"His Heart for Orphans" Adoption Ministry

We are in the process of moving everything to this site www.hisheartfororphans.org

Adoption Fellowship Pictures

What an awesome group!!!!! Love them and miss the ones who couldn't make it!!!!!

"What? You want a picture of ME!!!!!"

Jace!! Tooooo sweeeet!!!!!

HHFO's newest addition!! Chuck and Sally's precious son!

Lookin good, Heath! and sweet Olivia!

another awesome and handsome husband and Dad doing lunch duty!

another awesome and handsome Dad showing some love to some cute boys!

New Mommy!!

Handsome Daniel from Uganda!!

Some of the awesome Dads in our group along with some of the little ones!
And My Man, you are lookin good!! (from me Aimee' to you Tommy!)

Love this!!

Some of the most beautiful Moms of the group!! HA!! no seriously we are perttie!!

Ok, I messed up this picture at the bottom so will need to redo!

Olivia and Zoë representing Taiwan and Peru!!!!!

Two peas in a pod..... or actually a sit and spin!

It's F O O T B A L L time!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful Patricia and handsome Christian!!!!!

Mommy time!! or lovin-me-some-baby time!!

Beautiful Patricia again and her other handsome son Daniel!

Adoption Fellowship at Park!

We enjoyed an absolutely beautiful fellowship day yesterday: swinging, football, sliding, sandbox, climbing, eating and having lots of fun!!!!! Here is our group picture! We will post more pictures tomorrow!

"His Heart for Orphans" Adoption Fund and Much More.....

Team Blog Post from Carole:

2010 is shaping up to be an exciting time of growth for "His Heart for Orphans", the Adoption Ministry of Healing Place Church. I would like to tell you about all the ways YOU can be involved in this vital ministry.

YES, even if you have not adopted a child, you can still be involved.

One way HHFO helps families in the process of adopting is through grants. Qualifying HPC families can receive financial assistance to help with adoption expenses. BUT we can only give out what funds we have available in the grant fund. There is now a link where anyone wanting to donate to this fund can do so. The image above is our new widget that you can click on and it takes you to the credit card donation page.

Please consider adding this widget to your blog side bar/and or Facebook page so that visitors to your blog or Facebook page, can also give.

There are also several different adoption related outreaches of HHFO. Below you will find the links (and again, these are widgets you can take for your blog/facebook) to information about these different meetings and how they help and encourage families before, during and after the adoption process.

If you have questions please Email adoption@healingplacechurch.org

Matt's Need our Help with Uganda Adoption!

Our friends Chris and Meghan Matt need our help! Please read below!

Taken from Carole's blog:

My dear friends and BRDC kids church leader Meghan and Chris Matt are in the middle of adopting 3 year old Moses from Uganda. Meghan has been in Uganda for 10 days. Yesterday Meghan, along with 25 other families, received word that the U.S. government would no longer grant visa's to children from Uganda.

THIS is very bad. Most of these parents have already been declared the legal parents of these children by the Ugandan courts BUT if they can't get visa's then that means they can not be brought into the U.S. That means that Meghan and the other families will not be able to bring their children home unless this changes.

Please Please Please help these families.

HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW,

If you are a Louisiana resident, we have a friend in Washington, Mary Landrieu. She is the co sponsor of the Equality for Adopted Children Act. PLEASE contact her and ask her to intervene on behalf of these children.

landrieu.senate.gov

This is the letter I sent to her, you can copy and paste it just take out my personal stuff..

Hello Senator Landrieu.

Thank you so much for your work on behalf of children adopted internationally to have the same rights as other American citizens.We adopted our 7 year old son from Ethiopia last year.

