“Last year, my friend Emmy Kate and I were introduced to Show Hope by our lovely dance teacher and Show Hope staff member, Julia Chapman. One day in class she told us that Show Hope was holding a kick-off event for the high school initiative, called “The Movement,” which enabled high school students to spread God’s call to care for orphans. Emmy Kate and I love Ms. Julia and decided that we would go to the kick-off because it sounded interesting and we wanted to learn more about Show Hope.

“When we arrived, the atmosphere was very inviting. You could feel the excitement in the air as we all took our seats to hear the one-and-only Chris Wheeler speak. I distinctly remember Chris saying that this was all about moving us ‘from being unaware, to being aware, to taking action,’ and that’s exactly what happened that night! Emmy Kate and I were completely captivated by the idea that as students, we could make a difference in the lives of orphans.

“Hearing other students talk about their experiences with Show Hope and the precious children at Maria’s Big House of Hope made me want to join The Movement even more. Orphan Care became tangible, and not just an idea. We left the kick-off knowing that we had been moved to awareness and that our plan of action was to start a club at our school, Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet High School.

“The club has had a great response at our school, and we were delighted to find that some students had already heard about Show Hope and were eager to join us in The Movement. Since starting the club, Emmy Kate and I have grown closer to God as we carry out the James 1:27 call to care for orphans. The Movement has been a great blessings in my life, and I am so excited to see what God has in store for The Movement, for Show Hope, and for me!”

-Olivia Zimmerman, Hume-Fogg Movement Club President

Are you interested in starting a Movement Club at your high school? Complete the interest survey by Friday, March 16 and you’ll receive a free Movement Club t-shirt!

“The truth of the matter is that I’m a regular student. I go to school seven hours a day, five days a week. I have teachers I love and ones who frustrate me. I ace tests when I study and fail tests if I decide to skim the night before. My school days are spent waiting for the weekend and summer break. I don’t really have any extraordinary talents or abilities and I’m nothing more than human.

“But, I do have one extraordinary dream and it’s bigger than just me.

“It began when I held an orphan. I, the daughter of Jerry and Andrea, the sister to a brother and two sisters, held a child who has no one on earth to call her own. In the week that I held that child, my life was changed. Her face was etched into my brain and I can no longer forget it. I find myself incapable of going through each day with the knowledge that there are more than 140 million orphans all around the world, just like the little girl that I held in my arms. I find it even harder to live with the knowledge that I have the ability to do something about it.

“Despite my passion, I would have to impact at least 5,500 orphans’ lives each day for the next 70 years to reach each of the more than 140 million orphans in the world. Realistically, that’s impossible. It’s going to take more than just me. In fact it will take a multitude of high school students coming together to change the world one day, step, and orphan’s life at a time. It will take The Movement to change the world.

“The Movement is a high school student here and a high school student there igniting passions in other students to help the fatherless in their own area and around the globe. As each student lights up his or her school and area, the world will begin to light up and the orphan crisis will become less and less ‘hopeless.’ It is The Movement that I decided to be a part of. I, an ordinary student, decided to start a club in my school to influence my friends to care for the orphans of the world. We meet every other week and talk about the problem and talk about ways in which we can help. We raise money and raise awareness.

“It has been a year since my club was established, and I can already see a difference in my friends’ understandings of the orphan crisis. I see small ways in which we are changing the world: one family, orphan, and story at a time. It’s that simple. So, what’s holding you back?”

Start a Movement Club today and receive a FREE t-shirt!

-Sarah Rooker, Franklin High School Movement Club President

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

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.

This past Saturday night, Movement Club students from all over the Nashville area gathered together at the Show Hope offices to help raise money for a local couple, Frazier and Nina Dyson. The Dysons are going to Arkansas to bring home their daughter this week! Everyone worked hard making fun, floral hair pins and survival bracelets made out of parachute cord (pictured at right). The students are now taking these items to their schools to sell. All proceeds will go back to the Dysons to help support their adoption process!

One thing that made the event so special was that we had tons of new students who had never heard about Show Hope volunteer their Saturday night to come help out. Caroline Greene, one of our Movement Club presidents, then got a chance to share with these students what The Movement Clubs are all about and how they can get involved at their schools. It was an incredible night and we are so grateful to all who participated!

Yesterday I walked into the Show Hope office for my first day as the “Student Initiatives Programs Associate,” and I found my new desk decorated with Show Hope merchandise, a bouquet of flowers and a gift bag with all kinds of fun office-y things. Both Chris Wheeler, who I will be reporting to, and the wonderful high school students who are involved in The Movement clubs came ahead of me and made me feel so welcome! From the first few minutes on the job I have been so encouraged.

