An Update

It's been a couple of weeks, so we thought you were due for an update! Thank you to all that have been following along through email or reading the blog. We are excited to announce a newsletter will be coming out in July and will continue every three months after that. This will keep you updated on events, what's happening in the ministry and the needs. We are also hoping to highlight other churches that are starting orphan ministries. We have received emails from churches in Manitoba, Victoria, Salmon Arm and locally that are in the beginning stages of starting a ministry! It is obvious that God is working in pockets across Canada to bring hope to the orphan. If you are a church starting a ministry, please keep us updated on your story, how we can pray for you or help out, as we would love to highlight your story. We would ask everyone to pray for these ministries as well. Pray for favour with leadership and their congregations as they navigate, the often challenging, start up process.

On August 6, we are hosting our first adoption information seminar at Southgate Church in Langley! This will be a Saturday filled with information on the adoption process. If you are feeling called to adoption or even just curious and want to learn more, send us an email at tamara@southgatechurch.ca for more information or to sign up. This will be a free event, with a small charge to cover lunch.

We are in the planning stages of our first fundraising event. We have heard many suggestions and please feel free to pass on suggestions you have. Or maybe you have something you could offer to our fundraising evening. We'd love to hear from you! There are many aspects to this ministry, but fundraising will be ongoing, as the more we fundraise, the more grants we can distribute to see children come into loving families.

A new ministry is born.

This past Sunday we were given the opportunity to share Above and Beyond Orphan Ministry with our home congregation, Southgate Church. We have been so blessed by the support we’ve been given from our pastors and elders. They have really demonstrated that they are on board with the ministry. If you are considering starting a ministry in your church, begin to pray for the support and favour of your leadership team, it makes all the difference! Sunday went great, we were excited by the feedback and all of the people that wanted to help in different ways and who had no idea about the orphan crisis or what they could do about it. We are hearing the same messages over and over again. One is that people have no idea that the orphan crisis is so serious. They know it’s bad because everyone’s seen the occasional picture on TV or clip in a movie, but they are shocked by just how bad it really is. The other thing we keep hearing is that people have had a burning in their heart to do something about the orphan crisis, some for years, but have just not known where to turn to or start with that stirring.   

We have three mandates for this ministry, but we’re beginning to understand that the area of helping other churches launch their orphan ministries is much bigger than we anticipated. When you tap into what God is doing, you never know what kind of ride you’re in for! You are guaranteed that it will be full of adventure and challenge, but it will be the most fulfilling way to spend your life.

We met with a couple two weeks ago about their desire to start an orphan ministry at their church. We don’t know who left the meeting more excited! They were excited to get things going and we were so excited that this is actually beginning to happen! We knew that God was calling us to help others start ministries at their church, but this is the real deal, it’s happening! During out meeting, we talked about many practical details, offered insight on some of the things we have already walked through and heard from them about their heart and plans for the ministry. However, one of the most exciting things we took away from the meeting was the Kingdom mentality. There was a genuine desire, shared by everyone, to see God move through the Canadian Church in response to the orphan crisis, regardless of who’s name was on what or who’s materials or resources were used. We feel so strongly that the Spirit of God is quenched when we worry about who gets the credit for things or when we focus on our denominational differences. There seems to be a growing movement of people that want to work together, share resources, help each other build and then put God’s name on it. It’s exciting and it’s the kind of movement, we feel, the Spirit of God will breathe upon.

Jason and Nicole are starting their ministry, Brighter Tomorrows-Hope for Orphans, out of Sunshine Hills church in Delta. They just started their blog/website. Drop by, check it out and let them know you’re praying for them. One day, could there be an orphan ministry supporting the needs of adoptive families in every community in Canada? That’s what we’re praying for.