First, Happy Mothers Day to all Mom’s out there not to mention my beautiful bride Kerry, the mother to my three amazing children.  You are a Proverbs 31 women “worthy of praise.”

I pray that everyone’s Mother’s Day celebration was a fulfilling day honoring mom and showering them with love, tenderness and gifts.  We, here in China, look back on how we spent our mother’s day rejoicing in a full 14 hour day of surgery delivering greater hope and a brighter future for several of the children here at MBHOH.  Although these children don’t have a mother, I couldn’t help but think that the gift of healing was given today for the future moms of these kids.  Today, a greater chance at being adopted was birthed which in the end will bring fulfillment as it says in Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” That holds true not just for the orphan, but for the one seeking to be a mom through the miracle of adoption.  It was a beautiful scene this morning as Stephan was being held by the nurse shortly after waking up and the team marked the white board – “DONE!”  It is always difficult to get that first one under your belt and they did just that in addition to three other special cases.

The team is working well together.  It is incredible how each one is playing a key role.  Early on in the recruitment phase of this project, as the number of volunteers stepping forward kept growing, there were several moments where I questioned the size of the group, but Dr. Erica McElroy, the trip leader knew each person would be critical.  Today that was proved true and I was reminded of what was said in Romans 12:4 “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”  This group is functioning as ONE making a beautiful chorus as a song of worship to our creator.

As a former athlete, there are many things that I learned from the playing field but I was taught that in order to be excellent and win you must prepare.  Hard work in practice would produce fruitful results in the game. In fact, it was in my college years that I first learned about the “5 P’s” which is “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.”  As the first day of execution comes to bare tomorrow for the 2011 Geisinger Medical Center mission team to Maria’s Big House of Hope the preparation and hard work to this point has been remarkable to witness, to say the least.

The team of 22 medical professionals with various skill sets endured nearly 30 hours of travel from the moment we left the Geisinger parking lot at 5:30am on May 4 with over 900 pounds of medical supplies in tow.  Today, I witnessed the unpacking, the putting away, the lectures, the organizing, the mock walk-throughs and the laying out of what the next four days will look like for the Pediatric Neurosurgeon team and Cleft Lip and Palate repair team.  The plan is ambitious, not to mention exhausting, but the excitement and anticipation is feverish.  Friends, this is a determined team who won’t settle for anything less than excellence and their preparation has been astonishing to me.

In the last decade, I have often cited the scripture found in James 1:27 where God describes what Pure Religion looks like – “Pure religion is this to care for orphans and widows in their distress…..”  Tomorrow this group of professionals will meet the practice of medicine with the practice of pure religion.  Lord willing the clash of the two will produce eternal fruit for many children.

Stay tuned and stay prayerful!

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthian 15:58

DeSantis lectures the group in preparation for the week

About 8 months ago, on an ordinary day in September, I taught a class with Isaac as the only student in attendance. On that particular day, one of his roommate’s family sent him a package. During class, Isaac told me a little about it, and then informed me, “I do not have a mom and dad.” As I froze and subsequently began floundering around for a word of reassurance to offer him, he just kept shaking his head and saying “mei you,” the Chinese word for “don’t have.”

Today, I had the profound privilege of watching Isaac as he received his first package from his family. The sheer joy of watching his face light up as he opened his package, saw his new clothes, and talked on his new toy cell phone was like a dose of good medicine. Those sweet little eyes completely disappeared while his big smile and laugh took up his whole face.

The part that will forever stay with me, however, is when we flipped through the photo album his family sent him. As we turned each page, I told Isaac who each smiling face was – his mom, dad, brother, and two sisters. After we flipped through it once, I asked him who each person was the second time around. With every question, his response was the same. He looked at me, smiled and put his hand over his heart and with a voice full of confidence and sincerity Isaac simply said “Mine.”

Although he has never been in a family before, and has watched many of his friends leave to be taken home by their forever families, this sweet little four year boy has no hesitation or doubt when I ask him if he has a family now. In fact, just about every day he tells me that he has a mom and dad that are coming to get him soon. Whereas 8 months ago Isaac knew with certainty that he did not have a family, it is amazing to watch as he says with pride that yes, now, he most certainly does.

Help more miracles like Isaac’s become a reality. Become a Show Hope sponsor today!

“Our adoption journey began even before we were married, although the longer we were married the more we thought about adopting. After our second daughter was born, we strongly felt that God was leading us to begin the adoption process. We submitted our application and hoped to adopt a baby girl from China. Through a series of many events, God began to change our minds—not about adoption, but about our direction as He slowly opened our minds and hearts to children with special needs.