Unfortunately we have a crisis situation right now with adoptions in Uganda. My dear friend, a Baton Rouge Louisiana resident, Meghan Matt, is in Uganda waiting to bring her son home. She, along with 25 other families, were told yesterday that they would not receive Visa's for their children to return to the U.S. with them. These children have been declared the legal responsibility of the U.S. parents by a Ugandan judge but the U.S. government has now decided they will no longer grant Visa's for these children. The U.S. government is requesting that the judge rewrite all adoptions granted to state that the child is now a U.S. citizen. In the mean time we have 25 families, already in Uganda for weeks, waiting to bring their children home. Including one child with HIV who is very underweight and in need of medical care. Is there any way you can help?

contact local media and tell them about this situation,

WBRZ channel 2

WAFB channel 9

Also, join EACH through equalityforadoptedchildren.org, put "Uganda" in the comments. The more numbers and proof of effected people the better.

I will keep you all posted on any new developments as I receive them.

Check Meghan and Chris's blog HERE

And this blog is written by the parents of baby girl Sarah Elizabeth, who is HIV+ and one of the 25 kids trying to get home from Uganda.

PRAY!!

Haiti Adoptions and Questions!

We have gotten several emails from families expressing their desire to adopt Haiti orphans since the tragic earthquake. We are directing all families to Paul Pennington's post. There is also another great post from Michael Robison. Both of these are great resources for any family thinking about adopting from Haiti. Also you can keep up to date with Haiti adoption information at the Joint Council of International Children Services. We are also looking into more ways that HHFO can get involved to help the Haiti orphans. Stay tuned for more info!

Also, if you want to know all the different ways to help Haiti, you can visit Healing Place Church Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts!

The Doughty's China Doll!

"Here she is!!! God is good. She was timid at first, but soon the boys had her LAUGHING with the infamous stacking cups."

You can go here for the most wonderful updates on this adoption!! Oh! She is beautiful!!

Bill Frist Needs

Needs in #Haiti (by tomorrow night): orthoped supplies - small fragmnt set x 15. (3.5 mm screws), Large fragmnt set x 15. (4.5mm screws).


Addl needs by tmrw night: Extnl fixators-large size for 150 patients (rods, metal connectors, and Shantz screws) Zimmer and Synthes makes

The Doughty's are going to China to adopt their daughter!

"We have a daughter!"

click link above for the rest of this beautiful story!

The Doughty's will be leaving to adopt their precious daughter in China this week!! See more below.....

"WE'RE GOING TO CHINA!!!"

"TICKETS ARE PAID FOR...WE LEAVE NEXT THURSDAY!!!!
I have so much to share...I'll post it all soon!! Thanks for all the prayer...this battle was hard fought, and I appreciate all the support!! Jennifer"

So excited for you guys!! To keep up with their China adoption you can visit their family blog, My Three Sons and our little China Doll, and please keep them in your prayers!

How to help Haiti?

Haiti: How You Can Help?

I copied this from Carole who copied from Pastor Dino's blog,

After much prayer and discussion with our partners in ministry, we now have a plan of action for our response to the crisis in Haiti caused by the recent earthquake. It is reportedly the worst natural disaster in the western hemisphere in the last 200 years. The magnitude of destruction is still unfolding but we can be sure of this – this is a time when the body of Christ has an opportunity to stand up and engage a need by shining the light of hope and the love of Jesus in Haiti.

Here’s what we’d like to invite you to do with us:

1. Join Churches Across the World on Monday Night in Prayer For Haiti – Together with Pastor Stovall Weems and Awakening we are making a call for churches everywhere to pray this Monday night for Haiti. We encourage you to invite your church to pray. Open the doors of your church and ask your people to come and pray specifically for Haiti.

At Healing Place Church this Monday, January 18 at 7:00 p.m. CST, we’ll host an evening of special prayer for Haiti at our Highland Campus in Baton Rouge, LA. We’ll also stream this event live online here. We encourage you to help spread the word and join in from wherever you are.

If you’re on twitter, please use the hashtag #pray4Haiti to help spread the word.

2. Engage the Immediate Needs by Giving – There are two main ways you can give to help the relief effort in Haiti.

Give financially.
You can give online at http://healingplacechurch.org/haiti or by giving directly to our partners, Samaritan’s Purse and Joyce Meyer Ministries.

