Our Family Photo!

Just wanted to share our family photo.....it is now complete.  Thank you Janene at http://www.aboutfacephotographyofgreenwood.com/ !!!

Matthew West & Story Behind "One Less"

Too beautiful!!!!!!!! Enjoy!

Keep Changing The World (With Lyrics) - MIKESCHAIR Feat. Lecrae

Beautiful - I dedicate this song to all those out there who are fighting to change the world for the children who have no voice!!!!!!!!

Meant to Be - Steven Curtis Chapman

Absolutely beautiful!!!!!! This is the message I want children all over the world to know...God had a purpose for their life...they were not a mistake. They are all beautifully and wonderfully made.....

I want to dedicate this song to all of my children and to all the children who do not have someone to tell them how special they are.

What It Means To Have A Family by Katelyn (adopted from Ukraine)

What it means to have a family is that you always have somebody by your side when you’re falling down. It means that you are loved every day no matter what. Having a family gives you a chance where you can be taken care of and fed. You need to remember to appreciate what they do for you. You should be happy if you have a family because a lot of kids in the world don’t have one.


You should be grateful for what you have even if sometimes it’s not the best thing you can think of. I know its great to have a family because before I didn’t and I kind of felt abandoned, but here today I am as happy as can be. I love my family because they are always by my side. My family never lets me down and that’s why I am proud of them. It makes me sad when I see kids alone and know they do not feel loved.

If you have a family, be proud of where you are and who you’re with because they will keep u safe and loved!!!

To my mom and dad, thank you for giving me a beautiful home and a beautiful family. I know sometimes I can be out of control and selfish but most of the time, I remember that you taught me it is wrong and I promise for the rest of my life I will try to be better.

What It Means To Have A Family by Payton (adopted from Ukraine)

Some people don’t have families, their other moms did not want them and that is very sad. I know that because I didn’t always have a cozy home, a bed to sleep in, wonderful food and a family that loves me. It really means a lot that I have a family.


A family makes you feel happy and makes you feel like you’re safe. You will maybe have wonderful brothers and sisters. A family is awesome, they give you love and that is important. Some people don’t have families and that makes me want to cry. Everyone should have a family.

When you have a family, you may get nice clothes and nice bed sheets. Who cares if you have a poor family? Nobody is perfect. We make wrong decisions. You guys should adopt. Kids are so sweet! And yes they make wrong decisions, too. All that matters is that they love you. Every should have a family to love and care for them.

God created us so we can have a family and love. I love kids and they want a family, so someday I am going to adopt a kid. Some of them are praying so hard to God to get a family and that is terrible that they don’t have one. Just let God into your heart. I am praying that every kid gets a family and God is praying, too. When I get older I’m going to adopt 8 kids because I love kids and God let me into his heart.

What A Family Means by Graceson (sister to 4 adopted siblings from Ukraine)

What it means to have a family is to have people that love you and surround you with love, care, and support. They comfort you when you need it. A mom is someone that kisses your booboos, a dad plays outside with you, brothers and sisters tease you, those are the people are most important in every one’s life.

A family and God is everything we need. Having a family is to have a full life. If we didn’t have a family we would feel lost and alone. You might say you have friends and do not need a family but friendships don’t always last. A family lasts a lifetime.

We may think people in our family aren’t that important and sometimes forget how lucky we are to have them in our life. There are kids in the orphanage that would trade you places any day. They are alone because their family made different choices or had problems that could not be fixed. If you have the time to go to an orphanage and spend time with those kids, it would mean the world to them. Maybe you could give them a family if you felt that is what God wanted you to do.

A family is to have the inside of you bursting with love. So every time you fight with a family member, think of how lucky you are to have them. Because all over the world there are kids wishing they were you.

Having a family by Lauren (adopted from Ukraine)

God created my family and I am so glad that I have them. My dad, my mom, my brothers and my sisters all care for each other, because that is what a family does for each other. I am proud of my family because they help me through everything - friends, homework, and a lot of other things. A family is a special blessing, it's being loved.

