Care for Orphans

For those of you who do not know, Kylie Hope, was born into my heart over 5 years ago from the pain of my son, Kyler, leaving this earth to entering the glory of heaven. I have gotten asked so many times, "Why China?" Well, why NOT China, or Africa, or Guatemala, or Bulgaria, or Russia, or America, or Vietnam, or Korea, or...this list could go on. The fact is there are 143 million orphans in the world. Adoption is all about Jesus. I'm not a blood relative of Jesus, yet I was adopted into His family when I trusted Christ as my Savior. God doesn't look at our external appearances, what race we are, but He does look what's in our hearts.


I have never seen my daughter and yet words cannot express the love that Brad, Karsten and I have for her. We have prayed for her for so many years and love her as much as we do Karsten and Kyler. Although we have been waiting for Kylie for over 4 years now, we strongly believe and know that GOD IS AT WORK! He has been doing amazing work in our lives by allowing us to know Him more and giving us a STRONG desire to want to care for orphans and raise awareness for orphans. We want to encourage and see God do incredible work in the lives of others by giving them a desire to adopt an orphan or care for orphans as we are commanded by God to do. It will change your life and you will be blessed. So many people say, "Oh, you're doing such a great thing by adopting an orphan, she is so blessed." When, actually, we are the ones who have been blessed during this journey because God continues to change and mold us.

Many people would do anything to "adopt" a cat or a dog. Why not adopt a boy or girl? Or at least help someone who is adopting by doing a fundraiser for them. Store up a treasure in heaven by helping a family bring their son or daughter home.

God is a Father to the fatherless. If believers aren't going to care for the orphans, then who will? Jesus says in Matthew 25:45, "Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." We need to speak up for orphans. How will they ever hear of God's love?

Currently, the China Center of Adoption Affairs is in April 2006 and continues to move extremely slow. Our log-in-date is July 2006. We are still waiting for a healthy infant girl, but we are open to a special needs girl up to age 5. Please continue to pray with us and especially for Kylie and the other 143 million orphans in the world. Maybe even ask God what you could do to help orphans.

Visit our website to watch a 4 minute video about orphans. http://www.speakupfororphans.com/

Thank you all for continuing to pray with us throughout this amazing journey!

4 Years!

I would have never dreamed that we would still be waiting for our daughter 4 years after we had our initial meeting at Bethany Christian Services. I am reminded so often that God is not on our schedule. He continues to remain faithful to us as we wait. And as I have said before, we wait with HOPE. That is what we cling to and is what we have clung to since God took Kyler to heaven. It's the hope that is found in Jesus that keeps us going when we want to give up.

Please continue to pray with us as we wait to bring our daughter, Kylie Hope, home from China. Adoption is all about Jesus. God has knitted or will be knitting Kylie in the womb of her birth mother while knowing all along that she will be our daughter, our REAL daughter. God's plans are truly amazing and we have so much to praise Him for. The past nearly six years have been really difficult at times, but it's been through those times that we have grown stronger and depended more on the Lord.

Thank you all for your love and prayers, and for always asking whether we have any news about Kylie. Please pray for Kylie and ALL the orphans around the world to get into a loving family so they will have someone to tell them they are loved.

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).