† Check Us Out!!

It's been a good week for JHAM! First the radio signing and today Joy and I met with our city mayor, Cathie Smith to sign a proclamation for our city to recognize November as National Adoption Month! Woo Hoo!!!! After our broadcast on the radio station they have been using bits and pieces of our recording for public service announcements. How cool is that?! Joy got the chance to go back to the station to record even another PSA. It's brought attention to our cause in ways we never expected. We've had individuals send text messages, offer commercial space for a 'headquarters', individuals coming to us showing their interest. It's completely amazing. We've even had individuals share with us that they themselves were adopted and thought what we were doing was terrific. That to me is something.
I think decades ago adoption was not considered or if you did adopt it was taboo. You didn't discuss it and people had a different view of adoption than they do now. I like living in the now!!! After our little visit with the mayor Joy had to go back to work and I had most of the day to spread the word. I started delivering information to area churches and presenting pastors with a letter, brochures, flyers and a CD with a slideshow to share with their congregation. To plead with them to share the message on orphan Sunday and invite their churches to the open house. I just know, like Joy has said that there are people in our community that God is about to call to adopt. He is about to open their hearts and their lives to an indescribable joy they never imagined. We're excited to be a part of it!!! Here is the video that Joy made for our ministry. Enjoy!

We're movin' movin' movin'!!!! We missed Melinda this morning very much but were so happy to bypass this milestone. Joy and I were discussing earlier this week that we must really, REALLY be onto something here. A real movement that pleases our Lord more than we can imagine. There are great things in store for us because the devil is doing everything he can to attempt to prevent our work. Deaths in our families, sick kids, sick spouses, possible job loss in our families. It just keeps coming. But we aren't disturbed by this. As Joy loves to say, "We're disturbed from complacency!" I just like that we're disturbed! lol :)

† Orphan Sunday

Mark your calendars!!!! November 8th is Orphan Sunday and JHAM will be hosting an open house to share information with our community and surrounding area to raise awareness of the orphan crisis!

We will have presentations from various organizations, informational packets from adoption agencies, speakers that range from agency reps to seasoned adoptive parents. We will even have profiles of waiting children that are available for adoption! You never know when a little face in a photo will steal your heart away! :o)

Date: November 8, 2009
Time: 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Location: Grundy County Senior Center
Trenton, Missouri

Please come, share your foster/adoptive experience with others, or if you are interested in adoption pick up some information and contact numbers for those who can get your started on your journey to a new family with one of God's children. We look forward to meeting you!

† We're LIVE!

Today was an exciting day, and even though we missed Melinda bunches it was great to see and hear the response from our ministry.

Today our website went live! Woo Hoo!!! :) It's awesome and we'd like to thank bludomain.com for donating a template and one year of hosting in order for us to have a 'real website'. I love being a computer geek and building the site and adding our information is just a bonus! :)

Also, we gave a presentation/talk on "KTTN's Open Line" in our hometown. John Anthony, station manager/owner invited us to share our ministry on the radio! 92.1 FM and he shared that on weekday mornings like we debuted we probably reached approximately 10-15,000 listeners! How exciting is that?! Seems silly to some, but to know that so many people heard our message and what we're about is great news for us three girls! Even if we reached just one person that felt compelled to follow their heart and brings home a child, it's one less orphan in the world! We would like to thank John and the staff at KTTN for hosting us this morning and we're looking forward to coming back later this week to record our public service announcement.

After our broadcast we were even offered a commercial space for business! Maybe someday that would be awesome! I know that we all have the heart for this mission and would love nothing more than making it a career but right now we know the reality of our responsibilities with our careers and families as well. So, stay tuned, one day you may see a big sign and a painted window for the headquarters of Joint Heirs Adoption Ministry! I can picture walls covered with photos of children who have found their forever families! Incredible.....

† Employee Benefits

Some of you may be aware already, others may be searching...reading that vast, seamingly endless wealth of knowledge on the world wide web only to become even more confused and overwhelmed... there are benefits available through some employers to help pay for the cost of adoption.

I have been researching several sites, going to actual verified employer sites looking to see if they provide their employees with adoption grants. So many I've researched have not, my own husbands included I'm afraid. Being self-employed as I am, I guess I provide adoption funding but it's something I'm working for.... It's called a paycheck. :)

Then I found this resource EMPLOYER ADOPTION BENEFITS Click on the link and see if you can find your employer listed. Remember, just because they are not listed doesn't mean they don't provide benefits. Check with your personnel office to make sure. I'd also recommend if your employer does not provide adoption benefits that we try to make a difference and make a change with our companies.

You see, while the cost of adoption can be a daunting and overwhelming part of the process it should never be a deciding factor in your choice to go ahead or not. There are so many avenues for financing and we truly believe that if God has led you to this important decision in your life, He has tugged at your heart and you are stepping out in faith to follow His command, that He will see you through it. He will provide.

