The Gift of a Child

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In simple obedience to the One who gave His life so that we might live eternally, we should desire to abandon all we know for the unknown of giving our lives away for Him. Not just feeding the hungry, but entering into their hunger with them. Not just clothing them, but experiencing what it is like to want for basic necessities. Not just appeasing our conscience by writing a check, but by actually entering into their reality, a reality that needs to see Jesus.

We hold fast to James 1:27, "Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles..." We understand that adoption is not for everyone, but that everyone plays a role in caring for orphans. For some, it's visiting an orphanage, giving financially, or simply praying.

We have witnessed hundreds of people respond to the call. Children have held fundraisers, walk-a-thons, and lemonade sales; athletes have ignited their communities by raising money during competitions; newlyweds have refused gifts in hopes that guests would give to Shaohannah's Hope. More than 600 families have experienced the joy of bringing a child into their home forever as a result of an adoption grant from Shaohannah's Hope. But the need is still great.

For years we have prayed that eyes would see, that hands would stretch forth, and that a simple belief would be owned in the hearts of people around the world--the belief that the need to care for orphans is undeniable.

As a family, we are increasingly coming to the conclusion that in order to go, to do, to act, we're going to look unconventional. We've entered into the baby world again by adopting into our home our precious but very "high energy" daughters from China. We're using our God-given platform to make orphan-related causes known, and acting on solving them. We struggle. God, help us to really hear and obey.

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