A Father to the Fatherless

Today, in the state of Alabama, there are currently over 300 adoptable children in state care. 

Their parents have relinquished their rights and they are free to go home to a forever family.  


Today, in the state of Alabama, there are millions of men who are fathers.  Excellent fathers.  Father who are able to provide love and stability to a child.  


Today, in the state of Alabama, there are men in this state who are hoping to be fathers, ready for the opportunity to have a family of their own.  


The men in our state have the power to change the situation of foster children in Alabama. 


300 kids is a manageable number.  We can solve this problem in our state.  We can provide a forever home to hundreds of kids who have never known what it means to have someone stick around, hug them, or provide love. 


To all the fathers out there today-  would you consider being the father to one more? 

Please check out these following sites to see children currently available for adoption in Alabama.  

Heart Gallery of Alabama  

Adopt Us Kids Alabama

Thinkers and Movers

When it comes to adoption, there are "Thinkers" and there are "Movers". 

Some of you are in the Thinking stage right now. 

• Is adoption for our family? 
• Can we afford our it? 
• Will adoption mess up our family dynamic?
• Could I love my adopted child as much as my biological child?

Some of you are in the Moving stage

• You've started researching 
• You're narrowing down the who, the where, and the how

Whether you're a Thinker or a Mover, and whether adoption is a small inkling of an idea in your mind or your family has jumped all-in to the adoption process, the ONEfamily Adoption Q&A is for you.  

This Wednesday, June 15th, at 6pm in Room 7207, we have invited four families to share their adoption experiences with us.  They have adopted domestically and internationally and their children range in age from elementary school age through their 30's. 

You will be able to ask questions and hear "real-life" experiences from those in our Frazer family who have walked through the adoption process.

In addition, we have invited three organizations to have information tables set-up that night.  You will have an opportunity to speak individually with: 

• Alabama Pre and Post Adoption Connections (APAC):  An organization who works to connect currently adoptable children in the state of Alabama with forever families. 
• AGAPE of Alabama: A private Christian adoption agency in Montgomery that specializes in domestic adoption and foster care
• Bridges of Faith: Tom Benz is the founder of Bridges of Faith, a ministry that brings Ukrainian orphans to the United States to have the opportunity to be matched with forever families. (Some Frazer folks spent time with the most recent group children a few weeks ago.  You can read more about their time here.  ALL of the Ukrainian orphans on this trip were matched with a forever American family. Praise God!) 

Please join us for a night to learn more about Adoption. 

There are no strings attached.  

No signing on the dotted line. 

Just more information.  

More real-life experiences. 

The Q&A begins at 6pm, but the three organizations will be set-up by 5:30pm if you are interested in talking with them before the night begins.

 Feel free to spread the word through Facebook and Email as well, this night is open for anyone and everyone who'd like to learn more. 

****Childcare WILL be provided*****

Don't Go To Church.

We've asked Sonia from His Hands, His Feet, to write a guest blog post on our ONEfamily blog today.  You may know Sonia already, but if not, here's the summary:  she's an amazing mom of six boys, hilariously funny, and passionate about the orphan. 


Sonia and her husband John shared their journey of adoption on video for one of our services this past month.  They are a family who are actively caring for the orphan; by bringing two sweet boys in their home from China this past January, and by advocating for those not yet in a forever family.  


God has been stirring some pretty big things in their lives in the past couple of months.  We asked Sonia to share that with you today..... 


Don't Go to Church. 

Don't go to church unless you are prepared to hear. 
To be moved. 
To 
be
called. 

We were happy.
We had just gotten settled. 
We had just figured out how to keep up with 6 boys.
{or at the very least pretend that we knew how to keep up with them} 

And then
And then God spoke
and we.....
we heard. 

By a God-incidence Patrick has been preaching on orphan care recently. 
I no longer wear mascara to church. 
I'm just sayin.
And then specifically he mentioned and read this post.

Children. 
Children dying everyday and 
here
we
sit. 

Content. 
Happy. 
Settled.

And God began to move....

A few weeks prior to that worship service John and I had come across a little boy. 
7 years old
sweet as he can be
and dying of a massive un-repaired heart defect.  
And it became clear to us very quickly that there was no way that we were going to be able to turn our backs on him and 
let him die 
alone
in an orphanage
with
no 
one. 

But us? 
Us God? 
Really? 
Have you seen my laundry pile? 
Do you remember that we are moving in 3 weeks to a state where we know no one? 
Do you see that there are 6 other boys running around this house continually emptying the pantry? 
Have you seen our bank account after our last, very recent, adoptions?
You sure? 
Like sure-sure?
I mean, I know you are God and all, but I just wanted to bring these things to your attention in case you may have overlooked them.
~ahem~
Yeah. 

HE knows. 
He knows all of it
He doesn't need me to tell him
and none of our reasons would ever be good enough to let this little boy die. 

So here we go again. 
Our 3rd adoption in 4 months. 
Racing against the clock to be able to reach him in time.
Will we get there soon enough? 
No idea. 
But regardless we will know his name. 
We will have called him our son.
We will celebrate his life.
We will have been obedient to what He has asked of us. 
Our hearts will be broken, that is for sure.
 But how much more devastating to not have reached out at all?

Each and everyday he is at great risk of a stroke due to his ever rising hemoglobin levels that are causing his blood to become "thick and sludge-like" in addition to the imminent threat of heart failure.
His lips, gums, and fingers are blue. 
He struggles for air, 
he struggles for life.
And to have the honor and privilege of being chosen to introduce this little boy to the name of Jesus,
the ultimate Giver of lifeis a blessing like none other. 
We are humbled and grateful beyond measure. 

When we bring him home we will find out if he is a candidate for surgery and on that day one of two things is going to happen: 

We are either going to be bringing home a very sick little boy that can be saved with the help of modern medicine
or
we are going to be bringing home a little boy that can be saved through faith in Jesus and we will love and laugh and have life with him for however long we are blessed to have him. 

Days?
Months?
Years. 
We don't know. 
But HE does. 
And that's enough for us. 

Total and complete surrender and 
overwhelming peace. 

So we press on toward the goal that God has called us to and we do so no matter the trials knowing He is right there with us.
He has gone ahead of us in this.
We are doing what He has asked of us. 
He knows precisely how all of this will play out.
And that,
THAT is what I cling to. 
{and chocolate. I cling to chocolate. But not near as much as I cling to Jesus}
just FYI.

As Patrick said that day,
we can't save the thousands that die each day
but we can save one. 

There's one less orphan in the world tonight. 
One.
Less.

Soli de Gloria

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27


You can read more of the story at His Hands, His Feet.  The cost to bring this sweet boy into a forever home is relatively inexpensive, (in terms of international adoption). The homestudy and processing costs have been taken care of, so Sonia and John only need to raise $12,000-13,000 to cover the cost of the orphanage fees and the agency fee. 


We ask that you would be praying for this family in the coming months-
*For wisdom in the days ahead as they need to make quick and potentially difficult decisions. 
*Pray for paperwork to move quickly so that they can bring this boy into the US for the medical care he desperately needs. 


If you would like further information on how you can help bring this boy home, please contact us at onefamily@frazerumc.org or Sonia directly, at mommyof4jays@msn.com.