Guest Post: Going Back for More

Donnie Manis is a follower of Jesus, orphan care advocate, member of Frazer, and die-hard Alabama fan. His heart is tied to the people of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, after he went on a mission trip there a few years ago.  He went with the intention of escorting his niece on the trip and instead, his life was changed forever. He has been back to Addis Ababa every year since.  Today he share with us why he continues to go back.  You can read more from Donnie on his blog here.


It was a normal December day less than four years ago. My phone rang at work and I recognized the number. It was my niece Brooke. 

I had promised to take her on a trip for graduation. She was calling to tell me that she wanted to go on a mission trip. 

To Africa.

Africa? Umm, ok. 

I’ve got to confess that in my 50 years I had never once had a thought that I wanted to set foot on African soil. I was so proud of her for wanting to do this, but this was intimidating. Maybe her mom would tell us she couldn’t go.  

I am so glad she didn’t. 

Through the wisdom and heart of this teenager, God moved my heart and gave me an incredible love for the children of a community on the west side of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  A place called Korah.  Out of a two-week trip, we only spent two days in Korah. But God spoke to me and I knew I would be back. 

We spent time with a ministry that was doing a summer camp (VBS-like) program for the children, and setting up a programs that would allow many of them to break the cycle and get an education while hearing the Good News. 

This summer I will be going back for the fourth time.  I can’t stay away. 

There are some who would say, why? 

Why keep going back to visit the same children? 

Why not donate money rather than spend it going over there? 

What good are you doing by seeing them one week a year?

Fair questions.  I could probably write a book about why I believe God is leading me to travel across the world to see these people again and again. Or I could just quote James 1:27. But here are just a few reasons I keep going back:

Well, James 1:27…and dozens of other passages about God’s heart for the oppressed. Actually, not just dozens of isolated passages, but a theme – a thread – running through the entire Bible. Jesus came to rescue us when we were most helpless, just as the God of Israel had done throughout the Old Testament. He didn’t just send us provisions to meet our needs; he came in person. We are called to do the same. There is no substitute for a smile, a kind word, a touch, and time spent with someone. I don’t know about you, but my greatest need is to know I’m loved. There’s nothing that says, “I love you” like a personal visit.

I think we have fallen into the trap of believing that money solves all problems. We believe it about our own lives – if I just had a little more, I’d be happy. Well, it’s not true for us and it’s not true for them. Yes, financial support is important. But it is no substitute for what happens when they see a bus roll down their street full of Christ-followers who cared enough to come spend time with them and share “not only the gospel of God, but our lives as well.” (1 Thessalonians 2:8)

I can’t share my life with them without ever seeing them. I love my friends who are investing their lives in these children full time. This is so important, because I’m fooling myself if I think one week a year is going to change the lives of the people in Addis.  Right? 

Wrong..... if my visits encourage the hearts of those God is using there 365/24/7, then yes, it is making a difference. I’m talking about both the leaders who were born in Addis and devoted their lives to changing their community and those from other countries who have been called to live there full time. I go each year praying that something about my visit will help my friends there lift up Jesus and change the lives of the children. It’s not hit-and-run ministry; it’s a small part in a bigger plan. 

To the extent that I remember that, I can get excited about how God is using me without getting a false sense that I have to save everyone because I have limited time. I am there to serve the people God has placed there.

It changes me. 

God has worked through my Africa experience to give me heart for orphans in our community. My eyes have been opened to needs all around me, and it began when he opened my eyes to the needs of children 8,000 miles away. 

I have a much greater view of how big God is and his plan for the nations because I’ve seen his work among the people of Addis. If you want to really see the heart of God, spend time with the people he has a heart for.

Those are just a few reasons – well, looking back maybe I did write a book! But there’s just so much to say. God is more awesome, merciful, loving, powerful, and wise than I ever imagined before July 2010.  And I owe that to my dear friends in Ethiopia.

And so I keep going back for more.

