New Taiwan Waiting Children

We are excited to announce that we have several NEW children that have been added to our Taiwan Waiting Children list! Lifeline is currently searching for forever families for almost 50 waiting children who are available through our adoption program in Taiwan. New children have recently been added to the waiting children list! The children’s ages range from 1-13 years old and sibling groups are available.

If you have questions or would like more information about our waiting children in Taiwan, please contact Morgan Cheek at Morgan.cheek@lifelinechild.org for more information.

Some thoughts..

One thing I understand is:

Christ has saved me from myself.  This is always how I’ve understood my salvation.  I understand that what happened on the cross that day gave way for true life, hope and purpose.  It saved me from the evil one who seeks to kill, steal and destroy. There is power in Jesus’ name. 

One thing I’m seeing is:

People of the spirit are just little pieces of Him walking around with skin on. God speaks to us through His word but He also uses the people around us.  And what about those times when I’ve felt I have nothing to offer?  That there is nothing in me that is capable of returning the love and grace that I’ve been shown.  I can only pray that God will be able to use what I’ve walked through for His glory someday.  We’ve all felt pain.  We’ve all dealt with things that we wouldn’t wish on anyone else.  But to get to use those lessons to spur one another on towards freedom from darkenss? Yes. That is it.  That makes it all worthwhile.  We are in this human thing together.

One thing I’m learning is:

We must be careful on where our worth is placed.  I believe sometimes we leave it places that we didn’t know we left it, and then when the boat is rocked and our worth falls from that place, we crumble.

In the end:

…it comes back to identity.  Every day, we are one step closer to knowing the depth of His love for us. I pray that is the case.

Questions I have:

Maybe understanding our identity is just part of the journey to sanctification.  Maybe it’s not something that clicks one day or maybe it is. Maybe it’s different for everyone.  I am starting to believe that if I truly lived as if I understood who God says I am, things would look different in my life. Props to the folks who look like they have it together.  I don’t believe that I’ve looked like that a day in my life.  Maybe it’s ok to be an open book.  I find that my problem is that I stay on chapter 2 of my open book.  It’s hard for me to step forward into the unknown.  Am I really one of those folks that sits in darkness just because the darkness is familiar?  What does trust really look like then? There comes a time when faith does require action and I feel l sit on the fence of that.

What this is:

I know I know. What is this, right? True confessions of the bookkeeper?  But these are the thoughts I have in this season of life.  And I must believe that it is a season.  In the words of a sweet coworker, I will look back on this time in my life and laugh because I will be able to see then what God was up to.  Man, I hope so.  Until then….. I’m pressing on and pressing in with the help of some wonderful friends and family.  I know it’s worth it.  I believe it’s worth it. HE is worth it.

Lauri Mehaffey, Bookkeeper

Counting it a joy..

I have the great joy of working with (un)adopted, a ministry of Lifeline Children’s Services. The heart of (un)adopted is to care for orphaned and vulnerable children internationally who may not be adopted because of age, disability, circumstance, disease, or a myriad of other factors. Many of these children age out of homes or government care, having never been prepared for this transition to life alone. Even more tragically, many of them have never heard the Gospel of Christ, the Good News of a Savior who loves them more than even a family could, who has the power to redeem them and wash them clean. They’ve never heard of a Father who loves them steadfastly. These children age out of care and are put on the streets with nowhere to turn. A staggering majority of them turn to prostitution, drugs, and a life of crime. The world would say they are hopeless, even sometimes a burden to society. We say they are children created by the same God who created you and me and are precious in His sight. We say they are worth loving, visiting, caring for, praying over, laughing with, hugging, and teaching.