I’m so excited to be here and so humbled that the Lord has brought me here. Since I started college I have wanted to work with adoptions and orphan care in some way, I just wasn’t sure what it would look like. I graduated from the University of Arkansas about a year and a half ago and moved to Nashville for something new. After trying a few different jobs and not finding the right fit, I got the chance to interview for this position. It is such a fun role that Chris and I get to play by partnering with high school and college students as they grow in their passion for orphans! It is amazing to see how much Show Hope’s student initiatives have already grown in their first year.  I cannot wait to get to know the Show Hope community and to be involved with the amazing work that is already being done!

Read more about Show Hope’s student initiatives >

Discussion: Leave a comment with a note of encouragement for Sarah during her first week at Show Hope!

This has been another amazing year of Show Hope short-term trips! In all, more than 200 medical professionals, donors, sponsors, and students visited Maria’s Big House of Hope in 2011. As the Trip Coordinator, it was particularly exciting for me to see how God handpicked each team member. Whether it was to use their medical expertise to perform surgeries and physical therapy, to draw from their teaching background to help in the pre-school, to lead worship using their musical ability, or to make use of their cosmetology profession to bless the long-term foreign staff with an American haircut, each person came with the purpose to love and serve the children and staff at MBHOH. I’m reminded of Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Not only were team members uniquely equipped, but more importantly they were able to understand the plight of the orphan on a deeper and more intimate level by intentionally spending time in the Word and in prayer during their trip experience.

We are amazed to see how God has already come alongside these 2011 team members as they have chosen to walk in the way He has revealed to them. We celebrate with those who have gone on to adopt and rejoice as their children come home. We applaud those who have chosen or changed their careers or majors in school to better use their gifts to care for orphans. We cheer on those who have been able to start orphan care clubs and programs in their communities. And we are grateful to those who have purchased needed supplies for the special care centers and those who have become Show Hope sponsors. We at Show Hope are truly humbled to see all that God has done in and through the different teams this year! “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.” Psalm 115:1

Now, we are inviting YOU to apply for one of our 2012 short-term trips! We’re offering several trips to Maria’s Big House of Hope for sponsors, students, and our first men’s team. We’re also thrilled to announce our first Show Hope trips to Haiti, which will focus on empowering students to be leaders in the world of orphan care! We eagerly look forward to what is in store in 2012, and to the unique personalities, talents, and callings God will reveal in each team. If you are interested in joining us on a life changing short-term trip, please visit our trips page and get started on your application today!

Learn more about Show Hope trips >

[Discussion question: If you've been on a Show Hope trip before, what was your favorite part? If you haven't been on a trip with us, what advice or prayers can you offer the 2012 teams?]

Watch this 2011 Show Hope Short-Term Trips recap video!

“If you walk into the Jungle Book room at Maria’s Big House of Hope with a camera, you have to have a certain understanding: you will no longer have control of that camera! Isaac loves to take pictures, and I now have an abundance of random pictures on my camera that he has taken over the past couple of days. Upon entering the room, Isaac will come over and ask for the ‘piktur.’ Then, he holds the camera up and yells ‘KAH-SMILE!’ If you are lucky, he might even take a picture with you. Isaac has a lot of fun taking these pictures, as evidenced by the huge ‘kah-smile’ on his face.

“Here at MBHOH, a smile means everything. It shows that a child is happy and wanting you to return that smile or responding to the smile you are giving him or her. A smile is a display of trust. When you walk into a room, some of the kids may be unsure at first, but usually all it takes is for you to smile and they know that you are here to love them.

“This love is frequently shown on the faces of the nannies here at Maria’s. It is obvious when you enter the room that these children are adored by their caretakers. When a kid falls and starts crying, all it takes is the nanny to pick up the kid and all is well with the world. Maria’s Big House of Hope would not be half of what it is without these incredible nannies. These women share wonderful bonds with the children.

“We pray that one day each of the children at MBHOH will have a loving home where they will be able to share smiles with their forever families. These smiles are truly precious. Next time you ‘kah-smile’ at someone, you might be changing a life.”

-Elena Bell

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“Before coming to MBHOH I had heard facts like 140 million orphans are living in the world today and every 18 seconds a child is orphaned. Before coming here I knew I would be seeing a handful of those orphans, but I never really stopped to think how God has made each of these children so unique. I have seen God in every child’s eyes that has looked up at me. As I started to hold and play with the children, I started seeing them as very distinct human beings and not just one of the 140 million orphans. It wasn’t just because of their special needs, but little things like what makes them laugh, cry, jump in your arms or shy away.

