Many people think you have to go to a foreign country to care for orphans. What people fail to realize is that there are orphans in our own backyards. Dodge For The Cause was not only a night used to raise money for a local foster home, but also a night used to raise awareness amongst high school students and their families about kids in our local foster care system.

Before the event, student leaders from The Movement sat down with a staff member from Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home to discuss how the home works, its needs, and details for the upcoming night. This first meeting moved hearts, and it became clear that TBCH was the perfect place to get involved. We had been looking for opportunities outside of the country so intently that we almost failed to realize the need in our own community. All of a sudden we had the opportunity and the real ability to care for these children. We used Dodge For The Cause to spread the word about TBCH and local foster care, even reaching people who didn’t attend the event. From cashiers at stores, to students and teachers at schools, to families in homes, The Movement students informed everyone they could about the need.

So, on Sunday January 22, 2012 despite thunderstorms and threats of a tornado, 150 Movement Students gathered together for Dodge For The Cause. The teenage guys were especially excited for the dodgeball tournament, coming together to form intense and spirited teams (many with matching t-shirts!). It was a fast paced night of 2-minute games with teams always on the court. Those that didn’t join in on the games enjoyed watching and hanging out with friends. About 20 high school volunteers helped throughout the entire night. From assisting with welcoming and admissions to concessions and the scoreboard, many volunteers even stayed after to help clean up. The night ended with a bang when CALEB put on an awesome concert (check ‘em out at calebmusic.com).

The Movement exceeded our goal and raised $1,200 for Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home. But we don’t measure the night’s success in just money, but rather in the people who now know about the local need to care for these children. One person at a time, The Movement is making a difference.

-Emma Adams, Sarah Rooker, and Caroline Greene

I Show Hope Advocates are ordinary people doing extraordinary things on behalf of orphans! These advocates use their natural talents and abilities to raise awareness, funds, and hope for Show Hope. Do you want to have your story featured on our blog? Become an I Show Hope advocate today!

“My love for baking began during Christmas 2010 when I picked up a magazine in the checkout line, called ’100 Best Cookies.’ I spent that holiday season trying new recipes and convincing my roommates to eat all my baked goods! My love for children has been a constant in my life since I can remember, but it became orphan-focused in the summer of 2011 when I got the chance to visit Maria’s Big House of Hope in China. Since returning from this life-changing trip in August, I’ve looked for ways to stay connected with Show Hope‘s ministry here in the United States and in China.

“This past December, I decided to combine these two seemingly unrelated loves of mine, baking and orphans, in an effort to raise money and awareness for Show Hope. I sent out an email and a Facebook invitation, and spoke in person with many friends and coworkers to let them know that I’d be happy to help with their holiday baking.

“Seven pies, two cheesecakes and over a dozen batches of cookies later, I met my donation goal! It was awesome to see how God used many of my passions and gifts, as well as the generosity of many friends to make this possible.

“I am so thankful to Show Hope for opening my eyes to the world of orphan care, and for empowering me be a part of it!”

-Sarah Hosan

DISCUSSION QUESTION: What unexpected gift or talent do you possess? How can you use your hobbies and passions to change your world for orphans?

Happy

On the first day of preschool class, I had a children’s CD playing in the background. Right around track 17, Judah’s eyes lit up and his mouth opened in surprise. It was the song “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” and he was evidently VERY happy about it. After it ended, both he and Jessica said “uh-oh” implying they wanted to hear it again. For the next week, each morning they would come in and say “happy” and we would listen to “If You’re Happy…” over, and over, and over…

The following week we started learning about opposites. In light of their delight in the song, I decided to begin with “happy” and “sad.” I used paper plate faces to show them the difference and had the kids mimic a happy face and a sad face. Then of course, after establishing that we were all happy, we would conclude with a rendition of “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”

Sad

Weeks have passed since then, but to date, Judah still comes to class every day with a huge smile on his face and as I greet him at the door, his first words are always “Becca, happy!” to let me know that he indeed is happy. As I watch him learn and play on a daily basis, I am truly amazed by his ability to be happy all the time. It is quite humbling. Despite the physical limitations he faces as a result of his special need, he has a remarkable way of making things work and still remaining joyful: whether he’s trying over to pick up his marker, or scooting himself over to play with the blocks, or figuring out how to pick up his cookie with his mouth if I am helping Jessica. It is nearly impossible to be around Judah and not feel joyful!