Recently, I visited the Dominican Republic to spend time with (un)adopted’s missionary family, the Little’s, who moved to the Dominican Republic one year ago. God has opened incredible doors as the Little’s have sought to care for “the least of these” in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic is a beautiful place, full of tropical sea air, beautiful beaches, and vibrant color, but it’s also an incredibly dark place. Poverty abounds, and children live on the streets. Prostitution is blatant, even among young children. Few people find these children worthy of care, affection, and time, but we find them beautiful and in great need of the love of Christ. During our trip, we spent time with children who are living in great poverty and darkness and are forced to grow up way too quickly. We loved these little ones, taught them about Christ, laughed with them, hugged them, and prayed for them. We also spent time in a home where eleven boys are being taught what it means to follow Christ. These boys once lived on the streets, simply surviving. Now they are being loved, have a family for the first time, and are being raised up as godly men. The lives of these eleven boys are being transformed by the power of the Gospel. The heart of (un)adopted is to reach these eleven boys and the many other children like them. To teach, prepare, serve, and love them with the Gospel of Christ. We have been shown great grace by our Savior, so we show great grace. We have been shown the love of a Heavenly Father, so we show His love to little girls and boys who the world deems unworthy. We praise God for the work He is doing in the Dominican Republic in the lives of these eleven little boys and in the lives of children still living on the streets. We count it all joy to serve them. Seeing Him transform their hearts slowly as they learn to trust and love is beautiful and humbling. It reminds us of the transformation God has orchestrated in our own hearts. We pray that many of these children will be counted among our brothers and sisters in eternity, where “The Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:17 .

If you would like to learn more about what God is doing through (un)adopted, please email info@unadopted.org or call (205)967.0811.

Jessica Dixon, (un)adopted Assistant Coordinator

ONE body of BELIEVERS...

I don’t have to tell you that there are so many children in need of love, care, and attention in this world. One can be overwhelmed by the photos of so many children in orphanages, on the streets, and in foster care. To hear the number 147 million orphans in the world is staggering & painful.

Several years ago, God provided the opportunity for me to go on several missions trips to various countries. Each of these countries were vastly beautiful with God’s natural creation, yet just to look at the children close by was a stark reminder of the poverty they lived in.  As I left the airport I was shocked at the site of children begging, their clothes tattered and torn, and their little eyes so weary from the worries of life.  Despite the fact that the caregivers were trying their very hardest at what they knew to do,  I was saddened by seeing babies lying in their cribs day in and day out with very little attention.   These little ones were rocking back and forth to soothe themselves most of the day.  One caretaker told us that if we took a baby from a bed, to put them back in the same bed as their names and birthdates were written on a little piece of tape to each bed; otherwise they would not know who they were.  Their cloth diapers were only changed a few times a day and were so thick that these little ones could not roll over or even touch their toes. Bottles were propped and they were not held while they ate. In the bottles was a mixture of pureed vegetables and potatoes.  With streams of tears running down my face and a loss of what to do, I did at that moment the only thing I felt I could do, I gently told each one of them, “Jesus loves you so much”.

The older children, ages 4 and 5, flocked to you like a magnet just wanting a smile and some attention. If you sat down on the floor with them, they sat with you and would not let you get up. When you did leave, they would bang their heads on the floor crying at the top of their lungs. How my heart broke and once again, tears streamed down my face for these precious forgotten children.

But… they are not forgotten, no not a single child!!  Jesus our savior knows every detail of their heart and soul. He wants the very best for them in a family and someone who will tell them on a daily, moment-by-moment basis how much Christ loves them and wants a personal relationship with them. He knows them not by a piece of tape with a name and birthdate written on it, but he knows them as HIS child.

Once again we ask ourselves, how do we deal with the number of orphans in this world?  How do we feel like we can make a difference? Anyone can make a difference even if you are 7 or 107 years old.  ALL believers are called to help! Each and every one of us who have Christ as our Savior are united together into one body of believers.

1 Corinthians 12:20 says: But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”: nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you”.

Here at Lifeline we are also of one body in Christ.  We work together as a team to help make a difference for as many of His precious children as we can! 

So, now the question is for you - Can you foster, or adopt, pray or give of your resources, or time? We would love to talk with you about Lifeline and how you can be a part of HIS hands and feet for HIS children. Please pray and give us a call.

Angela Beemer, Lifeline Children's Services of Kansas Administrative Assistant

This is War

Comfortable, peaceful, my own way I’ll strive,
Millions more walk around, not even alive.

Little discomfort, always something delightful to eat,

While droves of children with mud pies, no hope, surviving on the street.

There’s a war around me, am I ready to fight?

Am I armed with God’s truth, His spirit, His might?

I have everything I need to wage this war,

Yet, so often waking, for me, wanting “more.”

More acceptance, more security, more comfort and relief,

Now brought to my knees reminded, “this is war”, only the gospel brings peace.