I am proud of my mom because she works to find children families. That is exactly what she did for me, my 2 sisters, and my brother! My mom is always happy when somebody gets adopted. Sometimes my mom has us pray for a family she knows or the children she is trying to help. I wish that all children had families that love them.

Having a family is being together when it matters. My family is crazy, and we argue, but we still love each other. Most families DO NOT ALWAYS GET ALONG GREAT!!!!!! They fuss, they whine, they hit, they smack, they kick, ... (Totally not perfect) but they are there for each other. Parents teach you what is important, everything from manners, God, and how to behave.

Families are great, and what I really like about families are the members of the family. The whole gang is what matters. They love you no matter what you do (even if you even broke something). My family is the best and I love them very much.

The Most Vulnerable Orphans

I love my job... and I especially love working with the children! It is such an incredible feeling to see children coming home to loving families. Even more wonderful is when I have the opportunity to witness the changes in the lives of the children - how they blossom with the love, security and opportunities a family provides.


Despite the positives my job provides, one of the most difficult challenges is knowing there are the children that I may not be able to help find families. The ones that are overlooked because they are not perfect. They are the most vulnerable; the older child, the ones with disabilities, the large sibling group... How do I help them?



I know of a beautiful 18 month old girl; a healthy, smart and handsome six year old boy needing an operation and prosthetics; a sibling group of three boys ages 5-10; a sibling group of four; a six year old girl with developmental delays… all of them in such need for a family. How can we help them?



At MLJ ADOPTIONS, INC. we are developing a special needs program because it is our heart to make families aware of these precious children and do all we can to connect them to families. If you are open to a child who may need extra love and care, or if one of the children mentioned above pulls at your heart, please email me. Who knows what may happen?

SAY YES

Thousand Lives by Doug Johnson

Beautiful song about reaching 1000 lives for Christ. My goal is to reach 1000 orphans and help them to find loving Christian families. Enjoy!!

Abba Changes Everything | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Abba Changes Everything Christianity Today A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

International Adoption Updates

( http://hopefororphans.com/Display.asp?Page=June2010#June10Article5 )


In light of the ever-changing world of international adoption, we want to highlight some of the recent changes and issues related to adoption in six countries in particular: Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Russia and Swaziland.

Ethiopia
The U.S. State Department issued a Notice on April 13, 2010, that The Federal First Instance Court of Ethiopia has issued an announcement that as of May 9, 2010, adoptive parents must now be present at the federal court hearing in order for the adoption to be approved. That means two trips must now be made instead of just one as before. This new ruling affects all pending and new adoption cases. For the complete statement, please click here.

Kazakhstan
The U.S. State Department issued an Alert on May 21, 2010 stating that on May 17th, the Kazakhstan Government has instructed its Embassy and Consulate General not to accept any new intercountry adoption dossiers until Kazakhstan becomes compliant with the Hague Adoption Convention, which it hopes to be by September 2010. For more information, please click here.

Kyrgyzstan
The U.S. State Department issued an Alert on April 28, 2010 discussing the ongoing investigations of corruption and fraud which caused the Kyrgyz government to stop processing all inter-country adoptions in October 2008, including at least 65 adoptions by American families that were already in process when the halt was announced. Recently, the Kyrgyz Parliament passed a bill that, if signed by the president, will affect international adoptions, though its actual impact is unclear. For more information, please click here.

Nepal
The U.S. State Department issued an Alert on May 26, 2010, strongly discouraging prospective adoptive parents from pursuing adoption of Nepalese children due to what it calls “grave concerns” about the adoption system in Nepal. It even goes so far as to encourage families that are already in the process (but who have not yet been matched with a child) to consider pursuing adoption from a different country instead. For more information, please click here.

Russia
The U.S. State Department issued a notice on June 18, 2010, announcing that an American interagency team had been involved in meetings in Washington, DC in mid-June for a third round of meetings an adoption agreement. The discussions were reported to be productive and positive, with the hopes that inter-country adoptions between Russia and the United States will continue in the future with proper safeguards in place. For more information, please click here.

Swaziland
The U.S. State Department issued an Alert on March 1, 2010 stating that the government of Swaziland had informed the U.S. embassy in February that it is reviewing its adoption procedures and will cease processing inter-country adoptions until the review is completed. Cases that were already with the High Court at that time will be allowed to continue. For more information, please click here.

