“Visiting Maria’s Big House of Hope has been such a blessing. It truly is a house of hope. The minute I walked through the door I could tell it was filled with love and compassion. It has been so much fun to make the children smile and to show them God’s love. One child in particular has been such a joy to play with. His name is Jay-ar.

“Jay-ar is super cute and pudgy, has the most adorable smile, and was born with Down Syndrome. I first played with him during a water play-time outside of Maria’s Big House of Hope. His contentment and joy surprised me. While he was in the sand box he did a face plant and got sand all in his eyes, mouth, and nose, but he didn’t cry at all. He just got right back up and went on playing. From then on, he has held a special place in my heart. I keep wondering what his future holds. What will happen to him when he grows up? Who will encourage him through hard times? Who will enjoy his special personality? What struggles will he face? The unknown overwhelms me, but God keeps bringing to my mind Jeremiah 29:11 which says: ’”For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”’

“Even though Jay-ar’s future is unknown to me, God knows exactly what will happen. Not only does He know exactly what will happen to Jay-ar, but He also promises that Jay-ar’s future will have hope. That promise is so encouraging for me. I continue to wonder about Jay-ar’s future, but not without hope – God has it all figured out. What a compassionate and loving God we serve!”

-Annie Ownbey

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Brittany Baker wrote this song, “Make It Me, Lord” for a little girl named Dreena (pictured) and another little boy she met at Maria’s Big House of Hope.

Pulling into a ‘Great Big House’ on Father’s Day night
Hoping to SEE the needs of the orphans plight
But when she called me ‘Mama,’ then my heart did break
All they need is a family; who will fight for their sake?

Make it me Lord; take my hands.
I may be broken Jesus, but I’ll fulfill your commands.
Help me live out your example of love,
That they may know it comes from above.

Walking into a small room with mats on the floor
Seeing so many children that are broken and poor
But when I put the boy down, he reached up to me
All they need is a family to love unconditionally.

Make it me Lord; take my hands.
I may be broken Jesus, but I’ll fulfill your commands.
Help me live out your example of love,
That they may know it comes from above.

The needs are so great; our hands are so small.
Give us ears to hear Your specific call.

Make it me Lord; take my hands.
I may be broken Jesus, but I’ll fulfill your commands.
Help me live out your example of love,
That they may know it comes from above.
That they may know it comes from above.

“BROKEN. The first thought that pops into my head when I think of that word is of this morning when Chris Wheeler was being the incredible leader that he is and getting some Emergency-C for a couple team members. One second the glass cup was in his hand and an instant later it was shattered on the floor. On its way down it cut nicely into his ankle. The glass BROKE right before my eyes, and I’m sure it caused him PAIN on one level or another.

“One of the prayers that I most fervently prayed leading up to this trip was that God would BREAK my heart for what BREAKS His. I had no idea what that would look like and honestly, I don’t think I understood the gravity of my prayer. More times than not, when something BREAKS, it is PAINFUL. I hate pain. Who doesn’t? I asked God to give me His love as I invested in the lives of these kids. This week I can truly say my heart has been broken.

“I was nervous coming into the trip that I wouldn’t find “that kid” who I fell in love with and would spend every waking moment holding, kissing, and rocking to sleep. I am so thankful that God knows me better than anyone. The first room I walked into at Maria’s Big House of Hope was the Nemo room on the 2nd floor. I instantly fell in love with all those precious children and their nannies, but was specifically drawn to a 4-month-old baby named Edward. I call him Eddy (: He is completely content when sitting in my lap and watching all that is going on in his room. Eddy and I have something in common—we are both very ticklish and love to laugh. I have rocked him to sleep four times so far ( . . . PRECIOUS, I know).

“Even though I have only known that little guy for a couple days, I love him. I was holding him today and could not hold back the tears welling up in my eyes when I began to think about his future. My heart continued to BREAK as I faced unknown answers to countless questions. Will he be adopted into a forever family? Will he live long enough to build a relationship with his Creator? Does he even have a chance? I have never experienced PAIN like I felt today.