Fathers, the fatherless, many in darkness so black,

Lost and unable to see the constant attack.

When wartime is real, we do not even open the door,

before we hear the shots, the cries, and people fall to the floor.

As believers we stand, with the power of the King.

Ready to wage war, confident His glory, He will bring.

Fully armed Body, ready to march forward,

Belt-breastplate-shield, helmet and sword.

Let’s look around us, without fear,

Fervently praying for those who’ve not yet heard, to hear.

The battle we must fight, His righteousness our sight,

The Savior has come, the war has been won.

The Body of Christ, stand ready to fight,

Not against flesh and blood, but against powers of the dark with hatred toward light.

Let’s exhort one another to spend our lives for God’s glory and fame,

Worthy of breathing, living, and fighting, is No other Name.

Krisha Yanko, Development and Marketing Director

 Ephesians 6:10-18

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Philippians 1: 18-30

            Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
            Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Love is just the skin of knowing..

Seven years ago, I married a guy I thought I knew well and honestly, I had no idea the gift God gave me in him on that day.  He has used my husband nearly every day since that sweet day to stretch my heart in ways I never dreamed possible.

Eight months ago God gave us this little guy to stretch our hearts in new and incredibly beautiful ways.

I love a quote from The Shack that reads, "So many believe it is love that grows, but it is knowing that grows and love simply expands to contain it. Love is just the skin of knowing.” 

"...Love is just the skin of knowing."  The more I know my husband, and the more we get to know our son the MORE WE LOVE.

Then I think of these words…

"Love the Lord your God with ALL your Heart and with ALL your soul and with ALL your mind and with ALL your strength." Mark 12:30. Ouch.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with ALL your heart." Jeremiah 29:13. Ouch, again.

How can I love my God with ALL of me and not love His word and thirst for time spent in fellowship with Him above ALL else?

I confess this, that there are days when the urgent crowds out the important, days when I get so wrapped up in parenting and working and serving;  and even times, if I am really being honest, when I am just plain selfish.

Then when my heart is pricked, I make time to sit and savor His word and I read something like this, from Ephesians 1:3-14, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.  And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,  who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory."

His word, and time spent with Him, completely takes my breath away. I am reminded of the lyrics of a song: “In the quiet, in the stillness, I know that You are God. In the secret of Your presence, I know there I am restored. When You call I won’t refuse! Each new day again I’ll choose! There is no one else for me, none but Jesus! Crucified to set me free, now I live to bring Him praise.”

How can I not desire this time with Him in the same way I desire time to fully know and be known by my sweet husband and little boy?  Each morning, may I wake to look eagerly into His face the way I do my child's. May I hunger for His love above my husband's love.  May I always choose His voice over a thousand others. May I search out the riches of God, may I eagerly learn to know HIS WAY, and may I love Him more for it.

Lauren Strickland, South Alabama Social Worker

In Love and in Season

Christians are obligated to share the word of God with unbelievers.  There are times when we may find ourselves at a loss for words.  God will open the door for each of us to minister to the hearts and minds of those who are hurting, lost, and broken.  In those times we have to remember the words God spoke to Moses, "Now go, I will help you speak and will teach you what to say".

Each morning I ask God to direct me in my speech.  My time at Lifeline Village has taught me the importance of speaking the right word at the right time.  Roger Ray wrote the below poem and the words remind me daily to speak in love and in season.

Kesha Franklin, Lifeline Village Program Coordinator

The Right Words

Lord, give me the right words to say

To broken hearts that come my way
To those who have been hurt before
That, I not hurt them any more

To those whose hearts have hardened up

To those who won't hold out their cup
That, Lord, You long to overflow
With love and mercy.  Lord, let me know

That I might have the words to say

That I might plant a seed today
That glory would be given to You
Through all I say and all I do

Lord, give me the right words to say

More hearts are breaking every day
They're out there crying in the night
I long to help them see the light

But, fragile are those souls and weak

So this is why Your words I seek
And pray Thee give me words to say
That I, not one soul, turn away.

How Deep the Father's Love

How deep the Fathers love for us

How vast beyond all measure

That he should give his only son

To make a wretch his treasure.

I love the words of this song and how they remind me of my place before God. To know that the God of the universe sees me as his treasure and asks for me to call him Father. How invigorating to know of his love for me.