Please check out the countries we currently have programs in (www.mljadoptions.com )
Bulgaria, Congo, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Ukraine - all are currently open!

Guest Bogger Paul Pennington

NOTE FROM PAUL PENNINGTON

Executive Director, Hope for Orphans

Behind A Frowning Providence

Some of the very best things in my life have happened as a result of some of the hardest things in my life. There was a day that Robin and I learned that we had lost a baby and the ability to ever have a biological child short of in-vitro fertilization. It was a hard day. It was hard to pray or understand. But little did we know that as this was happening a little girl was soon to be born. This little girl was our daughter Kit whom God brought to us just 6 months later. Not only was she a gift we could not have imagined, but also through her, the Lord led us to more of our children, some born on the other side of the world, and ultimately to this ministry.
In his new book about Ruth, A Sweet and Bitter Providence, Pastor John Piper shares a quote from William Cowper, an 18th century poet and hymn writer:
“Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.”

Joseph experienced this frowning providence when his brothers sold him into slavery. But as you know, God knew this very act would bring about the rescue of those same brothers from famine and His grace would be demonstrated through the centuries like a chain in His word to us in the 21st century.

Every adoption begins in hurt of some kind. Sometimes being the parent of a child through adoption involves a lot of hurt. We all come from a hard place because of the first Adam’s fateful choice in the garden. Thankfully, the second Adam also made a choice in a garden, a choice not to save Himself, a choice made so that we might receive adoption as sons of God through Him.

As we consider with eyes wide open the road of adoption and loving the fatherless, let us remember why Ruth the Moabitess was able to say to Naomi in Ruth 1:16-17 that she would follow her from all that was familiar and safe…how she committed herself to this widow to the point of saying that Naomi’s God would be her God and Naomi’s people her people.

Ruth was grafted into this family and met her kinsman redeemer because as Piper says, “Here we have a picture of…faith in God that sees beyond present bitter setbacks. Freedom from the securities and comforts of the world. Courage to venture into the unknown and the strange. Radical commitment in the relationships appointed by God”. In this case, a relationship that led to line of David and The Messiah.
May those called to adopt, or to love a foster child, or to serve churches overseas in loving orphans be likewise radically committed to the relationships appointed by God for them. May we see the world as the work of God, and that we are privileged and blessed to be invited to join Him in His work. May we see God who sometimes uses frowning providence in bringing about His will, as the very One in whom we will very soon see His smiling face.

Blessings,

Paul

Complete Hope for Orphans newsletter:  http://hopefororphans.com/Display.asp?Page=June2010#June10Article5

Back from Haiti...from devastion to hope.

I am not even sure where to begin...how do you sum up what you have seen in a way that will truly convey what it was like to be in Haiti? 

http://www.facebook.com/lydia.taylor.tarr?ref=profile#!/album.php?aid=49099&id=1656337289  I hope this link works for you - these are some of the photos from Haiti.

I guess I can begin with how I felt about going to Haiti...I was afraid to go to such a hard place and to see such devastation.  I knew it wouldn't be easy or comfortable.  I think the thing that shocked me most was how anesthetized I was to seeing what I saw.  I expected it to be harder than it was and me more emotional.  I think in today's society, that we have seen so many images on television that we really don't feel the impact of the harsh reality.  It became more personal when I heard the stories from some of the people we met and how the earthquake changed their lives.

Upon leaving the airport, I saw rubble everywhere, buildings that were pancaked, leaning over the street ready to collapse, tents everywhere - even on medians in the street.  I saw people that had to shower and bathe out in public places because that is where they found water.  It is almost hard to describe the conditions.  Where I saw the ruins, it was contrasted with such breath-taking beauty.  The mountains, the valleys, the coast...so amazing....

What I also saw in this country that faced this nightmare, was such hope.  I saw a beautiful people - who despite what they were going through and the circumstances they were living in taking pride in their appearance.  Looking fresh and clean in spite of how they were being forced to live, taking pride in themselves.