“Jesus commands us to LOVE our neighbors. Until this trip, I have always connected loving my neighbor to basically loving my friends and family. Today I put myself in Eddy’s shoes and experienced the joy of Jesus’ invitation on a new level. Today God allowed me a glimpse into the PAIN he feels when his heart is BREAKING for his precious orphans all over the world. I’ll tell you this.—it is difficult, and it hurts. Being BROKEN is challenging and uncomfortable. However, be encouraged. Once your heart has been BROKEN for what BREAKS His, you understand and be able to share Your Daddy’s love with others like you never have before. I loved my precious baby boy tonight but not with my BROKEN, pathetic love. I loved Eddy with GOD’S LOVE.”

-Callan Kreidel

“God works in amazing, extraordinary, and unexpected ways. I never expected that God would use a mission trip spent playing with precious children to change my life. God has broken me, but built me up more beautiful. As Caroline mentioned in her blog post, our team has received the challenge to reach out to kids at MBHOH who aren’t always played with. With that in mind I walked into the Peter Rabbit room today. Without even thinking about it I gravitated towards the kids who were ‘easy’ to love–those who responded quickly to my tickles and who were fun to play with. Suddenly I realized what I was doing. I was avoiding the kids who needed love the most because it was too difficult. I selfishly put my needs and my comforts above these precious children.

“I decided to go to the mat where two children with very obvious special needs lay. One little boy responded when I touched him; he used all the energy he had to smile. The other little girl, however, did not respond to anything I did. Things that would make other children laugh, smile, and giggle caused no sort of response from her. It was so discouraging to not get the response I so desperately desired. I became frustrated with myself and with the situation. I wanted to feel the warm feelings of hearing her laugh or seeing her smile, but there was nothing. As I sat staring into her big blinking eyes and looked at her small frail body, my heart broke thinking of the possibility that her mind and her body are not aligned, that she was furiously fighting her body. I prayed that God would give me a sign that she would be okay, that she was content inside. I sat there stroking her just to make sure she knew that I was there. My heart continued to break as I looked into her eyes.

“At that moment I did the only thing left that I could do. I began to sing. Or rather I tried to sing. I’ve always been embarrassed to sing out loud, but I thought that this could be one thing I could do for this little girl; I could try to comfort her with my singing. I began singing my favorite childhood song- ‘Jesus Loves Me.’ Softly I sang: ‘Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong; they are weak, but he is strong.’ Unexpected tears began streaming down my face as I sang that line… Little ones to him belong. They are weak, but he is strong. The little girl I sat trying to comfort has a body that was weak, but she has a God who is so strong and loves her so much. That was the sign that I needed. This little girl’s future is in God’s hands and He is strong. He will never let her go. He has His hands wrapped around her. In His arms, she will be comforted.

“‘How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance for your house and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you the fountain of life in your light do we see light. -Psalm 36:7′”

-Sarah Rooker

“Being back at Maria’s Big House of Hope has been surreal. I had my first experience here in June of 2010 and I am so thankful for the Lord’s leading in bringing me back to this incredible place. Today was a ‘play with kiddos all day’ kind of day, which I absolutely loved. Mikey gave our team the challenge of loving the kids that others pass by. He was talking about the kids who have more serious conditions–the ones that don’t smile right away or run into your arms when you enter their room. They are the ones that cause you to go out of your comfort zone. For me, it was a little boy named Jordan.

“When I entered the Peter Rabbit room on the 4th floor of MBHOH, most of the kids were napping so I sat and chatted with our team leader Chris and team member Dan. I noticed a little boy who looked very agitated and  scooted over to his rocker to see if there was anything I could do to comfort him. His nanny was rocking him and I began scratching his back and rubbing his head in an attempt to stop his tears. He seemed uncomfortable and continued to shake his head back and forth. It broke my heart that there was nothing I could do to make him feel better. I was overwhelmed with emotions and began to weep over Jordan. I prayed over his little body and questioned God. What had Jordan done to deserve his condition? Why do I have a family, but he goes to sleep every night without one?

“As I continued to pray, I was reminded of Jeremiah 29:11 that talks about the plans God has for each and every one of our lives. He has a plan for Jordan’s life just as He does my life. He has a plan for every single one of the children here at MBHOH and each of the 140 million plus orphans in the world. As I held, kissed, and comforted one of those precious orphans today, I am even more grateful for His plans. While they may be confusing or painful at times, they are always for the good. He knows these kids names and the number of hairs on their heads, and He loves them so much. I trust Him, and I hold onto that hope. At Maria’s Big House of Hope, these kids have hope.