As a father myself it goes without saying I love my children. The love I have for them is unconditional. When I explain it to them and they ask why, I simply say " just cause." I love them just because they are my child.

Being a father it means I not only get to love my children but to lead my children. To lead them down the right paths to get them to want what they need. So to it is with God, he is our father giving us his Word to guide us and lead us. Showing us the most excellent path.

When I think of adoption I think of it as God's invitation to join an amazing journey, one that will challenge and teach us. One that will remind us of his endless pursuit of our lives, and the unspeakable joy of acceptance into his family.

To those considering adoption, will you accept the invitation? The God of all love who has adopted you wants you to follow him down this same path, mimicking his very actions.

For those who are adopting, take heart you have a heavenly father who understands the struggle, the countless hours of wanting your child to be home. The depths of a journey filled with many hurdles. He too has walked the path and he is excited you are following his example as well.

To those who have adopted, be reminded of your heavenly fathers love for you. Just as you have accepted your child and love him/her so to God has accepted you making you a co-heir with Christ.  You are his beloved sharing his name and his inheritance.

How great the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure.

Geoffrey Ketcham, Manager or International Services

Will you do it?

God is always loving, pursuing, and speaking! 


And we, most of us anyway.. Are on the move, running and multitasking.


Progressively it has become more difficult to slow down and listen to His still, quiet, Voice. The Voice that spoke creation into being.  The Voice who proclaims, "This one belongs to me", when the Evil One comes as an accuser.


Distractions.. They are layered about everywhere. And in there midst of this confusing, often chaotic life, God has not abandoned us. He is here.. He is still loving, pursuing.. And speaking.


He whispers as if His Voice were in the wind. With love and truth He says, "I am the least of these.. Do you see me?"  "I am the one on the street corner holding the sign and I wait in the line at the downtown mission.. Look through the clothes, the beard, the stench.. Thats me in there!"


I am the orphan who stands and looks at you with a dazed stare. Thats what hopelessness does to innocence."  I mumble, "Daddy" as I walk toward you with my hand out.. Its only a whisper. "Do you hear me?"


In that glance.. This in this moment.. The distractions subside enough for you to hear me say, "Be still and know that I am God!"


Will you do it?


Dave Wood, International Director

Colombia Accreditation Status

Lifeline  is more than excited to announce its newest program in Colombia!! This is going to be an amazing program. Colombia currently has over 11,000 children waiting for adoption, and Lifeline has what we believe to be the best on-the-ground team to assist in the adoption process and advocate for our families. We look forward to providing International Adoptions Services in Colombia. The resolution of accreditation is on its way at this time!

Families adopting from Colombia can adopt children with special characteristics. Children with special characteristics include:  1) older children, at least age 7 years old or older, 2) sibling groups, and 3) children of all ages that have one or more medical or special needs.

The Colombian adoption process takes an estimated time of 18 to 24 months for children with special characteristics. This is from the time your application is approved through the time of travel. Please remember that this is an estimated time.

Colombia requires that those seeking to adopt be between the ages of 25 and up and Colombia requires that married applicants are married for a minimum of three years. Single women may also adopt from Colombia.

When a family travels, the expected stay in-country is approximately 4-7 weeks. Both parents must be willing and able to stay the entire time if necessary, but one parent may return to the states during the process after the first few weeks if approved. The length of in-country stay will depend on the originating city of the child.

The estimated total cost of a Colombian adoption right now is around $27,600. We have done our best to provide an all-inclusive figure for our families. We also assist in providing families with information on  scholarships and grant programs that are available. If families are concerned about the cost, they can also contact their accountant to get information on the Adoption Tax Credit.

Colombia is a great country to adopt from for the following reasons: It is a “Hague-certified” program; there is high quality orphanage care; they provide detailed medical and developmental information on available children; children who wait receive counseling and advocacy services;  there is a well established government child welfare agency  that oversees the “transition” process; and children are able to reside with the adoptive parents throughout the family’s stay in-country.

The country of Colombia has many children in need of loving, permanent homes. If God calls you to embark on this journey, it would be our joy to partner with you!

For more information, please contact Beth Stanley at beth.stanley@lifelinechild.org.

