you a preview in blogs past of some of the stories that will be included in the book:
     "Temporarily Todd"
     "Growing Paynes"

Here is another adoption story that had me frozen in worship as I entered the story into the book this past weekend:

It All Happened So Fast

by Vicki Sharp

The Sharp family: Steve, Elliott, Vicki, & Sarah

Our story started on September 14^th, 1985, the day God put us together as one.  We thought we would be like any other normal couple and be able to conceive children.  However, God had another story planned for us.

Over the next six years, we both visited several doctors and had many tests performed to discover that they were not really sure why we couldn’t have a baby.  So we started sharing with our family and friends about how we wanted a baby.  One night a friend called and asked if we would like to try to adopt a baby.  She had met a woman during a meeting about tough love with teenagers.  She said she had a girl working for her who was pregnant and didn’t want to tell her family.  She agreed to let us adopt her baby and ten days later we were the proud parents of our son, Elliot.

We thought Elliott would be our only child, but he decided he wanted a baby sister or brother so he started praying.  A couple from church had adopted children from the state so we decided we would try.  We attended classes and were approved to adopt.  Meanwhile, a cousin of Steve’s called and asked us to come and talk to a girl about adopting her baby.  However, she had left a message that she had given the baby to another couple.  We didn’t want to give up so we continued to pray.

One day while I was working in the church nursery, another friend told me she had been talking to a girl that was trying to give her baby up for adoption.  We received a call early one morning from our friend asking us to meet the girl now because she was in labor.  Steve was very shy about praying out loud, but after a heartfelt prayer from him, she said she wanted us to adopt her baby.   So seven days later we had a new baby girl, Sarah.  We truly believe that only God could have planned our adoptions. 

Steve passed away to be with the Lord earlier this year, but he was always eager to share our story; he always said it was his testimony.

 
This weekend, Vicki handed me two treasures: Steve's life story as he had written it when Elliott was six years old and a letter Steve had written to his small group leader after Sarah's adoption.  I could hear Steve's voice in my mind as I read his own words of praise for what God had done in building his family through adoption.  Steve's words are included in Flavors of Forever Families.  I pray that his story continues the legacy of adoption that he built in his own family.

More stories will follow throughout the week on this blog as we move toward the book's release this weekend.  The books will be available for $12 at CHC Southaven and CHC Hernando this Sunday.  We will release info next week on online options.  I want to personally thank you on behalf of the families who will move closer to bringing a child into a forever family for your investment in the steps of faith.

Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al

Completed Project!

Happy Friday, everyone!

4theVoiceless has several major projects going on right now. 

We're still trying to raise funds for the House of Abraham in Jacmel, Haiti, through our Hope for Haiti campaign.  (Hope to see you tomorrow at the SHE ministry crafts fair at CHC Southaven between 9am and 5pm...) 

The adoption cookbook has been an overwhelming task this week and promises to continue to be through the weekend.  We have made significant progress, though, including settling on a name for the book:  Flavors of Forever Families: A Collection of Recipes and Redemption Stories.

Today, however, we pause to celebrate the completion of a project!  Last night, I turned in over 350 handmade Christmas cards that our church's small groups and families have made over the last few weeks as part of our participation in Orphanos' Kards 4 Kids project.  I would sum up the project like this: If the kids in orphanages in Korea, Jamaica, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, and Columbia have as much fun opening the cards as I have seen our people having making them, then this project will be an enormous success.

Thanks to everyone who spent time investing in these children that you will likely never meet.  Thank you for those who invested in your own children by involving them in this project with you.  Thank you for being James 1:27 in action.  Enjoy some photos from the project:








 

 Thanks for reading.  And for moving toward the orphan.

4theVoiceless,
Al

Adoption Stories: Growing Paynes

We continue today to share snippets of adoption stories from 4theVoiceless's forthcoming adoption cookbook.  (We hope to have a name for said cookbook by sometime today.)  Today, I want to introduce you to Joe and Annette Payne's story of adopting their little girl, Hayley, from China.

Anyone who has been through the adoption process, whether domestic or international, knows that the waiting and the unknown are the hardest parts of the process.  Yes, the paperwork is daunting, but at least you are DOING something. As I read Joe and Annette's story, I couldn't help but notice many very familiar phrases that I have heard from other families at similar stages of the process.

Life on Hold

"We knew something was missing."

 

"I was totally shocked."

 

"...I wasn't fully on board yet..."

 

"At the time it all seemed endless."

 

"...we did not have the resources on hand..."

 

"...still no word from our adoption agency."

"We were growing a bit impatient."

 

"We began to question..."

 

"Out of frustration we even made statements..."