 ”I go to bed tonight more passionate than ever about the calling God has placed on my life to care for orphans. We have to speak up for these children. I can’t wait to SEE what the Lord has in store for the rest of this trip. I can already tell that these children are going to teach me way more than I could ever teach them.”

-Caroline Greene

With the sound of cicadas in the air you know that summer is here… and with the 13-year cycle of cicadas returning to Nashville this year, it has been somewhat of a rough welcome for such a beautiful time of year. Yet with the summer comes another season of a great pastime called baseball!!

Nashville is home to the Nashville Sounds, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. As you walk into Greer Stadium, you are instantly greeted with the sounds and smells of the stadium that houses over 13,000 cheering fans. At a select few games this year, fans are also welcomed to enjoy Purity Faith and Family Nights. These special nights feature concerts from some of your favorite Christian artists such as Chris August, Jonny Diaz, Jaci Velasquez, and many more!

Show Hope is very blessed to have the opportunity to sponsor all six faith nights throughout the summer. We will have a booth set up selling merchandise and giving fans the opportunity to learn more about Show Hope and become Show Hope sponsors. While it may seem like a daunting task to help 140 million orphans, let me say this: first Nashville, then the WORLD!

We had a wonderful time at the first faith night, and we look forward to seeing you all this summer at the Nashville Sounds games!

Friday, May 27th – 6pm
Friday, June 3rd – 6pm
Sunday, June 26th – 5:30pm
Saturday, July 23rd – 5:30pm
Sunday, July 31st – 5:30pm
Saturday, August 13th – 5:30pm

This past Sunday, The Movement partnered with the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) of Davidson County in Nashville to throw a graduation party for seniors in foster care. Former Tennessee Titan Jonathan Orr was the guest speaker at this celebration held at Trevecca Nazarene University. To put it mildly…the party was a huge success!

In preparation for this day, The Movement clubs went to the community and asked for donations on behalf of these special graduates. Through garage sales and collection buckets in their lunchrooms, students raised an additional $2200 to buy gifts for the graduates. Last week they called each graduate to remind them of the party and make sure they were attending. On Friday afternoon, the students divided into teams to purchase gift cards, gas cards, duffel bags, iPods, digital cameras and more! In addition to all the gifts, The Movement also presented each graduate with a Show Hope shirt, a Bible, and a journal with personalized notes of encouragement and Scripture written inside.

At the party, The Movement students set up a photo booth where each graduate could have their picture taken with their friends and families. The seniors were really excited about the photo booth and loved the slide show we showed at the end of the program! The photos were printed so graduates could take these special pictures with them.

I want to personally applaud the hard work of the DCS resource linkage team of Davidson County lead by Ann Brooks, Rees Greenman, and Dana Eskridge! These three are living legends in my mind and represent what a true child advocate looks like. To say that they go above and beyond the call of duty is a gross understatement. The bottom line is they care about these students.

This party was made possible by the collaboration of our students and many other organizations. Amazing food, drinks, and desserts were donated for the party. Each graduate was also given a new computer through a state grant program. Once again, I am blown away by these amazing Movement students. They worked tirelessly to help make this party a success. Watching high school students serving these high school graduates, their peers, was awe inspiring. I can’t imagine what God has in store for us next!

I continually find myself surprised by the sheer capacity of students. We often have students who are involved with The Movement Clubs come to the Show Hope office to volunteer. What amazes me is how quickly they knock projects out. I set them up on a project; turn around twice and the students are coming back to me asking, “what’s next?” Most people would assume that if you ask a teenager to do something and they do it quickly that it was done sloppily, but not in this case! These students really care about the mission of Show Hope and therefore do an exceptional job with each task they take on. You name it, and students can do it…filing, counting, searching, sorting, typing, printing, cutting, folding, stuffing, sticking, cleaning, moving, stacking…and on and on they go!

I recently took several students to a committee meeting at a Department of Children’s Services (DCS) office for Davidson County here in Nashville. This was a planning meeting for the foster student graduation party that The Movement clubs are helping to put on. The students were amazing during this meeting! They took notes feverishly, asked thoughtful questions, and totally engaged with the professional foster care workers in the room. I was so proud of them!