In Faith and Obedience

“There is no way to peace along the way of safety. For peace must be dared, it is itself the great venture and can never be safe. Peace is the opposite of security… Peace means giving oneself completely to God’s commandment, wanting no security, but in faith and obedience laying the destiny of the nations in the hand of Almighty God, not trying to direct it for selfish purposes. Battles are won, not with weapons, but with God. They are won when the way leads to the cross.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Lately, the Lord has been demonstrating His faithfulness in some drastically different ways than the ways that I typically anticipate. This is one of the truly amazing aspects of His character – that He does His will in His timing for His glory. We can truly rest in the fact that His ways are not our ways and that His thoughts are not our thoughts. He is increasingly more capable than I could ever be in anything. This is both humbling and exciting.

As a social worker, it is my privilege to serve families in numerous capacities. I can honestly say that the Lord has given me a much stronger glimpse into His character and His purpose since having worked for this agency. I love that my ways are not the Lord’s. And I love that there is nothing I can do to thwart or control His overall purposes. At times, I find myself longing for the ability to learn God’s next move; however, it is in these moments when I find both the families I serve and myself truly trusting the Lord with all our hearts. And that is the purpose of it all, right? To trust the Lord as Lord over our lives, even with our families and with the future of these beautiful children we advocate for.

Not long ago, my small group and I intensely studied the life of Abraham and His role in God’s redemptive history. Genesis 15:6 makes the astonishing revelation that because Abraham believed, it was credited to Him as righteousness. This is not because of anything Abraham did or said or planned, but because He believed in the promises of the Lord.  He trusted the Lord. This did not guarantee safety, money, health, or anything else.  In fact, Abraham even had to move to a foreign land as a result. It simply meant He trusted the Lord’s covenant that was given, and because of this, the Lord viewed Abraham in right standing with Himself.

What a crazy thought! That God blesses us with His presence and mercy when we trust His promises. When things in our lives begin to look insecure, we have security in the presence of the Lord. Above, I quoted Bonhoeffer. This is a man who believed peace to not be a feeling but a result of obedience in trusting the Lord’s will. He reminds us that the road to peace with God is not always the safest road by the world’s perspective. However, when we are trusting the Lord’s plan and not our own, we begin to really know the Lord for who He truly is. There is an element of risk to seeking the peace that comes from obeying the will of God. When we do, our lives point to the redemption found at the cross through Christ. Therefore, my encouragement to everyone is to hold firm to the promises of the Lord and have faith in all circumstances. If He has led you to this, He will surely carry you through in His faithfulness in order to bring Himself glory. The path may be different than we anticipate, but His purpose is infinitely better. It is simply our role to believe these promises as Abraham did and obey Him wholeheartedly. May the peace of the Lord be with you all. 

 Beth Stanley, International Social Worker

You will never be too old to want a family...

I read the below blog post on the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption website several months ago. The words of this young women so moved me that I wanted to share it with our Lifeline family. If you are interested in our foster care program, please contact the office and ask to speak with someone in our Foster Care Department.

Amy Griner, Domestic Social Worker

 

You will never be too old to want a family...

After unpacking my belongings on Taylor University’s campus in 2004, I melted onto my twin-sized bed in relief; I was officially an adult. Starting that August day, I was financially and emotionally on my own. There would be no more moving homes, no more veiled threats, no more walking on already cracked eggshells around new people. Two days later, it hit me that the oft uttered “on my own” was a mere euphemism for the estimated 29,000 children who will age of foster care this year and will be “all alone.” I was paralyzed by the knowledge that there would be no one to check on my well-being, no financial safety net, and no one to help navigate various barriers in place on a college campus. That first year was terrifying. I was alone, depressed, broke, and furious that, at 18, the system just dumped me.

While I could speak volumes on the aging out process and the system, this not a commentary about a foster care system under increasing pressure to find permanent homes for the hundreds of thousands of children in foster care. This is a post for the families. An ode of sorts for those who give with no ulterior motives, who never stop inviting people into their homes and their hearts, who never lock their refrigerators, and who endlessly and (some might say) recklessly pour into the lives of foster youth.

