The Chapmans and the China team are so excited about what God is doing right now on the ground in China.  They want to make sure you have the chance to get updates as quickly as possible, so both Mary Beth Chapman and the photographer, Austin Mann, will continue to be posting to their blogs! Check these blogs and the Show Hope blog regularly for updates!

Visit Mary Beth Chapman’s blog here >

Visit the photographer Austin Mann’s blog here >

Visit the Show Hope blog main page here >

The team in China visited near the epicenter of the Sichuan earthquake zone, where thousands of lives were lost in May 2008 during the earthquake there.  Steven Curtis Chapman, Will, Caleb, and Geoff Moore held a concert for children who had lost one or both parents in the earthquake. Watch the video:

Then, in Chaping, Steven held a concert to encourage the locals in the area, as well as to be a light in this area that has experienced such tragedy.  Though it was a wet evening, this time lapse video of the event shows that even a little rain couldn’t keep this from being a success!

Visit Austin Mann’s blog for more on these videos >

Support the work of Show Hope by becoming a sponsor >

It seems like I am getting a text message, a phone call or an email from the team in China every day.  They travel into new territory for the next few days, but take a peak at some images and brief video clips at the photographers blog site.  Click here>>

I pray each of you had a safe and wonderful Independence Day celebration as did our family!

The Show Hope Open House on Tuesday celebrating this summer’s Grand Opening of Maria’s Big House of Hope was an amazing success. Thanks to all those who came out!

It is truly something special to see how faithful God has been to this ministry over the years.  In 2003, our Executive Director Scott Hasenbalg and Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman began this ministry as Shaohannah’s Hope, with the desire to help more orphans have loving families.  Two years later, I came on board as an intern. I have been with the ministry for four years, currently serving as the Director of Communications and Ministry Initiatives.  Besides our Executive Director, I have been on staff the longest, and have had the immense privilege of seeing this ministry grow beyond anything the Chapmans, the Hasenbalgs, or any of us involved with Show Hope dreamed it could become. And we trust that God is only getting started!

Our Open House on Tuesday was just more evidence of what an incredible thing God is doing.  We had around 300 people visit us to celebrate both the new office space we’re in as well as the upcoming Grand Opening of Maria’s Big House of Hope.  We saw grant recipient families with their unbelievably cute kids, donors and ministry partners who are making all this possible, radio and news reporters (check out this link for a video of the Open House: http://www.fox17.com/newsroom/top_stories/wztv_vid_679.shtml), along with other friends of the ministry.

I was with the ministry when we moved from Northern Virginia to Franklin, TN, and now we have outgrown our old offices here (offices that we took over from a group called the “Q”). It is not possible for me to overstate how phenomenal it is to finally see Show Hope in its own set of offices.  And they look good!  From the pictures of kids all over the place to our logo and colors splashed across the walls, you might just forget that this dream was hatched in the heart of an 11-year-old, Emily Chapman. She wanted her singer-songwriter dad to move beyond changing the world with his lyrics and start changing the world of a little orphan girl in China.

That’s what to me is the most special thing, not the big stories of 2,000 orphans we’ve helped or the millions of dollars we’ve been able to give towards orphan care, but those little, personal stories of a child’s life changed or an orphan being adopted. Show Hope was always God’s idea, and I’m serious when I say it has grown beyond the Chapmans, beyond the staff, and beyond what we could ask or imagine. We are truly getting to see God-sized impact.  But it is coming because so many people are being faithful to take that one little step towards adoption, to send in that one sponsorship check for $35 a month, to make that one request of their family or friends to collect change for orphans, or to send in that one application to go on a mission trip to visit orphans in distress.

God is writing a big story, there’s no doubt, but the miracles are happening every day in those little stories. I am so grateful to see this, and be checking out our blogs, newsletters, and e-updates to see these as well! Thanks to everyone who came out to the Open House to celebrate together what God is doing!