Give relief supplies.
If you’re in the Baton Rouge area, you can bring relief supplies (listed below) to:

Healing Place Church Highland Campus
19202 Highland Road in Baton Rouge.
Items will be collected now through Monday, January 18
6:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

For those outside the Baton Rouge area, you can send mail your donated items to:

Love A Child
Attn: Mike Essman- Haiti Earthquake Medical Donation
9304 Camden Field Parkway
Riverview, FL 33578-0520

We are blessed to have tremendous relationships with ministries that have a long history on the ground in Haiti as well as a wealth of experience in large-scale crisis response. It is through these partnerships that we are able to engage the need in Haiti. Serving together with these ministries in our own experiences of natural disasters and tragedies, we have learned to value their integrity and wisdom very much in these situations. That gives us great confidence that you can trust that what you give will be stewarded well to help the people of Haiti.

3. Prepare for Future Recovery and Rebuilding – These problems Haiti is facing will not go away in just a couple weeks, so we are committed to serving Haiti long-term. We are already beginning to adjust our missions plans for 2010; working in plans to send teams to Haiti to help with the recovery effort. The immediate emergency situation in Haiti doesn’t present an opportunity for us to put teams on the ground to serve. But in 60-90 days, there will be tremendous opportunity for teams to serve in Haiti. Please begin praying, and if you feel it is something God wants you to do, begin preparing to serve on a missions team in Haiti sometime in the next few months. Here’s a look at some of projects we intend to send teams for:

Construction and clean-up
Children’s ministry
Pastoral counseling
Medical care
Cooking and feeding

We have some great relationships with people who have friends and connections on the ground in Haiti. We will be connecting with them in planning our missions trips. Pastors, we want to encourage you to do the same as you plan your own missions trips in these coming months. For example, we’ll be connecting with Celebrate Jesus Haiti – a group that cares for 600-1,000 orphans each day. This ministry is led by the mother of our friend Bill Scheer, pastor of Guts Church in Tulsa, OK.

It is moments like these that the body of Christ must work together to engage the need. What better way to communicate the love of our Savior than to respond with hope when people are hurting? And together, we can make a huge difference in this tragic situation.

Thank you for caring, and for putting that care into action. If you would like further information, please feel free to email Mike Haman or call 225-753-2273.

LIST OF ITEMS NEEDED

IMPORTANT: If you’re sending large quantities of supplies, they need to be palletized and shrink-wrapped for shipping, with an inventory of items included. Personal donations of smaller quantities can be dropped off in person or mailed directly to Love A Child.

Medications:
(These items can be purchased over the counter at any local drug store)
Aspirin
Tylenol
Motrin
Children’s and adult multi-vitamin
Benadryl
Neosporin or triple antibiotic
Oral re-hydration salts
Cough medications

Medical Supplies:
(These items can be purchased over the counter at any local drug store)
Ace bandages
Alcohol pads
Band-aids
Betadine wipes and sticks
Drapes
Gauzes – any size
Gloves – all sizes, sterile/non-sterile
Gowns –surgical and patient (head and shoe covers, goggles, masks)
Pediatric supplies
Tape – all types
Thermometers

Other:
(These items can be purchased through a doctor or physicians’ office)
Zantac
Hypertension medications
Blood pressure medications
Blades – sterile only
Needles – butterfly, angio catheter
Compression stockings
Dressings – sterile and un-sterile (Coban, Tegaderm, Steri-Strip, Surgilast)
IV supplies – tubing in sterile packages only
Scalpels
Sponges – surgical only (includes X-ray detectable)
Surgical towels – cloth/paper
Sutures
Syringes
Tongue depressors

Love A Child
Attn: Mike Essman- Haiti Earthquake Medical Donation
9304 Camden Field Parkway


Another way to help: Compassion - rescuing children from poverty

Haiti Earthquake

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

from some of the "His Heart for Orphans" Adoption Ministry families:

the Landry's

the Rohner's

the Turner's

the Slack's

the Poche's

"From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. " John 1:16 NIV

Orphans and Widows!

