With the help of a Show Hope adoption grant, Kim and Jeremy Riggs brought home a Korean baby named Samuel in 2005. In the middle of their second adoption of a little girl named Emma, they discovered Samuel had a biological half-sister. While they had room in their hearts for both little girls, South Korean policies did not allow them to enter the adoption process for Samuel’s sister. When the Riggs’ pleaded their case with the adoption agency they were met with disappointment.
During Emma’s post-placement visit, things started to change. The visit was almost over when the social worker said, “Let’s talk about the other baby.” The agency in Korea made an exception to the rule! Chloe (Samuel’s sister) came home to her forever family just two months after Emma arrived.
Kim shares,
Because we had just finished an adoption, the grant we received from Show Hope went a long way in helping us. We are so thankful for the two adoptions Show Hope sponsors helped us fund. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Our schedule is crazy, but full of love. Thanks again for your part in helping us bring these children up to know God’s love through us.
To learn more about the adoption grants made available through the generous donations of Show Hope sponsors, click here.
“Waiting on God isn’t about the suspension of meaning and purpose. Waiting is an essential part of the plan. For the child of God, waiting isn’t simply about what I’ll receive at the end of my wait. No, waiting is much more purposeful, efficient and practical than that. Waiting is fundamentally about what I’ll become as I wait. Through the wait He’s changing me, causing me to see and experience new things about Him and His kingdom.”
These words, written by Paul Tripp, served as a great encouragement to the Pichura family as they walked through (and waited for) the adoption of their sons from Ethiopia. Bryan and Kristin had four young children, and although Kristin was ready to adopt, she waited as her husband Bryan needed more time with the decision. Through much prayer and education on the homeless around the world, especially children, Bryan’s heart opened to the possibility of adding to their family through adoption. Very quickly after their decision to adopt, the couple received a referral for two brothers named Samuel and Caleb. The steps that followed in their journey did not happen as swiftly. As the waiting and anticipation began to wear on the family, they found comfort in the sovereignty of God and through the encouragement received when finding out that they had been awarded a Show Hope adoption aid grant.
When Kristin found out about the grant, she literally danced in the streets! This is what she had to say:
The grant from Show Hope was one more way that God was saying YES, this is my plan for your family and I will see it to completion. Through our adoption, we have seen the love of Christ in ways we had not before and we have gained a deeper understanding and passion for what it means to be a part of the family of God. Adoption has changed our lives in more beautiful ways than we could have ever imagined because God is in the process of displaying His glory and His plan, using all things to transform us into His likeness.
We join the Pichura family as they celebrate the long-awaited homecoming of their sons, Samuel and Caleb.
Scott Dean first traveled to Guatemala on a church mission trip. He was not sure of what he would experience on that trip, but it was evident on his return home that his life had changed. He felt blessed and rejuvenated by being a part of God’s work at the orphanage there. He returned to Guatemala the next year, and as he grew closer to kids he met, his family began to think about adoption.
With two boys already at home, Scott and his wife Renee had a lot of praying to do! Scott was growing closer to two of these children, sisters Marlin and Silda, when he discovered they had three younger siblings. Over the next two years, the Dean family of four more than doubled as the paperwork for all five children was processed. As the family tried to find a way to cover their final costs, they received news that they were awarded a Show Hope adoption aid grant.
Renee writes,
Looking back through the joys and the tears, we see many places in the track where God carried us. This process would never have been completed without the help of Show Hope. When His children need help and support, God use organizations such as yours to provide that hope! He certainly did for our family! Thank you all so very much.
For Angela Dormish, hearing the call of James 1:27 to care for orphans and widows changed the life of her family. Though she had read the verse many times before, it suddenly began to stand out to her. At first Angela was overwhelmed by what this verse could mean for her family. She knew she could not solve the world’s orphan crisis, but she knew she had to do something. Through prayer she realized, “I could make some little one dinner, and give them a bath and read them a story and give them hugs and kisses and lay them in a soft, warm, clean bed every night and love them as my own.”
Angela and her husband Marrty decided to adopt two children from Ethiopia. Addie and Tony found the blessing of a forever family with the help of our sponsors! They are very energetic and love playing with their siblings Maegan and Ryan.
