Lifesong for Orphans

The Uchereks from God Etched Your Name on Our Hearts are a family who are also adopting through AGCI from Ethiopia.  They are at a very similar stage as we are in their adoption.  Christi asked us if we could post about Lifesong for Orphans.  We love to be able to use our blog for other orphan care purposes. Please read.  Please pray.  Please support.

The school situation in the town of Ziway, Ethiopia is very inadequate. Many children simply do not have the opportunity to attend school at any level or in any facility. The government schools are overcrowded with up to 75 students per classroom. Private schools tend to be somewhat better, but usually have 40-50 students per class. Whether private or public, the schools are lacking in even the basics. Students must share textbooks and cannot take their textbooks home. Even standard items such as chalk and pencils are in short supply and must be severely rationed.

The caregivers and children recognize the value of a good education. They know that education is critical to their obtaining good employment and providing for themselves and their families. Therefore, it is a priority to Lifesong for Orphans to construct a quality grade school as quickly as possible. One of the essential ways to pull Ethiopia out of its poverty is to educate its citizens.

We all go out of our ways to give our kiddos the very best we possibly can. In Ethiopia, this looks very different than it does for you and me in the US!
Lifesong for Orphans is supporting 3 schools in the Ziway, Ethiopia area. We are currently repairing one of the schools and are in the process of building another, but are hopeful to use all three this fall.

As you start gathering school supplies for your kids, would you consider helping the children in Ziway?

We are in need of new desks, lights, and fixtures!

Current supply shelves:

Current ‘desks’:

New desks needed:

Make a donation here and indicate ‘Ethiopia school needs’ in the description.

To stay up to date on the progress, check back here.

Traveling Kids?

We've been praying and talking a lot about taking the three older kids with us when we eventually travel to Ethiopia.  Many thoughts roll through our heads as we consider it.  To think of them being able to see, smell, touch, hear, and even taste Ethiopia first-hand is very exciting.  For them to be able to really know where their little sister comes from will create an even greater bond with her.  I'm also excited to think of how God will use this in their lives - to broaden their perspective of what's really important in life.  To see a 3rd world country first-hand and be somewhat submerged in their culture for a week or so.  To be reminded of how much we have.  To know that what's really important in life are the things that money can't buy - God, family, love, etc.  Living for God and living to meet the needs of people are really what's ultimately important.  I pray that God uses this in their lives for this purpose.

The additional cost has been ringing in our minds as we consider this.  But we are seeing this as an investment in their lives - an investment as important as education.  This investment will make an imprint on their lives that will last for many, many years.  We also know that Sunshine will miss a week of school.  As a junior, there is much to be missed in a single week.  But we plan to work with the school administrators and work something out.  We know that ten years from now she will remember much more from her trip to Ethiopia than from one week of missed school.

Since we're required to take two trips, we plan to take the twins on one of the trips and Sunshine on the other trip.  I'm excited to think of spending that dedicated time with them traveling - seeing, touching and tasting Ethiopia together.  WOW - I'm ready to go now!  Grandma and Grandpa Nordstrom will stay with the rest of the kids while we're away.  There is still much time before we will travel since we have not even received a referral yet.  But, it is rolling in our minds and we are beginning to think through a lot of the details.  It is all very exciting.

So yesterday we took the Rye-Bread and T-bird to apply for their passports knowing that is an essential piece of the puzzle.  We will take Sunshine on Monday.  She only requires one parent to be there since she is 16 (she qualifies for an adult passport).  Rye-Bread and T-bird qualify for a children's passport since they are 13.  They needed both parents at the courthouse.

We will continue to pray and plan to take them.  If for some reason it doesn't work out, we will be content with that.  For now, though, we are moving forward as if they are coming with us.

Sharing Our Story....

The group that organizes National Orphan Sunday had a conference call today to begin their organization efforts for this year's Orphan Sunday events.  The group on the conference call consisted of the state volunteer organizers from across the nation.  I volunteered to share our church's story and our family's story from last year's Orphan Sunday.  Here is what I shared:

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In the fall of 2009, during an Elder’s meeting, one of our Elder’s (Jim Reynolds) suggested we begin some type of orphan care ministry at the church.  He specifically mentioned several verses related to orphan care and also shared his personal passion.  He also admitted that we should learn to crawl first before we could walk or run.  He recommended that as a body, we should participate in National Orphan Sunday, scheduled for November 8th, 2009.

