“The summer of 2009 found me as the new mother to a 2½ year old adopted from China. My heart was broken as we worked to help him attach to us despite the effects of the hard experiences he had already faced in his young life. As God began to heal his heart, I felt the soft prompting of God to pray for children who remain as orphans as well as those who care for them, specifically in the Henan province of China where our son was born.

“With the coming of 2010, we found ourselves battling unemployment, an auto accident that left us with only one working car, and a lump that was originally thought to be cancer. We also had just been matched with our second child, a little girl from the Henan province. I only had two pictures and a short paragraph about her. As the circumstances in my own life swirled, I continued to pray for our daughter, the orphans who continued to wait, and their caregivers.

“Weeks before our departure date to China, I stumbled across the blog of a young woman called to work at Maria’s Big House of Hope. As I read the latest entry, I was filled with praise for this sister in Christ working with orphans in Henan, and struck by how God moved to bring her to MBHOH. I was utterly amazed when I got to the bottom of her post only to find a photo of Lily (Libby at MBHOH) featured there. After several phone calls to my adoption agency, it was confirmed that she had been under the care of Maria’s Big House of Hope. It was such a special gift of God.

“Two months later, I found myself walking into MBHOH with my new daughter snugly in my arms. The immense sunlight struck me; the physical light that flooded the rooms as well as the light of God shining forth in the faces of workers there. We have seen the positive effects of the tremendous love her caregivers had given to her. At one point during our visit, I chanced to look up; Lily’s nanny was holding her with such tenderness. The sunlight bathed them both covering them completely in a brilliance of unmistakable beauty. I thought of a verse in the book of John, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5 ESV).

As I look at my daughter today and receive the sweet hugs and kisses she showers on me, I remember light that has shined forth in her life through each hug and kiss she received at MBHOH. Things have settled for our family. I don’t have cancer and the car and my husband’s work have both resolved. Through all of this, I realized that my prayers were not been about making life easy, but about encountering God as Lord. My wonderful Savior said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV)

I believe that in God’s perfect plan He orchestrated each of our children’s beginnings for His Glory. We are so thankful for Show Hope sponsors and donors and their work on behalf of the world’s waiting orphans.

-Julie Drago

Read more blogs about Show Hope Special Care Centers >

“In 1999, at 20 years old, I left home for the mission field. When I visited an orphanage in India, I knew right away that God was birthing a dream in my heart to adopt. Several years later, the Lord spoke to my husband, Ryan, about adoption through a devotional about God’s adoption of us as His children that I gave him.

“We started our journey to adopt from Ethiopia in 2009. I can’t say that we were prepared for all the obstacles we would face. Or, the wait…oh, the wait! However, what we learned about our family and ourselves during that time is irreplaceable. Those 18 months were our labor of love when God was binding our hearts to our daughter before we saw her face or held her. We learned to pray for her before we knew her. We learned to rely on the prayers of others, and understand the importance of praying for those alongside us in this journey.

“One of the major worries my husband and I had about adoption was the financial aspect. I remember lying in bed making lists of things we could sell to have enough money…and then, our miracle came.

“Through a phone call, Show Hope shared with us that we were receiving a grant! I was stunned! I felt so unworthy and undeserving of this generosity, and at the same time, so incredibly thankful that God had given us this gift of His provision. I remember that night laying in bed, and for the first night in over a year not worrying about where the finances would come from.

“When our referral arrived, we were in love. Three months later we traveled to Ethiopia to meet our sweet Amari Derartu. She was 6 months old. The moment we held her, we knew we were always meant to be family.

“Today, Amari is a thriving and healthy baby girl who loves to smile and brings much joy to our family. We couldn’t imagine any other life, but the four of us together, enjoying this adventure called life. We are so thankful to Show Hope for being such an instrumental part of bringing our baby girl home!”

-Jen Smith

Read more Show Hope adoption aid testimonies >

Help make more miracles like this possible. Become a Show Hope sponsor today!

A few months ago, we asked Show Hope grant families to share with us how their adoption journey was influenced by Steven Curtis Chapman’s song, “When Love Takes You In.” The response was amazing! The Pace family from Greenville, South Carolina, was then chosen to share their story with a larger audience. On Tuesday, January 31st, GMC will present the world premiere of the network’s new reality series “The Song that Changed My Life,” featuring the Steven Curtis Chapman and the Pace family!