Through the faith of this family, others are being inspired to find out how they too can answer the call to care for orphans in their distress. The family encourages their friends to find ways to help orphans, whether that be through adoption or through prayer and helping others to adopt. Here’s what they had to say:
Your gift to our family but was such a huge testimony of the provision of God as we stepped out in faith to His call to adopt. I think because of your gift to us, other friends of ours will step out in faith to adopt, trusting God for the [resources] to do so. May God bless you abundantly for your gift to us, returning it to you a hundred fold!!
Tammy Brenn was already a mother to two children when her bible study and prayer times stirred a new calling in her heart. She struggled with her personal desires to return to the workforce and the feeling that she was being led to something else, though she didn’t know what yet.
From a letter she penned herself came the revelation that adoption was what God was speaking into her family’s life. Tammy and her husband were not sure how adoption would be possible, but Tammy felt confident she was learning to listen to God more clearly with each step.
Since that letter was written, the Brenn’s adopted two children with special needs from China. This year, another life-changing miracle came into their lives in the form of their fourth daughter, a beautiful 10-year-old from Ethiopia named Tsion (meaning “Zion”).
We would like to thank Show Hope sponsors for the generous grant we received which helped us to bring our Ethiopian daughter home. Even in an unpredictable economy, God’s provision has not failed.
-Tammy Brenn
The Arni’s knew about the miracle of adoption through their experience with the domestic adoption of a little boy named Jonathan, but it wasn’t until they heard Steven Curtis Chapman talking about international adoption that God lay this desire on their hearts. Their first international adoption process came to a halt after nineteen months, but God had other plans for adding to their extraordinary family of five children.
A few months after their adoption from Thailand fell through, they were asked about their willingness to accept a second placement. Like the first child they were in process for, the handsome little boy named Endu had partial congenital amputation of three limbs. They fell in love instantly and prayed for the resources and wisdom to give him a forever family. Soon after the Arni’s confirmed their intent to adopt him, they were heartbroken again as they were told he was going to be placed with another family. However, the Arni’s trusted in the Lord to opened the right doors at the right times. They were contacted a month later with the news that there was a mistake in the earlier communication and that Endu could come home with them!
A Show Hope adoption aid grant made possible by our sponsors allowed the Arni family to bring home their new brother and son. Andrew “Drew” Josiah Endu Arni is fitting in well with his five brothers and sisters and a large crew of pets and 4H animals!
The joy of laughter was a sweet gift to the Upton’s as they traveled to China to meet their daughter, Haddie. Her contagious giggle erupted even at the first tickles from Bob and Collette. While still in Guangzhou, they shot this video to share a portrait of hope with their children Noah and Hannah who were waiting in the United States. At home now, Haddie loves to sleep in the arms of her mom and dad and is bonding with her forever family! Thanks to all the sponsors and supporters who helped give this precious child such amazing joy.
After two difficult pregnancies, Charles and Lydia Headrick felt God placing in them the desire for a third child. Through investigation and prayer about adoption, the couple discovered that this was no “Plan B” for their family, but a very special opportunity. Though their adoption from China was a journey requiring patience and perseverance, they brought home Anna Claire Nilan Headrick with the help of a Show Hope adoption aid grant.
Anna Claire, at three years old, has begun to tell her own adoption story. Her mom describes:
We were traveling in a van, and Anna Claire was sitting in the back seat beside her friend Rebekah. I heard Anna Claire say, “Rebekah, God picked me out for my family. They got on the airplane and came all the way over the ocean. Then the China lady gave me to them, and I cried because I didn’t know them yet. Then we got on the plane and came home together.” Anna Claire nailed it right on the head when she said that God picked her out for our family! Thank you Chapman family and Show Hope donors who helped us bring home our dear daughter.
Josiah and Gabriel are home! Thanks to the generosity of Show Hope sponsors, these amazing two little boys are now home in a loving family… of EIGHT boys! (Please pray for their mother… ha!) You are a part of this miracle of adoption.
Here’s what the family had to say:
Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for your generous grant in our adoption. Last month, we flew to Ethiopia to pick up two beautiful children, Josiah and Gabriel. They have now teamed up with our six biological sons to make a very active—and blessed—home. The trip was long, but filled with special moments that will become lifelong memories. The transition hasn’t always been easy, but our new sons seem happy in our home and the older boys have been great.