If you weren’t able to join us, have no fear, you can check out this slideshow to see what you missed.  You can even feel free to photoshop yourself into the pics so you can better imagine yourself here with us! Enjoy:

Photos courtesy of Johnpricephoto.com

We have just returned home from the most memorable trip I have ever been on. Why was it memorable? Was it because we had a lot of fun and everything went smoothly? Was it because everything was safe, comfortable, and predictable? No. It’s because God showed up, but not just in the ways that I would have expected with our team sitting around having a devotional time or holding orphaned babies who otherwise would get no attention.  Rather, God most clearly showed up and worked miracles in the hard, painful, scary places where I never thought our team would have to go.

Why, when we step out to be dangerous to the kingdom of darkness and bring hope to the hopeless in a sinful, broken world, are we surprised to not just find pain and suffering, but to experience pain and suffering? John 16:33 says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  We saw the reality of the pain and suffering that countless orphans around the world experience as part of their daily lives.  However, our team also had to wade through our own turbulent waters, and that is where we truly met God.

Let me first say that God assembled the most amazing team for this trip, and I know each person on it was hand-picked by our God for a specific purpose.  I was blessed to be able to see how unique and perfectly gifted each individual was for the essential part they had to play.  When our team was struggling, there were the comforters, the open and vulnerable hearts, the guides, the listeners, the sharers, the shepherds, the truth-seekers, and the encouragers.  I witnessed a group of randomly assorted people come together as one body.  I witnessed a God of love pouring Himself out through His people. I witnessed miracles.

Let me also say that God is good, God is sovereign, and God is faithful.  Even our wonderful Honduran translator Roberto was able to share with us how, when his family could barely scrounge enough food to survive day-to-day, the times of pain and suffering simply meant that they had to look to God. God would provide. Roberto and his father Erin, who also translated for us, are living reminders that no matter what you experience, no matter where your life takes you, God is always there with you, calling you to Himself and watching over you.

If you are serious about experiencing Christ, receiving blessings from God, and being a part of God’s Kingdom on this earth, you must count the cost (Luke 14).  Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” Jesus was a man acquainted with sorrows. He was pursued, abused, insulted, ignored, mistreated, robbed, beaten, imprisoned, slandered, attacked, and killed. God did not spare His Son these troubles. Yet for the joy set before him, Christ endured the cross, spurning its shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. God has promised to graciously give us all things, but when He takes away some things so that we can cling only to Him, are we willing to join voices with Job to say, “You give and take away. Blessed be Your name”? We know how the story ends, but are we willing to walk out that story, even in the times when the road is hard? We want to see God work, but what if He is at work where the work is most needed? Will we join Him there, where the light is needed most?

God sent His Son into this world so that we could be called the sons and daughters of God. When I’m asked why I would go into a poor country where there is danger and hardship just to see some orphans, I will tell them that these children have the King of Kings as their father, and that makes them royalty, not just “some orphans”.  But moreover, these children who have my Father as their Father, well, they are my brothers and my sisters. They need to know more about our Father’s love, just as Christ came to show me the Father’s love. Furthermore, what I do to them I do to Christ, so that is where I meet with my God.

When we step out, we will encounter trouble, for there is a battle raging on all around us.  But you will not avoid trouble by staying home.  No matter how hard you try and avoid it, you will have trouble in this world. Jesus assured us of that fact. Yet how much more glory will we see when we do step out in obedience, knowing  our hope and our joy, rooted in Christ, is secure?   How much more life will we experience when we claim God’s victory over death, instead of cowering in fear that death might come find us?  How much more love will we experience when we let God’s great mercy overflow in us to those whose lives seem besieged by the darkness? “Go into all the world…” (Mark 16:15). Fear not. Our God is with you.

The first Show Hope Summer 09 Mission Team has successfully finished its first full day of service! God has faithfully brought us all here safely and has assembled a truly amazing team.

We at Show Hope are always blown away when a group of 15-25 yr olds from around the country can come together in a foreign place and get along and work together so well.

Our friends at Buckner have taken great care of us, and already, from only the first full day of service, we have already been extremely impacted by the kids, the country, and the needs of these orphans. The majority of our time will be spent at an orphanage called Nueva Esperanza (New Hope). This government run facility is hard to experience because there are often over 100 kids here with very few caretakers in less-than-ideal conditions. However, through the VBS we are doing and by just loving the kids in little ways, we are grateful to have the opportunity to show these kids the hope and love of God, and already we recognize that we will leave here changed forever by experiencing God in this place.