 

"...we had to know something."

And then...

Annette, Joe, & Hayley Payne

"A special needs child?"

 

"There was no way imaginable that WE could care for a special needs child."

The Rest of the Story

The rest of the Paynes' story will be available in the adoption cookbook.  For now, I'll leave you with one more significant phrase from their story:

"...God intervened..."

 For the rest of Joe and Annette's story, along with all the others, we hope you will invest in our cookbook for the sake of others following in their footsteps and walking through that long process and great expense of adoption.  Oh, and there are some pretty good recipes in the cookbook, too!  Personally, I'm looking forward to making the Haitian gratinee. 

We are working feverishly to make the cookbook available by the end of next week. Pre-orders will be taken locally at the 4theVoiceless table at the SHE ministry crafts fair at the CHC Southaven Go Center this Saturday from 9:00-5:00.  As soon as we have a production date, we will let the rest of you know how to order.

Thanks for reading and making a difference for the fatherless.

4theVoiceless,
Al

Adoption Stories: Temporarily Todd

For the last several months, the 4theVoiceless ministry has been collecting recipes in anticipation of producing an adoption cookbook.  What began as a trickle of recipes flowing in became a deluge at the deadline, and we are now in the process of putting them together, getting the cookbook formatted and to the printer, and making them available in time for Christmas.  We anticipate having the cookbook completed in the next couple of weeks and will let you know how to get your hands on one (or several).

The purpose of the cookbook is to fund our church's adoption fund that will help families make adoption a little more financially feasible.  At the same time, the cookbook is intended to raise awareness about the need for adoption and how it reflects what God has done for us in adopting us as children in His family.  To that end we have included nine stories of adoption from several different angles.  Over the next few weeks on the blog, I want to give you a taste of those stories.

We'll start today with Jay Trawick's story:

Temporarily Todd

March 8, 1973 was the day my story began. I was born in a hospital in Mobile, AL. I spent two months in foster care as they gave me the temporary name of Todd. They said I was a healthy and happy baby, always smiling. 

Little did I know, May 10^tph, 1973 my world would really begin. A young, married couple named Cheryl & Jerome from Eufaula, AL, were looking for a child to adopt, as they had no children of their own. They prepared their lives for over a year before they got the news a child had been chosen for them. They did not know the details of my story; all they knew was that they were going to love me and accept me into their home, no matter what! 

 And that’s exactly what they have done since that day. My world as I knew it from the start has always been a home filled with genuine love. Somewhere along the way, I knew God had given me amazing parents; I just did not realize how amazing they truly were. My childhood was dotted with special friends and warm memories. Every step of the way, Mom & Dad were always there. 

When I became a young man, I moved away from my parents to the Memphis area. I’ve always enjoyed going home to visit. All of the years had passed quickly in my adult life, but inwardly I always wanted to know the real answers to why I was adopted. 

During the month of April, 2010, my parents hired a private investigator from the state of Alabama. Within 7 days, they found the keys that would unlock the chapters of my life story. On April 19, 2010 at around 2:30 AM, my wife woke me up and said I had a phone call from my parents that I might want to take...

The Rest of the Story

You can read the rest of Jay's story when the 4theVoiceless cookbook becomes available.  The first opportunity to pre-order will be this Saturday at the CHC SHE ministry craft fair in Southaven.  4theVoiceless will have a booth set up to sell paracord bracelets and paper bead jewelry (Great stocking stuffers themselves for a great cause) as well as pre-orders for the cookbook.  I will let you know here on the blog and on our Facebook page when we will begin to take pre-orders online.

^{Galatians 4:4-6 (HCSB)}

⁴ When the time came to completion, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ⁶And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”


Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al

Okay, I'll Play: 23 Ministry Blessings

Throughout the month of November, several of my Facebook friends have posted daily things for which they are thankful.  Some are simple, like coffee or bacon.  Some are sentimental, and others are thought-provoking.  On this Thanksgiving Day 2012, I thought I would play catch-up and list 22 blessings (plus 1)  in the 4theVoiceless ministry.  This is by no means a comprehensive list, just a list off the top of my head (which would explain anything important that was forgotten!).