ONEfamily Chick-Fil-A Spirit night!

Eat Chicken.  Help a family with their adoption! 

ONEfamily is hosting a Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night this Tuesday, March 19th from 5-7pm at their Eastchase location. 

By simply dining at Chick-fil-a, you are helping a Frazer family in the adoption process!  Adoption can be expensive and this is an easy way to be a part of bringing a child into a forever family.  

Frazer UMC has teamed up with Lifesong for Orphans to open an Lifesong Adoption Fund.  Members of Frazer currently in the adoption process can apply for a matching grant through this fund, which will help defray the costs of adoption. 

Chick-Fil-A will donate 20% of the proceeds to the Frazer Lifesong Fund.  

When ordering at the counter or the drive-thru, please be sure to indicate that you are there for the "Spirit Night," so the money is properly allocated.  

We hope to see you there! 

Foster Care Q&A: The Basics

This is the first post in a series about Foster Care.  It can be a scary, mysterious topic and often carries a lot of preconceived misconceptions about it.  ONEfamily would like to address the concerns and questions that you may have about the process. 

Let's start with some of the basics! 

1. Who can become Foster Parents? 

• Adults (In Alabama, it's 19 years old and up)
• Married Couples
• Singles

2.  What is required to become a Foster Parent? 

• Background Checks
• Child Abuse and Neglect Forms 
• Home Study and Home Visit by the Social Worker
• Classes (In AL you are required to complete a 10-week, 30 hour class)
• Your home meets the state standards for eligibility to foster

3.  What are the types of Foster Parents? 

• Respite Parents - Provide short-term care for foster children.  Respite trained foster parents can take emergency placements for a few days, weekend, or a week.  When full-time foster parents need a break, have an emergency, or need to leave the state and are unable to take the foster children, Respite Parents provide care for their foster children.  

• Full-time Foster Parents - Licensed to provide care for foster children in their home.  The number of children allowed in the home is dependent on the size of the home and number of bedrooms. 

4. Why are children placed in Foster Care? 

• Neglect - When Social Services investigates a family for neglect allegations and the children are not in imminent danger, then they will often try to put services in place to allow the biological family to continue raising the children.  If those services are not successful and there is no immediate or extended family available to care for them, then the children are removed from the home and put into foster care.

• Abuse - Physical and sexual.  Allegations of abuse that have been confirmed result in the child being removed from the home. 

• Drug or Alcohol Abuse - If the child is born to a mother addicted to drugs and tests positive for the drug, they are taken immediately from the mother and put into foster care. 

• If a biological parent has all of their children currently in foster care and they become pregnant again, the child will immediately be placed into foster care upon their birth. (In the state of Alabama). 

Foster Care Q&A Part 2 coming soon! 

Have more questions after reading this?  Leave them in the comments below or send an email to onefamily (at) frazerumc (dot) org! 

A Few Numbers....

Since ONEfamily began in May of 2011....

24 Frazer foster families have been trained and/or licensed 

35 Foster children have been cared for Frazer Foster Families in the past year

25 Foster “care” bags delivered to foster families to provide immediate needs when a child has been placed.

100 Meals supplied by the members of the ONEfamily support network to foster families that took in a placement of a foster child

20 Meals supplied by the member of the ONEfamily network to the families during the 10 weeks foster care training.

2 Frazer members who are professional photographers take photos of the foster children every three months.  

5 Frazer families in process of adopting domestically or internationally

1 child adopted out of foster care this past year by their foster family

HUNDREDS Of items donated by our ONEfamily network to Frazer foster and adoptive families:  

• Double stroller
• beds
• cribs
• car seats
• dresser
• diapers
• wipes
• clothes
• formula

UNLIMITED The potential our church family has to impact orphans in our city and around the world in the coming years! 

It's Not About You.

That's what a foster mom kindly, but directly, said to me as I gave her the reasons why my husband and I could never foster.

"I could never give them back. We'd get too attached."  I compassionately proclaimed to her.