But it also doesn't hurt to do your part to make it a success either! :) The hardest thing for me to understand and it's downright disappointing is that employers like McDonald's, Domino's Pizza, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, even the "Book of the Month Club, Inc." provides not only leave but actual financial support in the way of grants to it's employees...... yet my husband's employer, the great State of Missouri does not. Our own state agencies, some that even advocate for adoption and foster care and support those adopting through the foster system as licensed foster/adoptive parents does not support it's own employees by assisting with adoption. Creating forever families for orphans. Does that seem a bit confusing or disappointing to anyone else?

Remember this list was developed by the site it links to and your employer may not be listed, or some of the benefits listed may have changed. It's definitely something worth investigating! Watch for more funding/fundraiser resources in the future!

Advocating...
Renea

† What Now?

† 147 Million

Most people will tell you when they begin their journey to adopt that they don't have the money, but God will provide. Which in every situation I have heard about or read about there's not one single family that has complained that they couldn't do it. That God didn't help them.

There are 147 Million orphans in the world. You may not be able to save them all, but you can save one. If you don't feel led to save one (or perhaps two!) on your own.... you can save dozens, hundreds even! By supporting those that choose to adopt in other ways. Today is one of those opportunities.

147 Million Orphans is a site designed by two mothers with 13 children who are bringing orphans home and giving them a family and feeding those left behind waiting for families. They are running a special for the next 48 hours before they launch a new 'web store' selling t-shirts, bags and more to raise funds for adoption expenses. Check them out, buy a great tee and support the children. I bought two! :) LOVE the designs! Plus, it would make a great gift for someone and Christmas time is a'comin! Blessings today.

Advocating....
Renea

† Advocating for Ecuador

While visiting with Amanda from Visiting Orphans (VO) about their programs and trying to set our church up with an orphanage in Africa she expressed an immediate need for an orphanage in Ecuador. She has been working closely with their administrators and they have had their funding cut off by their government and are in immediate need of assistance.

If you are a leader in your church with a missions committee or family ministry, or know an organization in your community who could partner with this orphanage for their needs please contact me or Amanda at Visiting Orphans to help. After reviewing their programs at VO and talking with Amanda you simply 'adopt' the orphanage. Your church groups or individuals can make vision or mission trips to the orphanage once a year (or more if you want!) and help with their needs financially as well as other items they may need. For example if something breaks down at the orphanage such as a washer or refrigerator and they don't have the means to repair it, your church group would fund this expense or raise money to help with the costs. You're caring for the children as well as the facility. Cards and letters, pictures can be sent back and forth between your group and the children.

If you are interested in helping and partnering with this orphanage please contact us and we can send you more information and even photos of the children. They are beautiful children!!! I don't know that I can share them here now, but will check with Amanda.

We are commanded by God to help the least of these, and sometimes an effort like this seems like the LEAST we can do.

† Advocating
Renea

† New Blogs

I know we all have plenty to do no matter what our day involves, but sometimes you just gotta stop and smell the roses... I mean read the blogs! :) They are daily inspiration for me and sometimes devotional, and almost always just a chance to bring a little extra joy into my life. Hope you find this week's blogs as inspiring as I did!

• Do They Have Salsa in China? These twin girls crack me up!!! They will keep you smiling and laughing for days just remembering the funny things they do and say. From their post this morning "No Man" I literally LOL...yep, I started laughing out loud and Tanner ask what was so funny.
• Blessings From Ethiopia has many posts that make you think. The questions and doubts you may have about family size, or birth order, sibling groups, older kids adoption, these people have it down pat. :) They had three biological children and then adopted a sibling group of three. Then ANOTHER sibling group of three. Nine children. They are amazing and a blessing to read their blog.
• Blessed is a family of 9. Seven children total, only two birth children and the rest born in their hearts. Joy has some amazing posts, one of which you'll need to scroll down for when she was ask by a checkout clerk in the store if she treats her children differently because some are adopted. I myself have to remember that people only ask questions like this because they don't know. It's our job to enlighten others and advocate for adoption. It's a wonderful gift from God, just as our own biological children are.

† Imagine...

Read this on Trina's blog....

I didn't write this story and actually not sure who did. The author, more than likely has been where most of us have been at one point...the fears of the unknown. If God has called us to something, He will hold our hand every step of the way. After we surrender to God and obey his calling on our lives...in any area...., fear is lifted....and many, many blessings flow. Obedience. Trust. Faith. PEACE.

Imagine with me for a minute…

Right now, today… you are small and alone.

You are hungry and lost.

You have no home, no parents, and seemingly no future.

You are scared, and weak, from days without food. You have nowhere to go, nowhere to be.