I cannot tell you how encouraging your grant—and your entire organization—has been to us. None of us will ever be the same. Through every glimpse that I’ve had into the great ministry you all are doing, I’ve been impressed with your generosity and great heart for orphans.
May God bless you all, as you have been a blessing to others.
In Christ,
The Skiff Family
God’s Kingdom is breaking through – one life at a time! Be a part of giving an orphan a loving family, become a sponsor today.
It is always inspirational to see how God is moving in hearts of families like the Tappers, who stepped out in faith to adopt in response to God’s call. They shared: “One of the worldwide issues with which God burdened me was the plight of orphans. My eyes were opened to see the reality of great need, while numerous Scriptures, depicting God’s care for the fatherless and the lonely, impacted my heart…”
Too often I don’t let the words of God impact my heart, because with knowledge comes responsibility. However, instead of seeing this as a burden, stories from families like the Tappers help me to realize that really this is an opportunity to experience God. May I follow in the footsteps of faith like the Tappers in responding to what God would have of me!
We wanted to make sure all of our sponsors and supporters who make our grants possible got to here what this family had to say: “For all those who participate in or contribute to the work of Show Hope, evidencing God’s heart for the fatherless through your generous giving, we express our sincere appreciation. May Paul’s prayer for the Philippians be our cry today: ‘that your love for each other will overflow more and more’ (Philippians 1:9).”
Thank you for your faithful partnership in showing hope to orphans!
During Emma’s post-placement visit, things started to change. The visit was almost over when the social worker said, “Let’s talk about the other baby.” The agency in Korea made an exception to the rule! Chloe (Samuel’s sister) came home to her forever family just two months after Emma arrived.
“Waiting on God isn’t about the suspension of meaning and purpose. Waiting is an essential part of the plan. For the child of God, waiting isn’t simply about what I’ll receive at the end of my wait. No, waiting is much more purposeful, efficient and practical than that. Waiting is fundamentally about what I’ll become as I wait. Through the wait He’s changing me, causing me to see and experience new things about Him and His kingdom.”
We join the Pichura family as they celebrate the long-awaited homecoming of their sons, Samuel and Caleb.
Scott Dean first traveled to Guatemala on a church mission trip. He was not sure of what he would experience on that trip, but it was evident on his return home that his life had changed. He felt blessed and rejuvenated by being a part of God’s work at the orphanage there. He returned to Guatemala the next year, and as he grew closer to kids he met, his family began to think about adoption.
With two boys already at home, Scott and his wife Renee had a lot of praying to do! Scott was growing closer to two of these children, sisters Marlin and Silda, when he discovered they had three younger siblings. Over the next two years, the Dean family of four more than doubled as the paperwork for all five children was processed. As the family tried to find a way to cover their final costs, they received news that they were awarded a Show Hope adoption aid grant.
For Angela Dormish, hearing the call of James 1:27 to care for orphans and widows changed the life of her family. Though she had read the verse many times before, it suddenly began to stand out to her. At first Angela was overwhelmed by what this verse could mean for her family. She knew she could not solve the world’s orphan crisis, but she knew she had to do something. Through prayer she realized, “I could make some little one dinner, and give them a bath and read them a story and give them hugs and kisses and lay them in a soft, warm, clean bed every night and love them as my own.”
Angela and her husband Marrty decided to adopt two children from Ethiopia. Addie and Tony found the blessing of a forever family with the help of our 
The Arni’s knew about the miracle of adoption through their experience with the domestic adoption of a little boy named Jonathan, but it wasn’t until they heard Steven Curtis Chapman talking about international adoption that God lay this desire on their hearts. Their first international adoption process came to a halt after nineteen months, but God had other plans for adding to their extraordinary family of five children.
After two difficult pregnancies, Charles and Lydia Headrick felt God placing in them the desire for a third child. Through investigation and prayer about adoption, the couple discovered that this was no “Plan B” for their family, but a very special opportunity. Though their adoption from China was a journey requiring patience and perseverance, they brought home Anna Claire Nilan Headrick with the help of a 
It is always inspirational to see how God is moving in hearts of families like the Tappers, who stepped out in faith to adopt in response to God’s call. They shared: “