“While browsing our agency’s ‘waiting child’ list, I found Viktoriya, a five year old girl from Bulgaria. Victoriya had a degenerative condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy which would most likely cause her to need a wheelchair by her teenage years. ‘She’s the one!’ I said aloud, but I also grappled with issues like, ‘Am I ready to be the mommy to a five year old girl with special needs?’ God, in His still, small voice answered, ‘This is My will for you,’ and with a mix of excitement and anxiety I told my husband John I had found our little girl! I waited for John to comment on her age and disability, but instead he wholeheartedly agreed! God’s peace was the initial and underlying factor in this decision, and it has never left us. There were moments when we were tempted to quit, but we saw God direct and provide which grew our faith all the more.

“When we began our adoption journey, we did not have money saved for adoption expenses. It definitely stretched our faith, but God provided on time for every bill that came along. Sometimes it was through an extra paycheck for the month, other times a family member or friend graciously gave to us, and other times we were blessed by a grant. The Show Hope grant was one of these, and we are so thankful to have received it!

“We officially became Victoria’s parents in January. We were allowed to travel on our second trip to Bulgaria four months after our first meeting with our daughter, and this time we would not be saying goodbye! We are adjusting to being a family of five and we are doing well. There are many times we have been overwhelmed and exhausted, but we are thankful for God’s grace and strength. Victoria loves each member of the family – and especially enjoys having a Daddy! Thank you to Show Hope sponsors who helped bring Victoria home!”

-Stephanie Isenberg

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!

“Today is our last day at Maria’s Big House of Hope. Our team’s time here has been filled with laughter, tears and hope as we have experienced our Father in a new way. The Lord does not need any one of us to care for the orphan, but He’s offered us the invitation to be His hands and feet. God has revealed Himself as Protector, Comforter and Healer.

“As we finish various work projects and give last hugs to these precious children, we begin to process all we have seen, heard and felt. Now that we know these children, we have a responsibility to them, to become advocates on their behalf in our homes, churches and communities. My prayer is for God to grant each member of this sponsor team His heart, wisdom and perfect peace as we pursue the call to care for the orphan at home.”

-Megan Flaker

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“I spent part of yesterday morning in the preschool classroom here at MBHOH. We spent time laughing, painting pictures and making messes. Making messes with kids has got to be one of the best ways to have fun with them! There is something about hearing and seeing these children laugh that makes the cleaning up afterwards a joy.

“You know the saying that laughter is therapeutic? It’s more than that with these kids at Maria’s Big House of Hope. When I laugh with them I get a glimpse of God’s delight for these children. I’ve been singing the song ‘Jesus Loves Me’ to them and instead of saying ‘me’ I’ve changed that word to ‘you.’ Through time at MBHOH, God has given me a powerful glimpse of His love not only for these children but also for me.”

-Crista Hobbet

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“I am on this trip to honor my dad who was a huge supporter of Show Hope. In fact, he wanted to visit MBHOH but unfortunatley passed away before he was able to come. I am continuing in his desire to care for the orphans of the world by taking this trip with Show Hope.

“God has been teaching me so much in the past few days! One thing that God has taught me is that although everyone has a role in caring for the orphans of the world (James 1:27), not everyone is called to care for them in the same way. Some are called to directly care for orphans first-hand like the head nurse Mariah Bywater. Some are called to be a forever family to a child. Some, like those of us on this Show Hope sponsor trip, are called to assist financially with orphan care or to go on short-term trips to spend time with the kids. Others are called to advocate for those who do not have a voice to speak for themselves. Whatever the means, God has invited us all to join Him in caring for orphans. This is a way to know and experience Him.”

-Rachel Singer

Last Thursday, several members of our staff headed to Knoxville for the second annual Hope in the Dark event. This special dinner was hosted by the Kalu Grace Foundation with University of Tennessee’s Athletic Director Mike Hamilton and his wife Beth at the helm. 600 Knoxvillians gathered in Thompson Boling Arena to learn how their contributions from last year helped 52 African children come home to their forever families through funding  43 Show Hope adoption aid grants. We even got to meet Lidya Jewett, who just came home from Ethiopia in March. The Jewett family was surprised with a Show Hope grant at Hope in the Dark 2010.

After a question and answer time about Show Hope with our president Mary Beth Chapman, Program Director Wendy Cosby and Program Manager Kathy McKinney, CALEB offered musical entertainment for the evening. The night also featured a performance by the Mwangaza Children’s Choir and Jars of Clay. Through special videos, those in attendance had the opportunity to see the impact last year’s Hope in the Dark event had in Marsabit, Kenya in partnership with Blood:Water Mission and the impact on adoptive families through Show Hope.