People walk by you but they don’t even look your way. It’s like you are invisible, nothing.

You keep walking, your feet are bleeding and sore… and yet still you manage to cling to the small bit of hope, the little voice inside your head that says maybe, just maybe, one day things will get better.

Maybe one day -you will matter.

It is getting dark outside- inside your fear is growing.

Where will you go?

Your heart is beating faster, and your fear becomes overwhelming, consuming your every thought.

Then you see it, a dirty, broken cardboard box and you bow your head thanking God for His provision.

For you have found it- shelter.

Safety, if only for one night.

You slip underneath it, hugging yourself, vowing once again not to cry- because by now you know tears are a waste of your strength.

Your eyes become heavy, despite the sweltering temperature.

As you begin to drift off to sleep you pray, hoping, dreaming, of a family of your own one day...

of a place where you will matter...

to someone.


Somewhere else in the world is a family...

They are just sitting down to dinner together.

They are smiling and their laughter fills the room.

Dinner is served and they bow their heads and they pray- thanking God for their many blessings… their home, their job, the food that is set before them.

They lift their heads and go back to the laughter and the joy.

They talk of their upcoming vacation plans, the lunch date they shared with a friend today and the movie they plan to see this coming weekend.

More laughter, more excitement, more.

As the leftovers are scraped into the garbage can and the table is cleaned up, hot bubble bathes are taken by all.

Evening settles in, and the family slips under their down comforters preparing for a good night's sleep.

Before turning out the lights, the husband leans over to kiss his wife good-night. She shyly smiles at him and begins to tell him that she has been feeling that perhaps God is calling them to adopt.

The room grows quiet as they are both lost in their own thoughts… their minds are flooded with questions, concern, and then inevitably -fear.

How could they manage?
Another child?
Why, they already have two!
Where would they put the child?
Who would share a room?
How could they afford to adopt?
Would they be able to take that vacation?
What would people think?
What if the child, you know, caused ‘problems’?

As their eyelids become heavy, they begin to drift off to sleep... and they think to themselves ‘surely not’.

Surely God knows this is not convenient.

Surely God wants them to take that vacation they deserve...

Surely he knows how busy they are.

They have plans and they have dreams.

As sleep overcomes them, the temperature in their master bedroom is perfect… and their pillows are fluffed to perfection.

Life is good for them, just as they had planned...

Because after all, they matter...


Too much...


to themselves.

Some Christians will not be called to adopt but what can we do for the orphans? Could we encourage a family that is adopting? Could we sponsor an orphan? Each of us need to ask God for direction and what He would have us do for the least of these.

And maybe your child is waiting on you.

† Meah's Story

The following story was written by our co-founder Melinda for No Hands But Ours. (No Hands But Ours was the vision of a mother of 9, 4 (and one on the way) from China with special needs, whose passion continues to be finding homes for the children left behind. Stefanie saw the need for a site that would provide education, resources, and encouragement for families considering SN adoption, as well as advocacy for children who still wait for their families.)


by Melinda, mom to Meah from China with hemifacial microsomia

When my husband and I were in the process of adopting again, we had looked at all the programs and chose to adopt minor special needs from Vietnam. We also thought we would adopt a 2 to 4 year old... little did we know. While waiting, I would always look at the waiting children, even the ones from the other countries.



In October of 2007, a new China waiting child list came out and I began looking at the list and saw this little girl that I could not quit thinking about. I just felt this instant connection. After 2-3 weeks, I showed my husband her picture and he also felt a connection. I knew that we both felt something, but there seemed to be so many obstacles. For one, she was 7 years old. Our sons were 6 and 3 and our daughter was 4, this would completely disrupt the birth order. Secondly, we knew nothing about her medical condition. The left side of her face was malformed and she had a little ear on the left side of her face. My husband said, "Let's just look at her file, no one else has even looked at her file." So that's what we did. The Monday before Thanksgiving, Mark requested her file from CHI.



We looked at the file and didn't see any other medical condition, except for her little face and ear. Our pediatrician was out of town for Thanksgiving, but we left the file for her to review. I also had an ENT review the file and the ENT forwarded the file onto a specialist. I think we had all ready made up our minds, but the specialist said, "She will have to undergo several surgeries, but there is no reason that she can't be a healthy, happy child." Once our pediatrician returned from the holiday, she said, "This is very do-able, I have another patient with this condition and she does great!" Enough said, oh, but one more obstacle...a little boy who prides himself on being the oldest. I set down with my son and I showed him the picture of the little girl, we have come to know as Meah, and said, "This little girl is one year older than you, but dad and I think she would be a good fit for our family. "What do you think?" He said, "She looks sad and I think she needs a family and we have a great family." That was all we needed and we asked to adopt her.

