[ourdreamcametru]

Today we had a kick off luncheon at our church to promote our new Adoption Ministry, "One Love, Many Lives." DH and and I as well as 4 other adoptive families are on the team making up this ministry, all have adopted, some International, some foster and some biracial and of course we are domestic. It was exciting to see who all was interested, some who just "discovered" that themselves AND their spouse had privately been praying about adoption to complete their families!!
Our church, rather large with over 3000 members, is planning to fund 1/3 of up to three adoptions a year. ( canidates must be members of our church for at least one year, christians, homestudy approved etc) The family will have to also come up with 1/3 as well as work with an outside group like Shaohannah's Hope (Steven Curtis Chapman) which will help with 1/3 of expenses. I'm just over joyed to be a part of this ministry team and looking forward to where God will lead the people of our church in taking care of the orphens.

[vernellinnj]

Wonderful. Good luck with the ministry!

[arubagirl]

wow, sounds great I would love to start something like this in our church... We have many foster parents, and adoptive parents. how did you get started?

[ourdreamcametru]

arubagirl, this is actually a vision that our minister has had for some time, our church covers every other area, widows, needy, etc so he felt like we were missing the orphans so the ministry team was started. Even though we have a huge church membership, there are really not that many adopted children there maybe 8/10 families that have adopted.

[lglysson]

orphan definition from Websters-

Main Entry: 1or·phan
Pronunciation: \ˈȯr-fən\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin orphanus, from Greek orphanos; akin to Old High German erbi inheritance, Latin orbus orphaned
Date: 15th century
1 : a child deprived by death of one or usually both parents
2 : a young animal that has lost its mother
3 : one deprived of some protection or advantage <orphans of the storm>
4 : a first line (as of a paragraph) separated from its related text and appearing at the bottom of a printed page or column

— orphan adjective

— or·phan·hood \-ˌhu̇d\ noun

A pregnant woman with a adoption plan does not carry an orphan. A child in foster care is not necessarily an orphan. An orphan is a child who has lost their parents by death. I just wanted to clarify the definition. The term is very specific.

Blessings

[ourdreamcametru]

I totally understand the meaning of orphan and you are right, the majority of children placed for adoption are not orphans, although many are. As I am sure the people who our church helps adopt will mostly adopted children who have atleast one birthparent living, some will adopt children who are orphans. In James 1:27 we are instructed to "look after orphans and widows" and that is what our ministry will do, also including any other child who needs an adoptive family to call their own.

[lglysson]

then your adoption ministry is helping placed children, foster children and orphans.

[Nevada Jen]

This is one of those questions that is hard to ask in writing because my kind tone might not come through but does it bother you that your church considers your child an orphan? I know a little of her story and it is simlar to my son's story. I don't think of him as an orphan. He has birthparents who could not care for him. It would honestly get my hackles up enough that I would find another church if my church started something like that.

[ourdreamcametru]

No, it doesn't bother me because my church does not consider my child an orphan! I think that the whole ministry is being designed to follow what the bible teaches, to help the widows and orphans, but that does not mean that every family that is helped through the ministry has to adopt a child who has lost their birthparents, just that they are placed in a good, loving, christian home. We are ALL adopted, into God's family, orphaned or not

[bluebonnet_72]

I think any child who needs a family can safely be considered an "orphan" when considering the intent of this verse. If an older woman didn't have family meeting her needs, and needed a leaky roof fixed, do you really think it would matter if she was a widow or had never been married? The verse is a commandment to care for the most vulnerable and needy in society.
Your own definition list includes those who are "deprived of some protection or advantage." Foster children, or children in "orphanages" overseas, are most definately deprived of protection.
Our adoption/foster care ministry at our church also uses James 1:27 as it's theme verse. Any child in need is certainly covered under the intent of this verse.

[ourdreamcametru]

Thank you bluebonnet, you said just what I was trying to say!!!

[lglysson]

an orphan is someone who has lost a parent through death. Anyone who is deprived of protection can be an orphan of that event ie. a storm. A baby placed for adoption, whether through voluntary placement, or foster care is not an orphan. We as Christians aren't saving "orphans" when we adopt, unless it is through the death of a parent(s).
Blessings

[Nevada Jen]

Thanks. That gives me a better understanding of why some adoptive parents would not be offended.

[kelceesmom]

That is very exciting. I can't wait to hear how it goes for you. What a wonderful project your church is taking on. Wish more would help out in this manner. Good luck

[Yash]

How wonderful you are part of this ministry. And how great that your church is actively involved in helping with adoptions.