At the end of the night, Mike Hamilton, who recently joined Show Hope’s Board of Directors, was pleased to announce that more than $250,000 was again raised to benefit both Show Hope and Blood:Water Mission. We can’t wait to meet and SEE more families who are personally affected by this amazing evening! Thank you, Knoxville!

“The April Show Hope sponsor team met up in Newark on Friday and flew together as a team to Beijing.  As we got to know each other on the 13 hour plane ride and through our team building exercise of climbing the Great Wall, it has been evident that God uniquely placed each team member on this trip.  Our team consists of fifteen Show Hope sponsors from 12 different states and various walks of life who share a common heart for caring for orphans.

“We arrived at Maria’s Big House of Hope late on Sunday night after it was dark, and woke up this morning ready to explore. Most of us were up around 6am thanks to jet lag, but that meant we had a head start on meeting kids before breakfast! The hard part was deciding which room to visit first, with so many sweet little ones all pulling at your heart. What a joy to make a child smile and let them know they are loved.

“Since it was still Easter in the United States, we decided to celebrate here with the kids. We had an Easter egg hunt, colored eggs, enjoyed a beautiful cake, played pin the tail on the bunny, and even had face painting. Jessica was a good sport to sit still for this precious Maria flower design. Day One at MBHOH has been a joy and we are all so thankful to be here together. I truly wish every Show Hope sponsor could come a see this place with their own eyes. Thank you for your generous support that is making a huge impact!”

-Katie and McKensey, Show Hope team leaders

This week at the 42nd Annual Dove Awards, Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman were honored by the presentation of the Gospel Music Channel’s first “Uplift Someone” award. Presented to the Chapmans by Tim Tebow, this award recognizes artists who have encouraged people across the nation to make the world a better place by inspiring acts of positivity and kindness. The award celebrated the work the Chapmans have accomplished on behalf of the 140 million orphans in the world through the founding of Show Hope.

One of the most inspiring experiences of working at Show Hope is getting to meet families who have received Show Hope adoption aid grants. In that spirit, several Show Hope families joined the Chapmans onstage as they accepted the Uplift Award. Dove viewers will see how Show Hope sponsors and donors truly change the lives of orphans who are able to come into loving families.

In a touching moment for everyone in attendance, these beautiful families also joined in the singing of Third Day’s “Children of God.” Mark Hall, Mac Powell, and Steven Curtis Chapman, who are each adoptive dads, came together for this very special musical performance.

The 42nd Annual Dove Awards air this Easter Sunday at 7pm EST with an encore presentation at 9. Be sure to tune in!

Show Hope was honored to host the spring Empowered to Connect conference on April 8-9 in Denver, Colorado. The conference again featured Dr. Karyn Purvis, a renowned child-development researcher, speaker and author of The Connected Child, along with Michael and Amy Monroe, who are adoption ministry leaders from Irving Bible Church in Dallas. In addition, founding board members of Show Hope, Dan and Terri Coley shared from their hearts about their own experiences as foster and adoptive parents.

As we continue to receive wonderful feedback regarding the event, we are convinced more than ever how important it is to provide this valuable information and teaching to all those who care for these precious children. I read a comment on a blog post today about the event that stated, “[The Empowered to Connect conference] was so amazing and I’m so thankful that we were able to go! Our house has already changed for the better, and it’s only been two days since [the conference]. Wow, I can’t wait to see where we are in three months. I highly recommend this conference and I think every parent should go twice, both pre and post adoption.” This post made my day as it succinctly highlights one important aspect of the conference for which we pray—that families would not only feel encouraged and equipped when they leave, but that they would begin to see an impact and change at home.

We were delighted to have about 450 families, professionals, and church ministry advocates in attendance from all across the U.S. and there was even a strong showing of participants from Canada. I think that officially makes it an international conference! In addition, professionals who attended were eligible to receive 10 CEC hours for attending both days, and many foster or pre-adoptive parents were able to receive training credits for their participation.

As with any large event there are many who help make it possible. We are grateful to Mission Hills Church in Littleton who gladly provided the venue space for the conference. The church staff went above and beyond in helping our team prepare and in creating an inviting, comfortable environment for all. We are also indebted to the wonderful volunteers who came to serve alongside our staff, and their hard work is greatly appreciated. Lastly, we are blessed by the ministries and the staff of Project 1:27 and Focus on the Family for promoting the event and to Focus on the Family for the gracious financial resources provided.

As promised, you can download the handouts containing the text of Dr. Purvis’ conference slides here.

We look forward to the next ETC conference in Nashville on September 23 & 24th at Brentwood Baptist Church. Be sure to register here for the Early-bird rate and a special offer, again by Focus on the Family, which provides ½ off the registration fee for a limited time when you use the discount code: FOCUS. We hope to see you in Music City this September!