I was a sophomore in college when I found my forever family; well past the age of “adoptability.” I had long given up on finding a family and was focused on just “making it” when I miraculously stumbled into a loud, boisterous, laughter-filled, caring, and passionate family. It started when I came home with my “sister” for Thanksgiving to escape the dull of the dorms. They were the craziest, loudest, biggest family I’d ever had the pleasure of hanging out with. I came back for Christmas, New Year, and Easter. Each year for every holiday, I was invited back. In 2009, I reached a milestone. Five years was the longest I had ever spent with any family in my life; after that, it was just icing on the cake.

I won’t lie and say that it was easy to come into a new family at 19. It was awkward at first. I spent most of my time during the holidays quietly devouring books so as not to disturb the family dynamics and so I wouldn’t mess things up. Eventually though, my cousins conned me into one of their silly games, my “sister” would flop dramatically on my lap, an Indianapolis Colts game would be on, or we would all just gather for a few moments to listen to Grandma and Grandpa talk or pray for the family. I wept over simple things like actually having a stocking at Christmas, and family members who spelled my name correctly. Our relationship functioned much like a call and response — and they always responded. 

As time has gone on, things have also gotten “real.” As a family, we mourned the loss of close friends from Taylor, and later, the loss of our grandmother. I battled with my own trust issues and the wondered if I was “good enough” for my family. I often hid my struggles from them in an effort to prevent rejection. Eventually my own strength failed me: I reached out to the family who surrounded me with love, prayer, and grace as I battled through my first year of law school. They were beside me during the midnight calls, the times of self-doubt, and the two weeks that make up finals week.

The value of my family comes from the extraordinary things they do that they believe to be ordinary. Like making dried apples, mixing homemade hot chocolate, giving me one of Grandma’s quilts, sculpting butter trees (don’t ask), talking all night, doing crossword puzzles, and eating grapefruit while watching “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” This year, I got to give Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gifts; and that is extraordinary. Most recently, while rushing out for work I glimpsed a letter in my mailbox from a member of my family letting me know that she thought I might like a nice note. Thank you Grandma S., I liked it very much. My family is not perfect, nor would they claim to be, but as many groups have stressed, you don’t have to be perfect, to be a family.

I write this blog to highlight a simple point: You will never be too old to want a family. My family is this wonderful, unexpected, hilarious, and compassionate gift from God and I feel honored to have them in my life. But it also saddens me that there are 107,000 other children waiting for their own imperfect family. Even more disheartening are the 29,000 children who will age out of foster care this year by stumbling into adulthood with little support.

So to the families who have heeded the call and continually open their homes to my many brothers and sisters in foster care … thank you, and may you inspire the masses.

By Sharde Armstong

(Sharde Armstrong, is currently a candidate for a Juris Doctor at New York University School of Law. She went to law school because of a belief that child welfare reform can often be accomplished via legislative and judicial action. Her interest in the foster care system stemmed from her own 12 years in foster care in Indiana and Michigan. After graduating from Taylor University in 2008 with a Bachelor’s in Psychology, she interned with the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute and Senator John Kerry.)

Only Because of the Gospel

Easter Sunday is the most fundamental, essential, and important day in the life of any Christ-follower.  We acknowledge this fact each year on Easter Sunday when churches all throughout the nation recruit child-care workers, put out metal chairs, increase the amount of ushers, and find more parking attendants.  Easter Sunday is by far the high watermark for church attendance throughout the US.

However, do we live with the victory of Easter and the battle of the cross stamped on our foreheads and burned in our hearts the weeks after?  Or do we move on with life, business, and pleasure?  Do even ministries and churches, move on to programs, aid, and social justice apart from the Gospel which was so plainly profound from Good Friday to Easter Sunday?

May it not be so, may we realize that, "Proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus is the foremost, fundamental, necessary, nonnegotiable way to address evil and suffering in the world.  To work against evil and suffering in the world apart from proclaiming the gospel of Jesus will ultimately be futile."

Furthermore, the book of Malachi says in Chapter 3:5-7, "Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.  For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.  From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts..."  

If we want to evil purged from our world, we must return to the Lord, we must return to the Gospel.  It is this Gospel that is the heart of the mission at Lifeline.  We cannot avenge the evil that has placed over 500,000 children in US foster care just by putting them into good foster families.  We cannot begin to right the atrocities that have left over 143 million children orphaned around the world devoid of the Gospel.  We cannot make a dent in the epidemic that creates so many fatherless children until we return to Yahweh - the Lord of Hosts.