There have been innumerable little stories of how we’ve seen God at work, and our team got to share tonight about what specifically was a blessing. A constant theme was just how a little love can go a long way. In the baby room at this orphanage, around 30 babies are cared for by 2 or 3 women, and these children are in desperate need of attention. By simply holding the babies, we are communicating love to them in a way they understand and need.

Even with the older kids we are working with, we can give a kiss or a hug to a child who never had the chance to take those for granted. Though the reality of suffering is hard, we know our good God brought us here for a reason and cares for these kids more than we could ever imagine.

Please continue to pray for our team and the other teams around the world visiting orphans in their distress.  God is at work!

If you are interested in learning more about Show Hope mission trips, click here >

If you are interested in sponsoring adoption and orphan care through Show Hope, click here >

This summer Show Hope is sending out five different missions teams! Three to China and two to Honduras.

The first team leaves this Sunday, June 14th, and will spend a week in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. This will be Show Hope’s first official trip to Honduras with a team, so your prayers are definitely needed. I (Nick…can you tell which person in the pic is me?) will be the Show Hope representative for the trip. It will be my second time in Honduras, and I am definitely looking forward to the amazing things I know our good God will be faithful to do.

We are so excited about these opportunities to live out the James 1:27 call to visit orphans in their distress, and even though you might not be going, you can join us through your prayers!

Please pray for the unity of the team, wisdom, guidance and direction for the team leaders, anointed times with the children, and safe travels and good health for everyone. In addition, pray that God will clearly lead Show Hope as we dive even further into the world of caring for orphans.

Hello all, Caleb Chapman here!

Well, I’m back in the office after being a married for about two weeks and so far all is well. The cubicle is not quite as inspiring as the Jamaican ocean but I can’t complain… I love Show Hope! The last month of my life has been one of the most amazing chapters in “The Book of Caleb” thus far. I had the privilege of being a part of the 2009 United Tour where I witnessed thousands of hearts and lives changed. As most of you know Show Hope was promoted on the United tour and was excepted with passionate hearts ready to change the world for orphans. I was profoundly moved by the response we had and am excited to see the fruits of the seeds that were planted then.

Once that was over I got to come back and get married! How sweet is that! The wedding was amazing…(everything went perfectly) and I believe that God was there in a profound way. So again, I am excited to see the fruits of the seeds that were planted on the day of my marriage and can’t wait to walk further down this road.

Sorry for the broadness of this blog, but I just thought I would let everyone know that Life is Good and God is great!
Keep Showing Hope!
-Caleb Chapman

Maria Sue Chapman

May 21 marks the one year anniversary of Maria Sue Chapman’s entrance into heavan to be with Jesus. Five days after the tragic death of Maria the show hope team gathered for the first time, formally, in our board room. I clearly remember the tears trickling down my face and sharing with everyone the overwhelming sense that we have entered a new season of the Show Hope life and we had a greater responsibility to be even better stewards of what God might do for orphans, through this ministry.

Maria is one with God and to honor her means we should honor Him! One way to honor Him is to honor what He cares about and delights in doing which is meeting the needs of orphans around the world is something He takes great pleasure in doing. Her legacy is just beginning, but in one year, over $804,000 has been donated to the Maria Miracle Fund and partly as a result of the compassion and generosity of many like you who have donated, we are honoring her not because of the money that has been raised, but because of the way He is being honored by assisting a people group, he desperately cares about…. the fatherless. Thank you!!

In one year, we were able to complete the construction of Maria’s Big House of Hope in Louyang China (Grand Opening this summer!!!) and assist a number of orphans to be adopted. Maria’s legacy will be centered around healing ….healing the brokenness of the lost, the lonely and the least. Thank you for your prayers for the Chapman family, the Show Hope team and for joining us to help carry out the legacy of healing of a young girl who is helping all of us SEE the goodness and beauty of our risen savior in bringing Hope to orphans.