That's when the paperwork craziness started. Since we weren't even in the China program, we basically had to start from square 1, but it was worth it. On July 28, 2008, we met our Meah for the first time and she was truly incredible. This is not true with every adoption, but Meah had little adjustment. She was very happy to have parents and be on her way home. Once home, we went to the children's hospital to be evaluated. We were told before we went to China that Meah most likely had Goldenhaar's Syndrome. Once she was evaluated by the plastic surgeon, she was diagnosed with hemifacial microsomia, which basically means the left side of her face is underdeveloped. She has good hearing in her right ear and we found out that her left side is capable of hearing, but she has no outlet. She has had phase 1 of the BAHA (bone anchored hearing aide) surgery completed and will be able to use the left side to hear at a normal range. We are expecting a surgery in January to start moving her left jaw forward and then approximately 8 weeks after that surgery she will have a major reconstruction surgery. There will be more surgeries and orthodontic care, but we're taking it one step at a time.


Meah has a truly incredible spirit. Before we went to China, I told my husband, that we all ready know we love her, all she has to do is love us, it's her choice. She has definitely made a choice to be a part of a family, to show love, and to love God. Fortunately, there has been little adjustment for us, it was like she always belonged here, but hadn't found her way. As one of our friends said, "She is the missing piece to your puzzle."


Our family blog is www.copelandsaplenty.blogspot.com. If you have any questions, leave a comment on our blog with your e-mail address.

† Featured Agency

Something to keep your interest up until the website is complete.... I'm sharing adoption agencies. Their links and contact info so you can check them out for yourselves to see if they might be a fit for your family to start your journey to a forever family.

All God's Children International is a Christian non-profit organization that has been in business for 18 years. Started by a couple who themselves adopted from Russia and wanted to continue bringing orphans home to families. They provide international services as well as some domestic services for certain states. I have actually submitted a preliminary application through their website and receive info from them on a regular basis even though I have not officially started the adoption process. Everyone I've spoke with was very pleasant and eager to help. You can check them out by clicking the link above or the photo link below.

We will also have information and packets available from their organization at our open house on November 8th, recognizing Orphan Sunday.

• Please remember the content through the internet links made available through this website shall not be construed to reflect the official position, policy or endorsement JHAM regarding the organizations, opinions or doctrines of the groups or organizations described. Links supply information on these organizations provided by the organizations themselves.

† AB's

What are AB's you ask? Adoptive Bloggers! I thought it would be a great idea to share once a week a new blogging family and their journey with adoption. I've yet to find anyone who said they regretted their decision to follow the call of their Lord in expanding their family. Not one who said they wish they wouldn't have done it. :) So, for those of you still sitting on the fence maybe there will be stories of encouragement or maybe just the smile of a certain child that melts your heart into submission. Encouraging, promising, loving, inspiring....that's what these blogs are to me. I hope you enjoy them too. Since we're just starting out, you definitely need at least a couple of places to surf right? So I'm sharing three new sites this week. Enjoy!

• Our first is No Matter What. Visit the Neil family and their two daughters from China. They are in the process of adopting their third daughter. Awesome blog, beautiful girls! Great photography! Someday I wish I could meet all these wonderful people.

• Take your next click on over to Longing for Lucy Lane and visit the Johnson Family. This is one of my personal favorites. I visit Kristi's blog daily and their daughter Lucy Lane from Africa is so stinkin' cute and you will just fall in love with their family that includes 4 biological children as well. Her sisters have adopted from Africa also and her older sister Kelly is a huge advocate for orphans and adoption also. You'll find many awesome links in her sidebar.

• Next, head on over to Building Blocks and visit Todd and Amy. They have 7 children. To quote Amy, "4 the regular old way, 2 adopted internationally from Guatemala, 1 adopted through the foster system." Beautiful family and Amy has developed a fund called Pass It Forward Adoption. Her family has an 'adoption jar' that they put extra money into as well as take donations and pass it forward to other families needing funding during their adoption process. You're gonna love this blog too.

I hope these families will inspire you. It helps to see others I think and their life experiences. Knowing you can adopt weather you have no children yet, have small children, or a whole house full. God will bless you when you follow Him. Wherever you are in your journey to adoption, we pray for you today. Happy Monday!

Advocating....
Renea

† It's Coming Together!

With lots of hard work (which seems to come so easily for us), determination and prayer we are getting things off the ground!

A website is being designed at this time. We are scheduled to do a live radio show coming up October 26th. We're taking our mission to the ministerial alliance next week for our local churches to spread the word about Orphan Sunday and our open house is being planned. There's going to be lots of information, fellowship and raffles/silent auctions. We're so excited and can't wait to share with everyone we know!

Spread the word to your friends and family! We look forward to meeting you/hearing from you soon!

Following His Lead--
JHAM ♥