22 Blessings

1.  That look in Tobie's eyes that led to my  My Taco Bell Moment
2.  The Pillstroms and and the Satchers and many conversations about caring for orphans
3.  The Pinnows, the Beesons, and the Basingers who all helped get 4theVoiceless named and off the ground before moving on.  Baby dedication for Annie Faith Basinger.
4.  Great friends to our ministry like Lauren Johnson, Jay Atkins, Russell Moore, Rick Morton, Tony Merida, Jan Biddick, Andrea Gehrett, Wayne Sneed, Mark Ottinger, Dusty Cooper, and many more.  (Please don't be mad at me if I left you off...)
5.  Paracord bracelets and paper bead jewelry
6.  A March mission trip to Haiti by a group of ladies from CHC, along with our missions pastor
7.  A May mission trip to Russia by a group of CHC young adults to minister to orphans alongside Russian college students.  Several nights of worship in our small groups telling their story and leading in worship.
8.  The powerful, transformative Word of God that compels us to care for orphans
9.  The opportunity this summer to preach in my home church in Star, Mississippi, about God's call to His people to care for the orphan
10.  The Hope for Haiti campaign that has sparked more conversations about caring for orphans that anything else we have done this year. 
11.  How caring for orphans in Haiti has transformed my friends Stephanie and Jacob
12.  Over $7,000 given in one day toward building the House of Abraham children's home in Jacmel, Haiti.  As many of you already know, construction on the new HoA has stopped due to a lack of funds, but we are grateful for what has already been given and what has already been done.
13.  An August mission trip to the Baptist Children's Village home in Star
14.  Beginning of construction on the new House of Abraham
15.  Together for Adoption conference in Nashville this past September
16.  The tremendous Orphanology class that we just completed at CHC Southaven and the action steps that people in the class have taken
17.  Two CHC families who have completed training to be foster parents.  Others anxious to begin that training.
18.  All the quarters and dollars that have gone into jars all over DeSoto County through our CHC small groups' Change It Now campaign.  This "power of everybody" campaign has served orphans near and far this year.
19.  A life-changing mission trip to Haiti in late October and early November this year.  What a team the Lord put together from Illinois, Florida, and Mississippi!
20.  Fenel and Mimi Bruna
21.  Our first Orphan Sunday at CHC on November 4
22.  All the recipes and adoption stories we have received for the 4theVoiceless cookbook, the profits of which will help fund adoptions for CHC families

Plus One

23.  The opportunity to express myself on Tuesdays and Fridays (and occasionally other days)  through this blog about what God is teaching me about Himself and about His most valuable creation: people.  Thank you for showing up here from time to time to read my thoughts and to engage in conversations that move the Kingdom of Jesus Christ forward, especially on behalf of the orphan.

4theVoiceless,
Al

Sound the Trumpet

One of the greatest blessings over the last year-and-a-half or so that God has been stirring in several of us at CHC to begin an orphan care ministry now known as 4theVoiceless is how many new relationships God has given us.  We have met many people in our area as we have raised awareness about God's call to Christ-followers to help the orphan.  We have met others from outside our area via various technology.  Just a few weeks ago, I was able to connect two potential ministry partners, neither of whom I knew when God began to stir in our hearts to care for the orphan.

As some of the point people who helped start 4theVoiceless began to move away throughout this year, one of our greatest needs and greatest prayers was for God to send us new people who had a passion for orphans.  He has begun to answer that prayer through a number of people.

One of these people is Shannon Shaw, who began attending our Orphanology study just a few weeks ago.  You can see the fire in her eyes as she shares what God is moving her toward (though, like most of us, she can't really tell you what that looks like right now!).  We noticed this fire when we first began to talk about dignity bags and what we could do for children taken into foster care.

Shannon recently wrote a testimony about what God has done in her life over the last year or so in preparation for the CHC SHE ministry's Christmas party.  The theme was "Sound the Trumpet."

Shannon's Story

Over the past year I can honestly say, "I've grown"!  Why?  I chose to move.  I stepped out in faith and quit teaching middle school to be home with my family.  HE has provided!

I began my first Bible study and have learned so much while being surrounded with Christian women who love, encourage, and pray for me.  HE has delivered!  I spoke at a women's conference and realized I can do ALL things through him.  HE gave me courage and strength!

I'm now participating in the Orphanology class here at CHC.  I'm amazed at the opportunity I have to serve in this area of ministry!  HE reassures!

God doesn't promise a bump-free road along the way when we decide to move and follow his call.  However, I can now say from my experience, the blessings far outweigh the bumps.  I'm looking forward to continued growth in and through Him!  And one day when I hear the final trumpet call, I hope to hear well done, good and faithful servant.

What is HE calling you to do today?  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain living a life that glorifies Him!  God Bless!

Shannon Shaw

While You Are Giving Thanks This Week

During this week when we focus (or at least, should focus) on what we have to be thankful for, I'm thankful for the people God is raising up both in our church family at Colonials Hills and in churches and organizations throughout the world to care for orphans.  I'm thankful that more and more Christ-followers are stepping up  in some way to answer God's call to reflect His character to orphans.