Join the movement to care for orphans! Become a Show Hope sponsor today!

Read more about Judah >

Show Hope is excited to be sponsoring the spring leg of the “Songs & Stories” tour that kicks off in February! It was amazing to meet so many fans, grant families, and sponsors in the fall and we look forward to meeting many more of you this time around.

In a unique songwriter’s night experience rarely seen outside Nashville, Steven Curtis Chapman will share the stories that inspired him to write both his current hits and songs that have entertained for decades. He will be sharing the stage with acclaimed and emerging artists, Andrew Peterson and Josh Wilson. The tour will also be a fantastic opportunity to learn more about Show Hope and become a Show Hope sponsor to impact the lives of orphans around the world!

In addition, a limited number of passes for the fan experience called “Soundcheck & Stories” are available. This special pre-show experience includes a Q&A with SCC, an acoustic performance, and an exclusive collector’s edition signed poster.

The Songs & Stories spring tour begins on February 2 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and runs through March 11 in Ocala, FL. We look forward to seeing grant families and meeting new and long-time Show Hope sponsors on the road this spring! For tickets, visit stevencurtischapman.com.

2.2 Broken Arrow, OK
2.3 Benton, AR
2.4 Tupelo, MS
2.7 Nicholasville, KY
2.8 Lafayette, IN
2.9 Naperville, IL
2.16 Murfreesboro, TN
2.17 Westerville, OH
2.19 Olmsted Falls, OH
2.22 Paducah, KY
2.23 Madison, MS
2.24 Harvest, AL
3.1 Greenwell Springs, LA
3.2 Grand Prairie, TX
3.3 Jonesboro, AR
3.4 Springfield, MO
3.8 Aiken, SC
3.9 Clearwater, FL
3.10 Lakeland, FL
3.11 Ocala, FL

Additional dates may be added. Dates subject to change.

It generally happens when you least expect it. Yesterday  Steven and I had a connecting flight in D.C. as we were traveling to New York. We soon found that the man and boy sitting next to us were on the last leg of their trip home. The man’s name was Justin Barnett. What makes this such a remarkable gift of God’s grace is that Justin was coming home with his newly adopted son…an adoption made possible with the help of a Show Hope adoption aid grant.

Justin quickly recognized us and quickly became speechless. He shared how Show Hope had played such a major role in helping their family to come to this glorious day. Our conversations moved in and out of all the ways God’s grace had marked this journey and preserved the life of their son. It was a beautiful reminder of the miracles that happen every day through the work of Show Hope and the sponsors who make it possible.

At the flights end, Steven and I disembarked from the plane and waited at the gate to watch Justin and his new son finally be united to the rest of his family….forever. It was beautiful to watch the mother tremble as she waited to hold her new son. When they finally exited the plane, time seemed to stand still.

Congratulations to the Barnett family, and our deepest thanks to the Show Hope sponsors and donors who make miracles like this possible!

Emy came under care of Show Hope’s Special Care Center in Jiaozuo, China in August 2009. She was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a congenital liver condition. If corrective surgery is received within the first few weeks of life, children born with this condition have a 30% chance of recovery without the need for further surgery. If surgery is not available within these early weeks, a liver transplant within the first few years of life is necessary for survival.

Recently, Emy’s nurses noticed that she was developing a yellow cast to her skin. Because of her history with biliary atresia, the nurses were understandably alarmed. Lab tests were quickly ordered and to the great relief of the staff, all results came back completely normal. After a little investigative work, the nurses were able to determine that Emy’s skin color had changed simply due to a recent increase in Emy’s intake of carotene foods like carrots. It is this same level of care and attention that makes it possible for children like Emy to thrive. In fact, Emy’s nurses celebrated since her skin color changes were actually the sign of beautiful, healthy skin.

Emy loves to play with balls and is able to follow simple instructions well. She attends preschool every day and is doing well in class. And like many toddlers, she is also learning not to put everything in her mouth. Emy sometimes gets jealous of the other babies but this sweet little girl is adored by everyone she meets!