Instead of being angry at God or questioning what was happening in their lives - I met people that had such tremendous faith.  One woman I met, Marie had such a glow on her face when she talked about what happened during the earthquake and how God had held her in His hands and how she could trust Him to take care of her no matter what.  A pastor, Jean Claude shared how they had cleared the rubbage from his church and were now holding church on the remaining floor and how they fed over 500 children there each week.  We met girls at the orphanage who greeted us with kisses, sang beautiful songs, played games with us and had the most beautiful smiles.  So many people, who had been through the worst, making the best of it and doing so with such amazing grace!

It is easy to have faith when things are going your way, when you are comfortable...but how easy is it to maintain that faith when everything around you falls away?  I would hope that in the face of such pain and tragedy, that I could maintain my faith and my trust the way they have.  Tanya from House of Blessings orphanage thanked us for showing them our love by coming - if only for a few days.  It was humbling for someone to reference us as God's hands and feet.

I hope in the dark times I may face, that I will react with as much grace.  I bought a small bracelet that one of the ladies at the orphanage was selling and put it on as a daily reminder to pray for the people and orphans of Haiti.  I pray that God will continue to give them strength to face each day, the comfort that only His arms can give as they continue to rebuild their lives.  I pray that God will use me to help the orphans of Haiti to find loving Christian families who will show them what it is like to be loved....

Leeland - Follow You with special guest Brandon Heath (official video)

This is my new favorite song!  It reminds me of my trip to Haiti last week!  I hope you enjoy it!  I will be posting about Haiti soon and try to do a slide show of photos!

Great Bible Study on Connecting with your child.

http://empoweredtoconnect.org/created-to-connect-study-guide/

I have had a couple of opportunities to hear Dr. Purvis speak and have each time come away with something.  I like that her encouragement is scripturally based.  I hope you enjoy!

Blessings,
Lydia

Kay Warren speaks on caring for orphans.....

Don't call yourself a believer if you're not caring for orphans, said Kay Warren.  "If we are doing little to nothing, how dare we, how dare we claim to be followers of Jesus Christ," she said Friday. "Followers of Jesus Christ care about widows and orphans and they understand that it is a litmus test.  "It is not an option."

The weighty words were delivered to thousands of church and ministry leaders on the final day of Catalyst West, a three-day conference designed to challenge leaders to be change agents in the culture.  Stripping the leaders gathered in Orange County, Calif., of their excuses, Warren said caring for orphans is not just for infertile couples or middle-aged folks who have a little discretionary money and time.

"It has nothing to do with personality, it has nothing to do with spiritual gifts, it has nothing to do with economic status, it has nothing to do with your season in life," she stressed. "It has to do with accepting the responsibility that God will one day hold us accountable."  And it's not just a matter of personal responsibility either, she indicated.  There is a theological reason all Christians are to do something to help vulnerable children.

Warren highlighted: "What our Heavenly Father does for us spiritually, He expects us to do physically."  What God did was not only save sinners but also bring them into His family.

"You and I were all spiritual orphans," she said. "We're not just cleared of the guilt of our sin. We belong in God's family. He has taken us and made us part of Himself.  "Now He shares with me everything that He has. Everything that belonged to Jesus belongs to us."

While Christians have a spiritual home, there are 143 million children around the world who don't even have a physical home.  Yet many believers likely are unable to name the names of five orphans, Warren noted. "This is sinful," she asserted. "This is shameful. This is reprehensible."

Warren drilled into the thousands of Christians gathered that caring for orphans is not just one of many things they should be doing.  "When you understand the theology of it, you will not be able to push it away; you will not be able to put it on the backburner," she said. "You need to understand that adoption represents the heart of what Jesus Christ has done for ... us."

The orphan advocate clarified that the Bible isn't necessarily calling every person to adopt a child. She and her husband, renowned pastor Rick Warren, have not adopted, she noted.  But, she added, the Bible does say Christians have a personal responsibility to do something, whether it's contributing to the fund of a family trying to adopt, providing house cleaning for a family that adopted, or getting involved with church sponsorship of children.