“There’s Cadence, who makes his nannies and everyone here laugh each day. Isaac has so much joy that you can’t help but smile when you walk past the door and he calls “come in, come in”! Then there are the sweet little babies like Joseph and Milton who are content just to lie on your chest and hold on to your finger; And Hannah, though she doesn’t like to be held, her big black eyes look at you with so much hope and peace that I melt every time I sit next to her. These children deserve all the time, prayers, love and hope that we can give them. I’ve had the amazing opportunity to meet these beautiful children. I’ve been able to hold, tickle, snuggle, hug and rock them to sleep. During this trip God has taught me that the orphan crisis is so much more than just a number.”

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. -Zephaniah 3:17

-Hannah Kelsey

To help provide life-giving care to the children at Maria’s Big House of Hope, become a sponsor today >

“After just a few days in China, the team, the kids, and the staff already feel like family.’Team Awesome’ is how our team has been jokingly referring to ourselves, but it really is the best way to describe the people I have been serving with. At first, coming to on this trip to Maria’s Big House of Hope was really overwhelming, but after a few minutes with the team it got easier. There have been small annoyances along the way such as a flight being delayed twice, but God has made us all feel like we were coming home rather than somewhere new and different.

“Our first assignment for our team devotionals was to find a child we had a unique and personal connection with and to write about what they may think or feel about their past and future from their perspective. At first I feared I may not find that special connection with any of the children at MBHOH, so I prayed as I headed to the fourth floor with Katie, one of our team leaders, and a few other team members.

“As you can probably guess, I fell in love instantly. I found “my” child on the first floor I went to. It was like we had a magnetic connection. I was halfway afraid that she would not have that same connection with me, but I knew God was in control and walked right on over to pick her up. Her name is Caroline, and she has big, brown, sparkly eyes that you simply cannot resist. Before I knew it, we had been giggling and cuddling for over thirty minutes, and she accepted me as her new friend right away. I never could have imagined a child so beautiful and fun, but God knew we would share that moment of pure joy long before either of us were born. Praise God and His wonderful creations!”

- Amberly Holden

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“What an adventure! Alongside people I have known for just 72 hours, I have flown halfway (literally) across the world, hiked up the Great Wall of China, and arrived at Maria’s Big House of Hope. It all seems surreal; there is no way this is happening. After months of planning, preparing, and praying, we are at Maria’s Big House of Hope! We arrived late at night, but could still see the building, painted like the sky, letting us know that we had made it.

“We can already see how God has brought us all together and brought us all here. We have all been humbly reminded and have been reminding each other that there is no way this could happen outside of the love of Christ. Our hearts share a common bond that started us all on this journey. I am constantly reminded of how we were once orphans until we were adopted in to Christ’s family.

“The children here are breaking our hearts already. Seeing smiles on their faces is a beautiful reminder of our purpose here, to show these children hope. It is evident that those who have been here before us have done exactly that. There is an overwhelming sense of God’s presence here, leaving us with the feeling that this is a story of grief being beautifully redeemed as a way for others to hear about the work taking place here.”

-Sara Jennings

To help provide life-giving care to orphans at Show Hope Special Care Centers like Maria’s Big House of Hope, become a Show Hope sponsor  today >

Students long to live outside themselves to serve others, so this summer The Movement students in Nashville have decided to help the Department of Children Services by revamping their Safe Room. The Safe Room is a place where children who have been removed from their families go during their time of transition into foster care. While the unknown conditions of their situation can be very scary for these children and teenagers, the Safe Room is a place filled with toys, games, movies and activities where these kids can have fun and be distracted from their worries. DCS and the Safe Room currently are moving to a different building, which is a great opportunity for the Movement to help. We are excited to see the ways our help and service with DCS will encourage and comfort kids during a vulnerable time of their lives.

Movement Students have been going twice a week to pack up boxes, sort through donations, and paint. To help with the costs of paint, toys, craft supplies, and games, The Movement has partnered with our local Chick-Fil-A to raise funds for our summer service projects.  If you live in the Nashville area, we invite you to join us at the Brentwood Chick-Fil-A (330 Franklin Rd Brentwood, TN 37027) tomorrow, Thursday, July 28th from 5-8 pm. When you mention Show Hope/ The Movement, 15% of the profits from your meal go to The Movement service fund. Please come support our students’ summer service and bring your friends and family!