Two weeks ago, a sibling group of 3 children were ordered by a judge in Alabama to be returned to their biological family, a family they had been removed from in November for many issues.  These children had been in one of Lifeline's growing number of foster homes.  Because these homes aren't for mere altruistic or humanitarian purposes, each family agrees to proclaim the Gospel to these children and invest in their lives no matter how short or long the child's stay might be in the foster home.

As this particular family was preparing these children for their return home, the foster dad asked the oldest, a 9 year old boy, what he had learned and what he’ll remember from the time he lived with them.  He answered, "to love Jesus with all my heart and to read my Bible."  Then his 7 year old brother chimed in that he had learned, "to be a good boy so I can help my parents."

At Lifeline we praise the Lord for godly foster parents like the Lawsons, who are providing their home to Alabama's foster children because they embrace the Gospel and want to see it proclaimed, viewed, and lifted high.  As the apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:2, may we, "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."

The heart of Lifeline's ministry is to proclaim the Gospel to the nations through care, compassion, rescue and discipleship of the fatherless.  Please pray for Lifeline that the Gospel will always be central in everything that we do.  Pray that the Lord will continue to open doors for his name to be proclaimed, not only to those children in US foster care, but also to the street orphans in Puerto Plata, DR; to the institutionalized orphans living in Odessa, Ukraine; to the orphan vulnerable deaf children learning to communicate through the deaf school in Busenga, Uganda; as well as to the 143 million orphans in every hamlet, village, and people group which is representative of every tribe, tongue, and nation.

May our heart be for the great city revealed to John on the isle of Patmos, which Revelations 22:23-26 proclaims, "the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.  By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day-and there will be no night there.They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations."  This day will be realized beloved, only because of the Gospel which we celebrate Easter Sunday, and every day the Lord gives us breath.

Has the Lord put your family in a place where you could adopt or foster a precious child in need and in so doing disciple them in the Gospel of Christ?  Has the Lord burdened you with his command in James 1:27 to care for orphans in distress?  If so, partner with Lifeline today. Visit LifelineChild.org to donate to the cause, to apply to adopt, to sign up for a trip through our (un)adopted ministry by visiting orphans in need, to apply to be a foster parent for a child in US foster care, to volunteer in one of many ways for the sake of orphans, and ultimately to partner with us as we seek to take the Gospel to the fatherless.

"He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.  Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.  You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear."  Deuteronomy 10:18-20

Oh beloved, will you allow God to use the Gospel through you to impact the life of a child? Please do not hesitate to give Lifeline a call because we are here...

On behalf of the orphans and fatherless.

Herbie Newell, Executive Director

Twitter: @hmnewell

Summit VIII

 

Lifeline will be sending several members of our staff to the eighth annual Summit conference in just a couple of months!  This is a wonderful orphan care conference and we are honored to be apart once again.  It is an incredible opportunity to gather together with others who are passionate about bringing hope to orphans and also love our great God.  Summit: inspires, equips and connects for adoption, foster care and global orphan ministry.

This year's conference is held on May 3-4 at Saddleback Church in Southern California. For more information on how to attend and what Summit is all about, visit the Summit Website. Participation is open to anyone who hears God's calling to care for the orphan.  We hope to see you there!

A Family's View

I consider it a joy and an honor to work with families who pursue adoption and especially from Ukraine.  The process in country can be long and tedious.   I am grateful for families like the Huitt family who have pursued these beautiful children, just as the Lord pursues us, and brought them home.  But more than that, please consider the children who are left behind that also need a forever family.  Adoption and caring for orphans and widows is at the very heart of God.  Let this blog from the Huitt family challenge you and your faith and your call to adoption.

“but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14 ESV

Below you will read the story of the last day of the Huitt's of the adoption journey.

Thank you for reading,

Jana Lombardo, International Social Worker

The Last Day:

 Five weeks ago today, Hannah and I walked into a room in the main building of the orphanage that we’ve come to be so familiar with and met two of the sweetest and wildest little girls that we’ve ever known. Today, the four of us piled into the back seat of Dema’s black car and left there for the last time.