As we celebrate Emy’s upcoming adoption by her forever family, please pray for her and the other orphans under care with this same condition. Orphans like Thea and Zarek (pictured) who need a forever family in order to survive. With treatment, children with biliary atresia can have an excellent quality of life.

We were not new to the world of adoption when we heard the call to begin the process again. Our third child was adopted from Ethiopia, and our prayer was that the Lord would simply close any door that did not follow His leading. Soon we found ourselves drawn to a six-year-old little girl in China who had Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or brittle bone disease.

We were stunned to receive our pre-approval from China to adopt Sunny in just two days! As a toddler she had been able to walk, but by the age of four, Sunny’s legs began breaking. The prescribed treatment involved screwing metal plates into the sides of her femurs in hope that this would strengthen her bones. It was from this point forward that Sunny never really walked again. Her bones would simply break again due to the screws further weakening the bone. Her chances of walking again were almost ruined.

Within two weeks of arriving home, and unaware of this history, we let Sunny stand up for the first time. The ensuing x-rays revealed a break in her right femur due to the screws that remained in her legs. Two major surgeries were necessary to replace the plates with rods, but almost six months to the day after she landed in the US, Sunny took her first independent steps (captured in the video below). There were times that we had very little hope that Sunny would ever walk, and although this disease will follow her for the rest of her life, there is hope!

The Lord used Show Hope at the end of our adoption journey to finish the work He began nine months earlier when He first drew us to Sunny. We have been shown hope by God, not only in providing the means to bring our daughter home, but also by His power to bring healing to her bones allowing her to get up and walk! Thank you God, for showing us hope!

Become a Show Hope sponsor and help make more miracles possible!

Read more Show Hope adoption aid testimonies >

By now the excitement of Christmas is wearing off a bit and hopefully is fading into a wonderful memory for all. As we turn our attention to crossing the threshold into a new year, before we do, join me in rejoicing in what we have been able to accomplish as the body of Christ in 2011. Whether you are a donor, an adoptive parent, a volunteer, a missionary, on staff at SH, a board member, an influential voice, a partner, one of our prayer warriors, or a vendor, I am grateful for the part that you played that resulted in life change for hundreds of orphaned children (now former orphans) in our country and around the globe. Your steps of obedience to play your part as one of the cast of characters in the life story of these kids that we have been a part of strengthen us as an organization. At times, you may have felt like an “extra” or a “stand in” but the stories of change are epic and the impact is beyond us. God’s plans are bigger and better than ours and while I don’t have time to recount all the miracles of 2011, below are a few headlines to recap.

Adoption Aid: In November, we surpassed our 3,000 adoption assistant financial grant helping qualified families adopt children from over 50 countries! Wow, I remember when we hit three hundred and I thought “someday there will be an extra 0 at the end and we will hit 3,000.” Dare we dream 30,000 someday (will need your help if you have major donor capacity ☺ )
Outlook 2012: The number of applications still outpace our funding and the volume of applications are projected to be similar to this past year so join us in one of our greatest joys which is to help fund forever families.
Read more blogs about Adoption Aid >

Show Hope Special Care Centers: We launched two more special care centers in China adding more than 75 orphans with special needs to our care. Obviously another full year of care at MBHOH for over 130 orphaned children and some of the greatest miracles to recap is that it is our understanding over a dozen children (as far as we know…maybe more) have been adopted by families who have been cared for at MBHOH. That is what I call a major circle of blessing and the main thrust in our purpose of our Show Hope Special Care Centers – for children to be put in a greater position to be adopted.
Outlook 2012: Possibly a couple more care centers in the Henan province! Stay tuned.
Read more blogs about Show Hope Special Care Centers >

Pre/Post Adoption & Empowered to Connect Conferences: We are grateful to have organized two conferences in 2011 which brought roughly 1300 people including hurting families, counselors and church partners. Furthermore, we implemented FREE resources for our adoption aid applicants to educate them about some of the prospective challenges ahead of them to better equip them with this life breathing information.
Outlook 2012: more free resources for applicants, the addition of a third ETC conference and a prospective new strategic initiative for training purposes. (Stand by)
Register today for 2012 Empowered to Connect Conferences >