As Thursday approaches and many of you sit down with your family to enjoy a meal and God's blessings in your life, consider the orphan.  Maybe that orphan is nameless and faceless to you (and maybe not), but that longing that he feels deep in his heart -- the longing for a forever family that most of us will enjoy and perhaps even take for granted on Thanksgiving Day -- is very real.  As you thank God for His blessings in your life, pray for His blessings on the world's orphans today, too.

God blesses us, that the ends of the earth my fear Him.  --Psalm 67:7 (HCSB)

Thanks for reading.  Happy Thanksgiving.

4theVoiceless,
Al

Project Update Day: Happy Friday

Happy Friday to all you friends of 4theVoiceless!

Much of the attention on the blog for the last couple of weeks has been focused on our recent trip to serve the House of Abraham children's home in Jacmel, Haiti, but I wanted to use today's blog to give some updates on some other projects that we have going on.  Many of these will be coming to a close soon.

Kards 4 Kids

Our ministry friends at Orphanos Foundation sponsor an annual project called Kards 4 Kids.  Homemade, handwritten Christmas cards go to kids in orphanages in Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Nicaragua, Brazil, Jamaica, and South Korea.  Here's one unique aspect of this project: the cards are written in the child's native language!  (There is a list of Christmas greetings in each language; they have done most of the work for you.)  Click on the K4K link above to find out more.

If you attend Colonial Hills Church (Southaven or Hernando) and would like to be a part of K4K, encourage your small group leader to pick up a packet or two in our leader meeting or find me Sunday, and I will get you a packet (Southaven before and after 1st service, Hernando after the service).

If you are one of our followers from outside the Mid-South, you can click on the K4K link above and get every bit of the information that I have.  You do not have to go through 4theVoiceless to be a part of K4K, but we would like to know if you participate.

Deadline to have these turned in to Orphanos is November 30!

Adoption Cookbook

We are down to the last few days to gather recipes for the cookbook.  I must have them by Wednesday, November 21.  Go here to submit a recipe online.

We will still take recipes in all the different areas, but we especially need international recipes, crock pot recipes, and starter/appetizers.

We will be compiling and formatting all the recipes, as well as the adoption stories that we will sprinkle throughout the cookbook, over the next couple of weeks and will have them published in time for Christmas.

Dignity Bags

I wrote about this project on the blog back in October.  Click here to read the background on this project.

One of our small groups has committed to providing the toiletries for the first bags and is working on getting the bags themselves through one of the group member's company.

I know that there are sometimes avenues toward serving others that go untapped because those with access to certain goods and services never see how they could be used in ministry.  If you have access to basic toiletries that kids who are picked up by DHS social workers might immediately need (toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, comb, brush, etc.) for free or for cheap, you can help us provide this for kids who are already going through a painful experience.

Ditto with nice duffel bags that provide some sense of dignity (as opposed to a garbage bag) to children who are being removed from their homes most often because of abuse or neglect.  If you have access to such bags for free or for cheap, please help us provide 100 bags to our local DHS social workers.

For our out of town readers, would you consider making a call to your local DHS office and asking if dignity bags would be a need for them, too.  Many of the issues with at-risk children could at least be improved if the church got involved in a helpful way such as this.

House of Abraham

Finally, as some of you may have read yesterday on our Facebook page, construction on the House of Abraham children's home in Haiti has stopped due to lack of funds.

Dusty Cooper of Isle Go Missions wrote a  guest blog back in August about the origins of the House of Abraham and the need for this new home.  Our recent trip confirmed everything Dusty wrote (not that I expected any different) and then some.

4theVoiceless will have a table set up at the CHC SHE ministry crafts fair on Saturday, December 1.  All of the profits from our sales of paracord bracelets and paper bead jewelry will benefit the House of Abraham.  These make great stocking stuffers and will provide great opportunities to share with friends and family members the work that God is doing in Jacmel, Haiti, to provide for the needs of 13 kids and to provide hope for a nation.

Several of you from outside of this area have asked how you can give directly.  Click here to go directly to Isle Go's "Donations" page.  Be sure to note "House of Abraham" on your check or, if you give electronically, in the box next to the amount of your donation.  I know that Dusty and Fenel and all those who have already invested in this project will be extremely grateful for your help.

Get Involved

How will you live out the biblical command to care for orphans?  I have laid out in this blog several ways you can get involved, and most of them don't take a lot a resources, just a willingness to help and a heart for the orphan.

God did not plan for us to remain spiritual orphans.  Nothing better reflects His heart for spiritual orphans than our care for physical orphans.

John 14:18
"I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you."


Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al