Together for Adoption

Just thought I would post a bit about the adoption conference we went to last weekend in Nashville. It rocked our world and it wouldn't be right if I didn't post some tidbits about it here. Danny and I have long had a heart for adoption, and are in the midst of our own adoption, so we were very interested in attending this conference in Nashville called Together for Adoption: Our Adoption in Christ ... What it Means for Us and Orphans. It explored both the theology of adoption and the practical "how to" side of adoption. There were some incredible speakers all with personal stories of domestic and international adoption and their involvement in foster care and how they were compelled to do so because of their identity in Christ.

A few quotes from some of the speakers that keep ringing around my head ...
Scott Roley (Senior Pastor of Christ Community Church) said “we (Christians) holler loud against abortion,” so why aren’t we “standing up for orphan care?” In other words, how does the gospel affect our involvement in issues of social justice? Here is Scott Roley talking more about his topic "Adoption and the Pursuit of Racial Reconciliation")

Ed Stetzer said “even the un-churched know that Jesus was involved in social justice, and they often wonder why the church is not.” We cannot separate the great commission (to make disciples of all nations) from the great commandment (love your neighbor as yourself). Many churches become renowned for their service, but never proclaim the message of salvation. Stetzer said, “if we lose the Gospel, we lose our mission.”

Russell Moore said, “We can love the idea (of adoption and orphan care), but when it comes down to it” we need to follow through. He made an interesting point ... “we could learn much in the laboratory of orphan care how we ought to operate as the body of Christ.” There is a strong element of dying to self involved. Which is hard for the American church because it means we must “love people more than we love stuff.”

And, finally, from a woman who was in the foster care system from the time she was 18 months old until she aged out at the age of 17, she said that in being a believer now, the hardest thing she has had to come to grips with is "where was the church?" when she was a foster care child and going from bad home to bad home. With as many Christian families in the U.S., there shouldn't be 500,000 foster care kids bopping around from foster home to foster home.
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We also ran across some really incredible stories and ministries. Here are but a few ...

3by3by3
Here is a story of a how a young family grew 3 by 3 by 3. Below is a quick video of their story. Seriously ... take the time to watch.

Promo for "3 by 3 by 3" Documentary from David Watson on Vimeo.

You heard it right ... this couple is only 31-years-old. You can read more about them at their site.

Perhaps, a modern-day Mother Teresa?

Another way God is redeeming the lives of orphaned children is happening in Uganda and by way of a young Nashville suburbanite. As a teenager, a girl named Katie went on a mission trip to Uganda. She returned and lives there today and has 14 adopted daughters. She is only 20 years old. Here is her blog. Here are pictures of her precious daughters. And her newest daughter is here. You can almost see that little one coming from death to life in a matter of days in those pictures. This seriously blows. me. away.

147 Million

This organization raises awareness of the orphan crisis in our world, sells products that go directly to orphan care, and helps people raise money for their own adoptions.

Abba Java
This organization sells coffee beans from Africa and then the proceeds support orphan care in those countries.

Anyway, that's about it. My summary here so does not do justice to the powerful things we heard and saw last weekend, but wanted to share a little bit about it.