At the same time, it's not enough to simply send some money or place children in orphanages.  "God is a relational God," she said. "And orphanage is an institutional solution."  "What's the best?" she posed. "For children to be in homes with their own families."

Warren challenged every Christian family to ask themselves: "God, do you want our family to adopt?"  In the United States, if one family out of every four churches adopted a child, there would be no orphans in the country, she highlighted.  "You guys, that's doable."

So Excited to Announce our Bulgarian Adoption Program!

I am so thrilled to announce the start of our Bulgarian adoption program!  I just returned from Bulgaria and I am so excited about the possibilities that I see for families!  I found Bulgaria to be a beautiful country and the Bulgarian people were so friendly and tried to use English when they could. I found our staff there to be very professional, friendly, experienced, connected and knowledgeable!

Michele Jackson, the executive director of MLJ Adoptions, Inc. and I were able to visit 3 orphanages during our visit.  The orphanages were well staffed and the children well cared for!  We saw some incredibly beautiful kids - all anxious for families!  There was a baby as young as 10 days old at one orphanage and we met a fun group of 3-6yo children! 

The changes in the family code will have a great impact in the future of adoption from Bulgaria.  In September, they are expecting things to really take off!  An influx of new referrals will make Bulgaria a great option for many families!  They are open to single men and women as well as married couples.  There is a restriction is that a parent has to be 15 years older than the child they are adopting but otherwise it is a fairly flexible program.

I can not wait to be a part of this wonderful program and witness the plan that God has for these beautiful children!  Soon we will be leaving for Haiti - and explore the possibilities there!  God is giving me children all over the world now!  How awesome it is to be a part of His plan for the orphans of the world! 

Response to Lady in TN returning adopted Russian boy to Russia

I wish I had more time to put in to this - but I want to quickly address the issue that has hit the headlines about the woman in Tennessee who had adopted a Russian boy, and then sent him back to Russia alone on an airplane with just a note. 

It first angers me - that this woman did not understand that adoption should be viewed as permanent, just like giving birth to a child.  However, as an adoptive mother I do understand the frustration that one can experience in the adjustment of an adopted child.  There have been times I have questioned what I have done by adopting my 4 children - it isn't easy and requires alot of sacrifice.  Some days are good and some aren't, but you have to learn to get through it and if you can't do it by yourself then it is the responsibility of the parent to seek professional help and other resources.

Next, it saddens me that Ms. Hansen was unaware of the resources she had available....  If only she had known that she could have contacted an adoption agency (she should have been able to contact the agency she used to adopt the boy) and let them know of the urgent situation and sought help, an international incident could have been avoided.  A professional adoption agency, like MLJ Adoptions, Inc. which is state licensed and Hague Approved, would have tried to arrange respite care for the boy to give the mother a needed break, discussed the help that was available, and tried to offer workable solutions.  If there were no resolutions that were agreeable, a disruption of adoption could have been done, and a family could have been found to adopt the boy - a win-win situation.  I feel sorry for Ms. Hansen who probably entered the adoption process with stars in her eyes and a "happily ever after" in mind.

Lastly, my heart aches for a little boy that once again has been abandoned, and found not worthy.  Too young to understand that it is not his fault, he will once again try to figure out his place in this life and how to handle the rejection.  My prayer for him is that someone will find him worthy of investing their time and love.  Unfortunately the past can not be undone and there are hundreds of thousands of orphans in Russia and families that are waiting that will likely pay the price.  In the heat of the moment, Ms. Hansen's judgement may have sentenced all of them to a life without the love of a family. 

My advice to pre-adoptive families is to seek education.  As a Hague approved agency, MLJ Adoptions requires for our clients to have at least 10 hours of adoption education.  Seemingly an inconvenience to many, but if you are investing the kind of money that an adoption requires - common sense would dictate that a family should at least be made aware of what they are getting in to and want to be prepared.  Also, follow up with a newly adoptive family is important, helping them to get off on the right start, making sure they are finding ways to relieve stress and cope and connecting them to others that are going through or have gone through the same situation all give families a better chance of a successful adoption.  Families need to do their homework before hand to ensure success on the other side of the adoption journey and agencies need to be there to support them.