Jim volunteered to lead the S.S. hour and to share God’s view of orphans and orphan care.  Another family also volunteered to coordinate some videos to help put the orphan crisis in front of our eyes.  Two specific videos were the 143MM video and the “Treasure of Jesus” video by Steven Curtis Chapman.

The morning consisted of Jim’s S.S. lesson, a testimony by a family who had adopted two boys from Ethiopia, several videos, and a message by our Pastor.  The morning didn’t go perfectly smoothly.  As with any service with a lot of out of the ordinary details to work out, there were some technical issues.  For instance, during the playing of one of the videos, the streaming wasn’t working properly.  This caused the video to pause every several seconds.  So, instead of a very moving orphan video, it was a video that was only occasionally moving, often paused, only to restart again.  It’s a reminder that God moves regardless of our imperfections.  His glory can be manifested through a worship service even when things appear to not go well.

My wife and I have been around many families who have adopted.  And although we loved these families and their hearts for adoption, we never felt led to adopt personally.  God had given us five beautiful children.  We had never said “no” to adoption, we just had never felt called to it. 
 

On that morning however, through scripture, testimonies, videos, and preaching, God spoke to my wife and me.  I still get goosebumps thinking about it.  It was as if we were the only people in the room.  In my heart, the room became quiet, and we were joyfully responding to the irresistible call of His voice.  As the need poured forth before our eyes, and His call to care for the orphan was shared, we realized we had so much to give.  We had so much love to offer, so much joy to share, so much materially to give.  We knew we had room for more.  In the end, it wasn’t just saying yes to adoption, it was saying yes to God.

When we got home from church that morning, we talked and talked and agreed to pray about what God would have for us.  Would it be financially supporting some type of orphan care ministry, or would it be adoption?

As we began to watch other videos of families picking up their babies in orphanages – the Gotcha videos, our eyes were caught by the older kids standing in the background.  Our hearts were moved toward them and we were led to begin the steps of pursuing adoption. 

Orphan Sunday 2009 was 8 months ago today.  In that 8 months we have seen God open our eyes to orphan care issues in a way that we cannot turn away from.  All of our adoption paperwork is now complete.  We are now on the waiting list through our agency AGCI for a 2-5 year old girl from Ethiopia.  We hope to get a referral call soon so that we can begin the two-trip process of eventually bringing a beautiful little girl to our home and to our hearts.

We’re thankful for the people that have organized Orphan Sunday because we know that God specifically used that day in our lives to lead us to adoption.  We’re thankful for those who shared their passion so that others might hear the message and hear the need and follow the call.

Fun, Fun, Fun

I'm still trying to figure out the quickest way to get pics from my camera to my blog.  I found the Export feature of Picasa that I think I finally figured out.

So, with my floundering blogging skills continuing to improve at an ant's pace, I present some more pics from our recent trip to St. Louis:

If I were President, my first Executive Order would be......

Sunshine:  Every night is movie night!

Rye Bread:  Summer will last for 11.5 months (allowing for a 2 week Christmas break)

T-Bird:  I first need to make a list of all my potential Executive Orders and then analyze them all

The Big Fella:  All video games, all the time

Eddie Joe:  Everyone gets a special stuffed animal to sleep with

Other fun pics:

 Yes, your honor, it was my Father who ate the last Blue Bunny Chocolate Champ Cone!

The Mississippi River was pretty full!

Dad, we're hot!

Fireworks in the driveway - with Dad chillin' on the porch (it's great when your kids are old enough to do all of the pyromania!)

And a few swimming pics from the YMCA indoor pool (it was cool and rainy outside)

Real Life Adoption Answers

Many questions revolve around adoptions that are done in third world countries - especially questions relating to mothers who give their children up because they cannot meet their children's needs.  The questions range from, "Should we just give the family money to raise the children rather than adopt?", "Should we meet the birth parents of the child we are going to adopt?", "Is it right to take a child from their birth country to the US just because the parents can't afford to raise the child?", "Is this fair to the child....and is it fair to the birth parents?"  And on and on.