SCC shared about the experience,”I’m so grateful for God’s orchestration to use this song as part of the Pace family’s story. Even more miraculous is God’s weaving a child into this family.” Before adopting their daughter Sophie, Chuck and Shelley Pace already had three biological children – Kylie (14), Zach (12), and Brody (7). Sophie, now age 3, was adopted from Nanchang, China when she was 14 months old. Shelley always had her heart set on adopting a little girl from China but her husband’s heart wasn’t in the same place. Yet in April 2005, Chuck went to a Steven Curtis Chapman concert in Greenville and saw the video for “When Love Takes You In.” At that show, he had a complete change of heart about adoption. The family began paperwork that same year but encountered a number of excruciating “delays,” typical and known to happen in international adoptions. The family eventually received word at the end of 2009 that their adoption was ready to proceed. During delay process, the Pace’s applied for and received an adoption aid grant from Show Hope to help make the adoption possible.

He also shares, “This show is about God’s power working through music, and I’m humbled to be a part of the storyline. GMC tells it so well. Thanks to everyone at GMC. I loved being a part of this fantastic program.” To view the trailer for this very special premiere, please click here.

The premiere is set to air Tuesday, January 31st at 11:30 p.m. ET. There will be an encore broadcast on Sunday, February 5 at 1:30 p.m. ET.

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?

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.

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 >

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!

“What a whirlwind the past year has been! Just over one year ago we received the devastating news that it would be nearly impossible for us to conceive. We were parents already, having been blessed with two daughters through international adoption, but we had always assumed that we would also experience the miracle of pregnancy and childbirth. Neither of us had planned on another adoption. We were ready for a break from the fundraising necessary to adopt. We also knew firsthand how difficult international adoption and the attachment process could be. But the grace of God washed over us again and again as we stared into the faces of our precious daughters and acknowledged that we were blessed incredibly, with or without a biological child.

“In July 2010, we began the home study process for a third adoption. This time we waited to be matched with an infant from the U.S., and we were open to all races and many special needs. In February, as we were reading bedtime stories to our girls, our caseworker called. An African-American baby boy had been born that morning and his mother wanted to make an adoption plan—could they show our profile? We said, ‘Of course they can show it!’ The call came the next afternoon… we had been chosen! The following hours were filled with packing and arranging childcare for our daughters; then we were on the road, traveling to the hospital, and taking our newborn son into our arms for the first time.

“Ezra Benjamin is perfect in every way. His sisters dote on him, and we are wrapped around his finger. Experiencing bonding and attachment from infancy has been an incredible gift that we have not taken for granted. It is painful to even consider that we would not be Ezra’s parents. Thank you, God, for knowing exactly who was missing from our family, and blessing us beyond what we could have imagined!

“To the sponsors and donors who helped make our grant from Show Hope possible, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. This third adoption was not one that we had originally planned on, but God knew best. The grant we received from Show Hope was a tremendous help when it came to paying our placement fee and it also served as affirmation that Ezra was meant to be ours.”

-Ben and Holly Kladder

Click here to read more adoption aid testimonies >

Photo credit: Yin Tang

To help advance Show Hope’s mission of caring for the most pressing needs of orphans around the world, a star-studded cast is teaming up with the Nashville Symphony to present the classic musical, Cinderella for the third annual Show Hope Spring Celebration. It will be a “one night only” concert performance with colorful costumes, a flourish of makeup, a dash of dancing, and a good measure of magic.

Featuring Broadway stars, Steven Curtis Chapman, and the Nashville Symphony, this special evening is sure to be a memorable celebration of the important work that Show Hope is doing.

This year, we’re offering an exclusive PRINCESS PACKAGE, which includes an individual photo opportunity with Cinderella! This is a perfect father-daughter outing! $25 additional per ticket. Limited quantity.

Thursday, April 12th, 2012 7:00 pm
Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Nashville, TN

Tickets available now!
Call 615-687-6400 OR

1. Visit the Cinderella event page at the Nashville Symphony website.
2. Click “Purchase” and select your seats.
3. Login or create an account with the Nashville Symphony to continue with your purchase.
4. Complete the checkout process as instructed.

**If you are having trouble purchasing tickets online, please call the box office at 615-687-6400**

Disclaimer: Ticket availability is subject to change. Artists performing are subject to change. Tickets purchased are intended for personal use only. The resale of tickets is strictly prohibited. The Nashville Symphony may include additional fees to the ticket price. Review all applicable disclaimers before purchasing.