I think what has touched my heart tremendously this year is how our church has embraced the foster care children of our community! Thank you, HPC, for your heart which mirrors His heart!!!!! This is one story that has found a treasure for an outreach!!!! Check out HPC Servolution outreach and party updates here.

Congratulations Slack's and Rohner's, Orphan Sunday Children's Teaching!

Last night two of our HHFO couples from HealingPlaceChurch were able to dedicate to the Lord their sons that they adopted within days of each other! Adoption!!!!! Adoption is such a beautiful word when seen through the eyes of God! Congratulations, Dina and Heath and Stephanie and Randy!!!!! The Rohner's testimony will be up soon on the right sidebar and the Slack's will have an update to theirs soon as well!! Welcome home, Grey and Hays!!!!! And thanks for the pictures Carole!!!!!

Also, on Friday, Tommy and I were able to receive an advocate award on behalf of HPC's "His Heart for Orphans" Adoption Ministry at our Governor's Mansion by OCS! We definitely received this for all of us (which means you) who have come along side of us to fight for the orphan!!!!!

ORPHAN SUNDAY: We have been so blessed to have pastors that have embraced our vision and desire to bring forth awareness of orphans and adoption! This year has been a tremendous blessing and we have been able to add a little more to our plate (this is good!) about fighting for orphans! Recently we did our first LIVE adoption online q&a via HPC online and then today Meghan Matt was able to share at HPC children's church for all services their families adoption journey of Moses from Africa and share God's heart for orphans! We could not be more excited about all the opportunities God has given us to speak up for the orphan!! Thank You, Lord!!

Adoption Questions and Answers and HPC Online Church

We want to give Dan a HUGE thank you for the opportunity to let us share our hearts on adoption and for all of you who attended the LIVE online Adoption Q&A THANK YOU!!!!! Here is what Dan had to say:

We Win.

Today at 4:37pm
Last night's Live Online Q&A on Adoption was a big win. Tommy and Aimee Poche just really laid it all out about the heart for adoption and what it takes if you're going to go for it. Adoption is such a spiritual thing. It is a picture of what God has done for each of us who have become part of His family. We were once not His, and He took us in and calls us His own now.

And they pointed out that if you're looking for a pain-free way to adopt, you're not likely to find it. There will be challenges... Don't be naive. BUT... God will be with you and there is no comparison to the sense of knowing that you've followed the peace that God gives and guides with, and that you've obeyed Him. And this is true in every part of life, not just adoption: we must be willing to obey God even if it might hurt along the way.

Aimee pointed out the truth that life is a process. What things look like now they will not always be. It's what Wayne Austin (one of our presbyters here at HPC) says all the time: "Now is not forever." The challenges are part of life. But there IS victory, too, when we follow God. We do win.

What's important to know about adoption is whether God is guiding you to do it. The rest is just a matter of obedience. The cost, the questions about the challenge, the concerns about what relatives and others may think... all of that is secondary to just following where God is leading.

There's so much wisdom in what Tommy and Aimee shared. If you missed the Q&A or if you're interested in knowing more from Tommy and Aimee, please make sure to connect with them at their website: His Heart For Orphans.

And... we're so excited about the new message series at Healing Place Church Online. This week, Pastor Dino Rizzo kicks it off with a message that already has helped so many people. It is a message about dealing with the tactics of the enemy who is bent on destroying souls. We do have a path to victory. We don't have to succumb to the attack by the enemy.

We win. In the end, if we hold on to Jesus and surrender to Him completely, we do win.

Join us Tuesday night at 8pm CST and Friday morning at 11am CST for our online church experiences - and let someone know they can meet you there! It all happens here at http://online.healingplacechurch.org.