These are all very legitimate questions, and there are probably many, many more that could be asked.  These are the types of questions that all of us who are in the process of adoption roll through our minds over and over again.  We struggle with the great tug we have in our hearts, but also with wanting to do what is best for the child's sake.

On this side of adoption, these are sterile, textbook questions without the context of an actual child or an actual birthparent's real story.  It's a story line without real characters, without real emotion, no taste, no smell.

Andrea, who is adopting through our agency, was in Ethiopia this week bringing home her new son Isaac.  She shares her very raw emotions as she describes her meeting with Isaac's birth-mom.  She takes it from the sterile, textbook world to one that has a real storyline, with real characters, real emotion.

Please read her post on Babe of My Heart.  Also take the time to check all her posts on her blog from Ethiopia this past week.  The pics are really moving.

Her post about meeting Isaac's birth-mom helps to answer some of the questions raised above, it helps to put perspective into the complexity of adoption questions.  In the end, we have to be obedient to what we believe God has called us to do.  Regardless of the cost, regardless of the questions that roll in our mind, regardless of what others think, we have to obey.  There is joy in obedience, there is joy in following His call.  I know that Andrea is overwhelmed with that joy as she is now home with entire family now.  Thanks for sharing Andrea.

National Orphan Sunday

National Orphan Sunday is planned for November 7, 2010.  I know, that seems like a long time away.  But I wanted to put a quick post about it anyway.

National Orphan Sunday is a great way to start sharing orphan-care concepts in your church.  The website (click here) is filled with ideas - including small group studies, bulletin stuffers, videos, etc.  There are many different concepts that can be shared, depending on how you see it unfolding in your local body.

Our church participated in National Orphan Sunday last year and that is when Heather and I were moved to adoption.  We certainly didn't go into the morning thinking we were going to be spoken to by God, but we were convinced following the service that this was what we should do.  God laid an excitement and a passion in our hearts that morning - and it has continued.

Please consider how your local body can participate.  Start sharing ideas now.  If you are interested in any additional ideas or opportunities, please contact us.  Also, if you have a story related to Orphan Sunday, please share it.

The entire morning at our church was organized and led by two amazing families - The Beavers and The Henns.  It was very moving to hear from families that live and walk what they believe - who share from their hearts what God has done through their families as they have defended the fatherless.

People in the orphan care blog world are passionate people.  Use your passion to spread the orphan care vision!

Psalm 68:5-6a

Father of the fatherless

and protector of widows

is God in His holy habitation.

God settles the solitary

into a home.

Here's the promo video for Orphan Sunday.  Enjoy it!


Orphan Sunday from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Happy 95th Smokey!

We headed to St. Louis over the weekend to celebrate the 95th birthday of Heather's Grandma - affectionately called Smokey.  95 Years!!!  She is still healthy, active and living in her own condo.  She's always been so happy and joyful and fun to be around.

We also saw Heather's Aunt and Uncle, along with her two cousins.  It was a fun, fun weekend - but very hot!  Heather Aunt Kris and Uncle Earl hosted the festivities with great style and warmth - as they always do.  There was love in the house as we spent the weekend together.  What a great time.  What a great family.

We drove all day Friday (9 hrs).  Then swam on Saturday - awesome pool at Kirkwood Park.  On Sunday we went to the Arch, The Magic House, and visited the Galleria for shopping (for Sunshine!).

On Monday we drove home (9hrs) just in time to get to T-Bird's baseball game which went 10 innings.  Very long day!

Here are some pics of our trip.  These are from Sunshine's camera because I can't find mine - Arghhh!  How do we find anything with seven people in one house!

time in the car - lots of time in the car - lots and lots of time in the car

At Busch Stadium

At the Arch

 (Rye-Bread and T-Bird flexing their pipes on the playground!)

(The Big Fella and Rye Bread taming the T Rex)

All the Lozier Ladies - Teagan, Avery, Erin, Kris, Smokey, Sunshine, Heather

Playing the piano by ear at age 95!