And all she said was, "It's not about you."

And there you have it.

I didn't take offense to her comment. Because she was right.

There are hundreds of innocent children in our city alone that do not get to make the decisions where they will live.  They have been pulled from their families for safety reasons, but they don't get an opinion as to where to go next.  They have no voice.

But I do.  And I use it a lot.

Unfortunately, it's too often for my own self-promotion.

What if instead of giving excuses as to why foster care isn't for our family, I started advocating for the child who doesn't have a family?

The bible is clear in it's mandate: To be a voice for the orphan.

Foster children are orphans. Whether for a few days, months, or years, they are without their biological family.

There are some great ways to care us to for them. 

1.  Through Foster Care, where children are placed with your family for the short or long term until their family is stable enough to get them back or until they are available to be adopted. 

2. Through Respite Care, where you receive the foster care training and then take children into your home for short periods of time.  (i.e. overnight, the weekend, or a week)  Alabama DHR confirmed they are in great need of Respite Care families as well as foster families.

3. Adopt from the foster care system.  There are over 300 children currently available for adoption in foster care in the state of Alabama. 

Children placed in foster care may not have a voice.  But we do.  

Even greater, we have the ability to give them the structure and love that they desperately need.

Foster care is not a walk in the park.  It can be messy and hard.

But it is also part of the adventure that God calls us to as believers- to care for the orphan.

You may not know yet if this is for your family- but we encourage you to join us and learn more at our ONEfamily Foster Care Q&A on August 1st at 6pm in Room 7207 at Frazer UMC. 

Frazer Foster families will be sharing their experiences and insight about the fostering process.  

If you already know that you are interested in Foster or Respite Care, the next ten-week training course begins September 6th at Frazer.  Please email Leslie at onefamily@frazerumc.org. 

*This is a repost from a July 2011 blog entry at Waiting on a Word.

Learning More.

On any given day, there are approximately 420,000 in foster care across the United States.  


They range in age from newborn to kids in their late teens. 


1,200 enter foster care each day and average about two years in the foster care system. 


These children are placed in foster homes or group homes. 


No matter their age, they don't get to decide where they are placed. 


They have no control and no voice. 


Almost half a million children in foster care. 


Half a million children who have been through trauma and distress that need care and love and stability. 




They need a bed.  


A stable environment. 


A hug. 


A toothbrush. 


Someone to tuck them in at night. 




Children in foster care deserve a chance.  They deserve to be placed in a home where they feel safe and love abounds. 


So I have to ask the question.  


What about YOUR home? 


Could YOU be a family that provides a refuge for children who need safe place to land? 


There is a huge need for full-time foster families AND for respite care families. 


Respite families provide short-term care. They take in children for the a night or two when they first come into care.  They take in foster children for a few days, weekend, or week when their regular foster family needs someone to care for them due to illness, going out of state, or family emergency. 


Both full-time foster care and respite care families take the same amount of training in Alabama.  


BOTH are desperately needed in our state. 


So I have to ask the question.


What about YOUR home? 


Could YOU be a family that provides a refuge, either for a few days or a few years, for children who need a safe place to land? 


If you are interested in learning more about the foster care process, please join us on August 1st at 6pm for a Foster Care Q&A panel.  Foster families from our church will be answering questions about foster and respite care.  The panel will be held at Frazer UMC in Room 7207.  


We would LOVE for you to join us for this informative night. 


Learn more.  Ask questions.  Pray about your role. 


Hope to see you then. 

ONEfamily Updates

ONEfamily is excited to have celebrated the one year anniversary of the ministry! 

Please view the video below to hear from some Frazer families that are involved in orphan care! 

If you are interested in learning more about what the bible says about orphan care, please join us for a six-week summer bible study starting June 6th.  We will be going through the book Orphanology by Rick Morton and Tony Merida. 


If you are interested in this class or would like more information about it, please email us at onefamily@frazerumc.org.