Yesterday, we went to the grocery store and bought a few cakes and some bottles of sparkling apple juice to celebrate Olivia and Sveta’s last day with their friends and classmates. When we got to the orphanage, we met with the director and assistant director to thank them for how much they’ve helped us and to give them a few personal gifts along with a donation to the orphanage. After that, we were off to Olivia’s class for the first round of cake and juice.

We went upstairs and walked down the hall by the windows where Olivia would wait and watch us leave almost everyday. When we walked into the room, Olivia was waiting there along with her half-brother and the other four children that live on their floor. After the assistant director announced that this was Olivia’s last day, her brother bounced up and ran over to Olivia to give her a little stuffed cow as a parting gift. He looked as if he experiencing a mixture joy in giving her the gift and sadness that she about to leave.

It about ripped my heart out. I’m not a very emotional person, but in that moment, I wanted to go out in the hall and cry. Although we’ve had some ups and downs in the process, I can say that overall, I’ve loved our experience over here. But I hated this. We’ve done everything that we can to try and bring this boy back with us, but it’s simply impossible at this time. The fact that we’re leaving him behind is something that has been difficult to deal with and today compounded that feeling by a thousand.

For the rest of the time, we ate cake and talked. Olivia’s friend, Leeza, told her that she would miss her and that she needed to be a good girl. All of them told her how much they would miss her and asked for her to send pictures from America once she arrived.

From there, we grabbed our other cake and headed to the kindergarten to celebrate with Sveta and her friends. When we got there, we were greeted enthusiastically by Sveta and the 12 other little friends that we’ve made over the past 5 five weeks. This little crew has become very close to us, so we were looking forward to spending our last day celebrating with them.

The first part of the party was spent watching a little video of the kids from a dance and talent competition that was held amongst the local orphanages this past summer. Watching Sveta was hilarious. She did a great job. During the video, the other kids started saying, “They’re taking our most talented performer!” which was both funny and sad at the same time.

When the video ended, Sveta’s caregiver gave us a tour of the younger kids facility, which we hadn’t had a chance to do yet. After that, it was back to the primary meeting room for our second round of cake and juice along with some more pictures.

At the end of the party, we went outside for a few pictures with Sveta’s caregiver, who has been and is an amazing woman. Before parting, she knelt down and was telling Sveta how much she was going to miss her and to be a good girl for Mama and Papa. The whole time, she was doing her best to hold back tears but wasn’t doing a very good job. Before leaving, I started to say something and then collectively, we all just lost it. Between Daniel and myself being a little emotional, the translation was rough, but I thanked her for how well she’d done for Sveta up to this point. I also added that some people who are teachers teach as a job and others because they have a gift. She was one with the gift. After collecting ourselves, we said one last goodbye, grabbed Sveta’s hand and walked away.

As I looked back, I shifted my focus from Sveta’s teacher to the window of the kindergarten that had twelve orphan faces pressed against it who were smiling and waving goodbye to their little friend one last time. It’s an image that I’ll have burned in my memory for the rest of my life. Just as we were about to round the corner and pass out of sight, Sveta turned around one last time to wave and say, “Das vi danya (goodbye).

Back at the main building, Hannah and I sat down and signed a stack of papers that needed to be processed for the girls to leave. We met back up with Olivia and gave her the new clothes that we’d bought yesterday. Seeing her leave with Hannah in her worn out shoes and old orphanage clothes that never did fit quite right and then coming back in a brand new set of garments served as yet another reminder to me of the Gospel. The old clothes that were characteristic of the old life are gone and in their place are the new clothes that come with being adopted into a new life.

So with the girls in their new clothes and the paperwork completed, we were ready to go. The only thing that we had left that we wanted to do was to get a picture of both of the girls with their brother. As difficult as it was, we all managed to hold it together while he was there. After snapping a few pictures, I told him that we were going to try and come back to visit him and that we would try to call and send pictures to keep in touch. We don’t want to give him any false hope, but this was our way of saying that at the moment the opportunity arises, we’re coming back.

And with that, we were done. The girls threw their little pink backpacks into the trunk of Dema’s car and as we left, we looked back at the orphanage one last time as we waved and said, “Das vi danya (goodbye).” When we pulled out onto the main road that goes to Don’etsk, Olivia leaned up and asked, “Where are we going now?” Dema just looked in the rearview mirror, smiled, and said,

“We’re going home.”

The Huitt Family