Reminded { CAFO 2014 }

This past week, our family attended the Christian Alliance for Orphans' (CAFO) annual summit. We joined several thousand who are on the front lines in the care of vulnerable children around the globe. Those who gathered in Chicago for CAFO 2014 represented 35 countries. Each brought his or her own stories of God at work. Each came to be refreshed and renewed in their commitment to answer God's clarion call woven throughout the Bible to "defend the orphan" (Isaiah 1:17).

Most likely, when orphan care is mentioned, adoption is the first thing to come to mind. While that may have been one of the few ways to make a difference for the 147,000,000 orphans in the past. Global orphan care takes hundreds of different forms and more and more is emphasizing care for the children within their own country. Globally, creative efforts to meet the countless needs of the "least of these" have grown exponentially during the past decade. Adoption is now just one manner of caring for the fatherless.

Adoption does happen to be the orphan care arena to which the Lord has called our family. Adoption is how Jim and I became parents when the Lord placed our oldest daughter, Anna, in our arms through the courageous choice of her birthmother. Several years after the birth of our twins, the Lord grew our family through three separate adoptions as we added trios of older Russian children to our number in 2001, 2005 and 2010. As my beloved husband once put it, "Adoption is what we do as a family."

Attending CAFO 2014 reminded Jim and me of God's heart for the orphan. Being surrounded by so many who love the vulnerable renewed our determination to shepherd well the children who have come to us through adoption. While at CAFO 2014 we were deeply blessed to meet a handful of Eastern Europeans who are serving the orphans sacrificially in their countries amidst difficult circumstances. They embraced our role as an adoptive family wholeheartedly, and we were deeply encouraged by their love.

The two days of CAFO 2014 stretched us from early morning to late in the evening. We learned much during the plenary sessions and in workshops. We came home tired, but it was a good kind of tired. We returned home empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue on in the work we've been called to by Christ. Jim and I also returned to home ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with others who are called to "visit the orphan" in whatever manner the Lord might call them.

On our way home yesterday, we stopped briefly for a refreshment break in the incredibly picturesque town of Galena, Illinois. Galena was founded in 1826 and is the birthplace of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant.

Sarah - age 20

While Dad was purchasing a snack for the kids at a coffee shop, I took advantage of the day's beautiful lighting to snap some photos of some of our precious kiddos. 

On the left, Christina, 16 and Faith, 14 

Matt, age 18

Nathaniel, age 14

Once we had food and drink, we slowly wound our way up main street. We weren't alone! A good portion of the mid west seemed to have decided Galena would be a perfect place to celebrate one of the first truly spring-like days of in the northern part of the country.

In addition to many food shops that emitted tantalizing aromas, the town is also home to a number of antique stores and shops carrying home-decorating treasures. I was drawn to this unusual peacock wall hanging.

As we ambled down the street, a fierce-looking watch dog eyed us warily from one of the shops.

We finished our stroll by taking a group photo.

(Sadly, John was unable to join us due to work.)

If Her Mother Had Been Aborted...

 

...she wouldn't be here.

 

...nor would her children
 

...or her grandchildren

...or her great-grandchildren

...or...

 

Think about it.

 

The choice has already been made.

 

It's a life...

...and a legacy.

 

Not a choice.


(Photo of Brielle, our granddaughter, taken by our daughter, Anna, today)

Faith to Move a Mountain

Mrs. Beaver and John:

Children without hope of a family watching as we departed from their orpahage last month

If you find yourself drawn to vivid stories that capture the struggle of the human condition, I suggest you to click on the link below.

If you've ever found yourself praying that you would have a heart that breaks over what breaks God's heart, I encourage you click on the link below.

If you're willing to pray on behalf of an orphan, I urge you to click on the link below:

A Mustard Seed for Tonya

Let us rise us rise up and storm the gates of heaven on Tonya's behalf!

Why?

Mr. and Mrs. Beaver:

Many of you may have wondered why we have adopted or, perhaps, why we have adopted again and again and...

Our reason is articulated perfectly in the video below. This is our story!


Francis Chan For Orphan Sunday from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Video: Statistics

Before you watch this video, please mute our blog's music.


Orphan Sunday 2011 from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Watching the Bible Being Lived Out

God's word is utterly clear that His followers are to care for the oppressed, especially orphans and widows. James 1:27 is probably the most frequently quoted verse: "True and undefiled religion is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress."

Following National Orphan Sunday at our church in 2009, our dear friends, the Nordstroms, found their hearts moved. They realized they had Room for More. Almost immediately they launched into an effort to adopt a preschooler from Ethiopia. She just arrived home late last month...an orphan no more.