Short-Term Trips: Roughly 200 people from around the country and different groups step foot into MBHOH this past year. Two additional surgical teams to make it three (from 1 team the previous year) unique medical trips to provide life changing surgery for 35 orphans combined throughout the year. Additionally, we had a dental team work on our nannies and several student and donor teams bring their energy and passion to Luoyang, China!
Outlook 2012: Another full year of trips!!
Complete the 2012 trips application >

The Movement Club: Our first Movement event took place in Nashville earlier this year as the catalyst towards a dozen or so Movement Clubs in high schools being launched in the Nashville region. Various service projects were executed and we begin to move into a National Launch phase with a new website just recently going live and now other clubs being formed throughout the country. We are excited for students to go beyond themselves and separate themselves as leaders in their school and community. Students can’t adopt, but lets not underestimate their passion to care for orphans today as we invest into them to become the adoptive families of tomorrow.
Outlook 2012: Watch out College students, Show Hope is coming to a campus near you!!
View video updates from The Movement Club >

Awareness and Events: Year 2 of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella was incredible! The orphan cause was lifted on high in Nashville community through this theatrical performance with Class A Broadway actors and actresses, not to mention Class A directors, local sponsors and supporters. Nothing like a unique event to piggy back a cause!
Outlook 2012: Tickets on Sale now!

SCC Concerts: “I came to one of Steven’s concerts three years ago and as a result of that night, my wife and I have gone on to adopt three children.” – Show Hope Volunteer
Enough said! Don’t miss an SCC concert this coming year as we have seen the Lord use his voice and platform for God’s purposes. Thank you to all the 400+ volunteers
Outlook 2012: Saddle Up, SCC is at it again in February. Purchase tickets today >

Cry of the Orphan Media Blitz: Year 5. Thank you Focus on the Family, Family Life’s Hope for Orphans and our new partner, James Fund (Family Christian Stores) for another successful year. We reached over 20,000,000 impressions with our combined media voice and roughly 250,000 people viewed the “Answer the Cry” video in support of Orphan Sunday.
Outlook 2012: Discussions have begun already for next year.

Well, those were just a few headlines and we are forever grateful for your role in making life change a reality in 2011 for hundreds of orphans and as you can tell by the outlook comments for 2012, we need you to join us in the endeavors that He has called us to do moving forward.

If you are a donor considering a year end gift, or planning your giving for 2012 you are necessary; if you are prospective adoptive parent praying or contemplating adoption, you are necessary; if you are a volunteer seeking to volunteer for the orphan cause, you are necessary. To steal a line from our media blitz campaign, “You are God’s plan for the orphan.” Don’t let the enemy deceive you to think you are not!! Just like we learned in the parable of the lost sheep, for if even one comes into the family we should rejoice. Your steps of obedience TODAY, set in motion forever life change for someone tomorrow! Thank you for a joyful and adventurous 2011; may your pursuit of God and obedience to Him bear great fruit for His Kingdom in 2012.

Merry Christmas from Maria’s Big House of Hope and from all of us at Show Hope!

Help make more merry memories possible by donating to Show Hope Special Care Centers through the Gifts of Hope catalog >

We love to see the fun ways our sponsors join the movement to care for orphans! If you have a creative fundraising idea, consider becoming a Show Hope advocate and sharing your successes with us. Thank you to Christy and The Lampo Group for showing hope to orphans this Christmas.

The Christmas tree at MBHOH

Dear Show Hope,

I am a monthly sponsor with Show Hope and volunteer my time as well. It is an honor to be a part of such a wonderful ministry!

I work for Dave Ramsey’s company, The Lampo Group, in Brentwood, TN. This month they had a Christmas tree decorating contest, and the winning team received $1,000 for the charity of their choice. My team won for Show Hope!

Our tree’s theme was a Rube Goldberg machine. If you are not familiar, a Rube Goldberg machine is a deliberately over-engineered or overdone machine that performs a very simple task in very complex fashion, usually including a chain reaction. The expression is named after the engineer and inventor Rube Goldberg (1883-1970). We built a machine throughout our workspace that had an end result of turning on the Christmas tree lights and blowing snow around the tree (video below).

I just wanted you to know the fun story behind this donation! I know you will put it to good use. Thank you for all you do for orphans.

Sincerely,

Christy Harvey

Want to make a lasting impact for an orphan this Christmas? Give a Gift of Hope!