To me these are continual reminders of the truth that Paul states in 1 Timothy 4:12: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

Give the students in your life an opportunity to serve, and they’ll amaze you at what they’re capable of as well!

The Movement’s first official service project is a giant supply collection drive for students in the foster care system!

On May 1st, The Movement, in partnership with Tennessee’s Department of Children’s Services, will throw a graduation party for high school graduates in the foster care system of Davidson County, Tennessee. This is an annual event for DCS and The Movement is honored to join their efforts in celebrating some very special students who have completed their high school education!

The Movement students jumped at the chance to help put on a party on par with what they want to receive when they graduate. The Movement Clubs are actively collecting new, unwrapped items in their schools and communities. These items will become door prizes and personal gifts for the graduates. Students will also be involved in the decorating, setting up, and hosting of the party.

Through these local efforts we are opening people’s eyes to the opportunities to care right in our own back yard. When asked why he would want to help with this project, Carter (a high school junior) wrote, “I believe foster kids should have a party because they deserve it. Life in high school is hard enough for me without moving around and with the constant support of a family. I can’t imagine how hard these kids have worked to make it to this goal. This isn’t just us celebrating a graduation party, we are celebrating these students, because they truly deserve to be celebrated.”

On Saturday night, a high school student gathering of 600 people gathered in Liberty Hall at The Factory to take a stand on behalf of the orphan. This event was the kick-off for a new high school club program called “The Movement” started by high school students in partnership with Show Hope. There are currently nine clubs, and soon we will be adding more. These clubs help high school students get tangibly involved in orphan care by connecting them both locally and internationally with adoptive families, foster families, and other orphan care opportunities. You may have heard me say before that students are capable of far more than most adults are giving them credit for. We saw that confirmed again and again on Saturday night!

CALEB performed at the event and they were incredible as always. The students totally connected with the band. Students Caroline Greene, Sarah Rooker and Carter Venable each shared their personal stories of how their lives have been changed by caring for orphans.

Additionally we built an experiential exhibit called “The What If Project” to lead students to identify with the orphan crisis in a more personal way. At the end of the exhibit, students wrote out their answer to the question “How Will You Show Hope?” Here are some of their responses:

“I will not just talk about helping, but actually help. I will make a difference!”
-Andrea V.

“I will seek out opportunities to help those who can’t help themselves.”
-Becky

“I will join The Movement and try to be the hands and feet of Jesus!”
-Caroline C.

“I will shine His bright light in this broken and dark world.”
-Steve B.

A huge thank you goes out to all of the incredible students and volunteers who helped to make this event a huge success! To allow others to see what The Movement is about and catch a vision for what mobilizing students to care for orphans could look like in their city, we are making a DVD of The Movement Kick-off. I’ve already heard from so many students who are pumped to get creative and get involved in orphan care. I am so excited to see what God has next for this student initiative!

We are all getting excited about the Feb 5th kick-off for The Movement! In preparation, we have high school students all over the office this week. They are in the conference room, the work room, the storage room and the break room! Students are in every available space in the Show Hope office…and it’s amazing! They are laughing, listening to music, and having a blast…but mostly they are working to help orphans. These are amazing sights and sounds in our normally calm offices.

These students are here helping Chris, Caleb, Jesse and Nick get ready for The Movement Kick-off event here in Nashville this weekend. They are making displays, splicing wire for lighting decorations, and planning activities for the hundreds of local high school students who will attend.

I think most office workers would be a little overwhelmed with all of this activity in their work space, especially if the activity was from a large number of highly active teenagers. However, the Show Hope staff is excited to have all of these young people giving their time to help orphans around the world. Our hope is to find more students across the country that will have the same passion and heart as these amazing teens to create Movement Clubs in their high schools and help with other events.

The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow. That statement has been made for generations, not always from a positive standpoint, but this week I’m witnessing youth who will lead a future orphan movement in our country…and couldn’t be more excited about it! If you aren’t near Nashville this weekend, you can show support for this event by sending in a picture of you advertising The Movement (see details here)! But if you’re anywhere near Nashville, come out to Liberty Hall at the Factory in Franklin, doors open at 6pm. You don’t want to miss what these students are doing to care for orphans!