Last Saturday we visited the Nordstroms. We'd given them all of six days to recover from their trip to Ethiopia to make 4-year-old Meddie Grace a Nordstrom forever. We couldn't hold ourselves back from meeting Meddie and celebrating with our dear friends that she was FINALLY home after the 16-month adoption process.

We'd seen photos of Meddie's legendary smile, but we were blown away in person. Her grin stretches across her bright face and gives a twinkle to her eyes. She's a remarkably happy child considering all she has suffered in her short life.

This was the first chance for our newbies, who've only been in their family for four months, to be on the other side of greeting an adopted child.

Our former orphans were all smiles as they watched Meddie interact with her parents and five siblings. As Meddie sat in her sister's lap, Jaynie discovered that Meddie is ticklish.

We took with us a family tradition from our three international adoptions.

When we arrived at home from Russia nearly a decade ago with Jaynie, Cassandra and Speedy, we were surprised to discover our dining room table decorated with a giant American cupcake flag created by Mr. Beaver's mom, Jane, and his Aunt Jean, along with Anna (known here at our blog before her recent marriage by the name, Tessa), Lissie, and Joe as they eagerly anticipated our return and the arrival of our new family members. The flag was repeated when we adopted Tatiana, Natasha and Princess Bink six years ago. (This time, all 14 of us were returning from Russia together so there was no one at home to make a cupcake flag. Hmmmm....maybe at the kids' one year anniversay--sounds like a project for Cassandra!)

After enjoying cupcakes together, Meddie was ready to open her gifts. We'd allowed each of our kids to pick out something for this child came to America owning nothing. We had such fun shopping!!!

When Meddie began opening her presents, her brothers, Eddie Joe and T-Bird, were there to help.

We felt so blessed to outfit Meddie from head to...

...toe.

We thank God that He has added Meddie Grace to the Nordstrom's family. What fun to spend an evening with our friends celebrating their new little one! We loved beginning to get to know Meddie...

...and we treasured the opportunity to watch her in her own HOME with her own FAMILY!

We love you, Meddie Grace!

We Love Because - Video

On the eve of Orphan Sunday, the cry of our hearts is that those who read this blog would be as blessed by adding fatherless chidlren to their family as we have been.

God is so good, and His ways are always better than our ways. When we die to self and follow His ways we always find blessings beyond our wildest dreams. God's ways are not always easy to follow, but His blessing is sure when we do.

We pray... that you will pray... about the amazing blessing of adoption in your family.

(You'll want to mute the music in our sidebar.)


We Love Because from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

~ Tessa and Mr. & Mrs. Beaver

God's Heart for Orphans (part 3)

This continues a series of posts highlighting what God’s word has to say about caring for orphans (see parts 1& 2 - May 28 and June 5, respectively).

(Princess Bink, Tatiana and Gigglebox on the day they became ours. The girls are standing in the director's office in Tatiana and Gigglebox's orphanage. The photo captures the reunion of the three sisters after having been separated in different orphanages for 11 months. We had picked up Princess Bink first early that morning. She was so frightened by all the change and sobbed quietly for about two hours. April 2005)

In parts 1&2, we saw that God’s heart for the orphan is unmistakable. He views them as very important, and worthy of His special care and attention. He sees them as naturally vulnerable, and warns us not to take advantage of them or oppress them. And He warns us that He will be their care-taker and father, defending them against us if we fail to heed His warnings. (Ps 68:5-6a, Ps 146:9, Ex 22:22-24, Deut 10:17-18, Deut 27:19, Zech 7:10a)

God tells us in His word of many specific ways we should care for orphans. And, by principled extension of His word, we can imagine many more ways that would likely fit with His instruction to care for them. everyone can do something to care for orphans. This is just a short list of ideas based mostly on some work done through the Christian Alliance for Orphans:

1. Pray for them – Matt 7:7-8, Phil 4:6-7 - Tape a waiting child’s picture up and pray for the child every time you see it (get picture at AdoptUsKids.org or RainbowKids.com).Organize a prayer vigil at your church to pray for children in foster and orphanage care.
2. Speak up for them – Prov 31:8-9 - Carry a waiting child’s picture and ask believers you know if they or someone they know would give the child a home. Use every means at your disposal to spread the word of waiting children (email, phone calls, etc.)… you never know who God has in mind for them.
3. Provide for their needs – James 2:15-16, 2 Cor 9:6-7 - Give sacrificially to a reputable orphanage (HelpOrphans.org).Organize efforts in church to collect school supplies, shoes, etc. for orphans overseas (GainUSA.org, ShoesForOrphanSouls.org, we particularly love the ‘Both Hands’ concept that helps both orphans and widows!)
4. Support those who support them – Heb 10:24 - Mow, babysit, organize meals, pray for foster or adoptive parents. Encourage a family adopting older children – they face special challenges. Stick with them… their needs don’t go away after the first couple of weeks… or years.
5. Protect them from harm – Ps 146:9, Isaiah 1:16-17 - Become a foster parent or emergency foster parent. Raise money to build a children’s home to help kids stay off the streets (WorldOrphans.org).
6. Visit them where they are – James 1:27 - Go on a short-term mission trip to an orphanage (GainUSA.org, HelpOrphans.org). Take dinner to a foster group-home on a regular basis.
7. Give sacrificially to them – 2 Cor 9:7 - Support reputable orphan care organizations on a regular basis. Contribute to an adoptive family to help offset their costs (ShaohannahsHope.org, LifeSongForOrphans.org, Katelyn’s Fund, your own church).
8. Encourage them – 1 Thess 5:14 - Sponsor a child and encourage them through letters (VisionTrust.org). Become a mentor or tutor to a teenager in a foster group-home.
9. Mobilize your church for them – Matt 28:18-20 - Be a catalyst in the church for starting a sustained orphans ministry (HopeForOrphans.org).
10. Brainstorm other ways – ‘crawl’, then ‘walk’, then ‘run’ for the Lord!

The range of options we have to participate in God’s plan to care for the orphans is limitless. Some options are easy… some are difficult. Some of them come at no cost… some come at a high cost.

But let me ask the question you probably don’t want to consider… what challenge is too difficult and what price is too high? Consider the One who gave His all to reconcile us to Himself? It is He who commands us to care for the vulnerable. It is He whose heart breaks for them.

(Speedy on the day we met him, as well as his sisters Jaynie and Cassandra, in his orphanage in western Russia in July 2001; he was 5-1/2. We were eating our second meal together in the "apartment" in which the two of us stayed on the orphanage grounds. Speedy was just determined to cut an apple with his butter knife. The activity kept him busy for about 30 minutes.)

Yes, everyone can help care for the orphan. The impact of even our tiniest steps will be multiplied by His grace and power. The list of ways we can step up and participate in God’s plan to care for the orphans is limited only by the hardness of our hearts. Will you pray for a soft heart?

In part 4, we’ll extend our learning to see how adoption fits into God’s thinking about these special little ones.

~ Mr. Beaver

Happy People

Earlier this month our family had the opportunity to spend two days with a group of people who were among the warmest, friendliest and happiest we've ever encountered. We couldn't stop talking about it as we drove off. Now, we've certainly been with smaller groups of people that deserved a similar description, but this was a group of more than 1,300!

Why did this group radiate joy? I've pondered that question since leaving "Summit VI," a conference hosted by the Christian Alliance for Orphans (http://chrisitianallianceblog.org/?p=668) in Minneapolis. I think I may have found a clue in Isaiah 58. There God lays out for His people what the ESV Study Bible calls the "practical implications of biblical faith" (pg. 1346). He insists that the Israelites' relationship with Him is not to be heralded by empty fasting. Instead, their encounter with Him through fasting is to result in a life of service to those whom Jesus would call "the least of these."

The Lord says,
"Is this not the fast that I choose,
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?"

What comes next in this passage is a truly remarkable list of God's promises for those whose relationship with Him is turned outward in service to others, interspersed with some additional calls to forsake sin and meet the needs of the vulnerable:

"Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.'
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
And the Lord will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail." (8-11)

What a list! Healing, strength, defense against depression, answer to prayer, protection, never-ending guidance, and the list goes on...

I believe the people we interacted with at Summit VI are happy people because they have experienced God's glorious promises as they "pour themselves out" to meet the pressing needs of fatherless children. Their light is "breaking forth like the dawn" because they have experienced the care of the Father of the Fatherless as they care for orphans. These people, who live sacrificially, have discovered a great irony of our God--in giving, we gain.

--Mrs. Beaver

We're at an adoption conference

I'm blogging from the Summit VI conference by the Christian Alliance for Orphans (http://www.christian-alliance-for-orphans.org/)It has been an incredible time! The praise and worship time, the fellowship with other adoptive families, and learning about practical ways any and every person can care for orphans worldwide has refreshed and encouraged us. Yes, all 11 of us went, from Mom and Dad down to Princess Bink, and we feel extremely blessed to have this opportunity.

One great reminder we have had from many speakers is how adoption is a picture of the gospel and how God has adopted believers through Jesus Christ so that we can now call the God of the universe "Father"! Thank you Jesus!
~Lissie