|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Greetings! |
 As I write these words we are enjoying the most effective results we have seen during our three years of advocating on behalf of orphans. In the last six months we have seen seven children enter forever homes and four new adoptions begun. In addition to these, three families currently have travel dates to complete the adoption of four children.
All of these adoptions were the result of God's empowerment of our public speaking ministry. Each of these families were challenged to consider adoption through one of our presentations. And each of these children found homes thanks, in part, to your faithful prayers and financial support of our ministry. On behalf of each of these families and each of these children, please except my sincere and heartfelt thanks.
As we proceed into a new year, I anticipate still greater impact ahead. Please join us in praying for the miraculous, reaching for the impossible, and experiencing God's power like never before. And, as always, keep praying for every child who still waits and hopes for a home. |
| Katerine Spencer Comes Home! |
 On January 10th Michael and Barbara Spencer brought home their new daughter, Katerine from Guatemala. Katerine is 8 years old and has Cerebral Palsy. Her journey home is a testament to God's miraculous work and her new family's determination.
Guatemalan adoptions have been closed since January 1, 2008 and Michael and Barbara worked tirelessly to complete as much of their dossier as possible and submit it prior to that deadline. Then they prayed and trusted God to do the rest, including the provision of the necessary funds.
Eighteen months after they first saw her picture, Katerine came home to her parents and siblings Aubrie, Marisa, Summer, and Ian. Join us in praising God and praying for a smooth adjustment for Katherine into her wonderful new family. |
|
 |
|
|
| Understanding the Guatemalan Shutdown |
 Most people who are involved in adoption circles know that Guatemala's international adoptions were shut down on January 1, 2008. But very few people understand why and what must be done for these adoptions to resume. While the situation is complicated, it can be understood.
Up until the shutdown most Guatemalan adoptions were private and were overseen by notaries without government oversight. While this process created a system which provided the fastest international adoptions available, it lent itself to corruption. The notaries charged fees averaging $18,000 per adoption. In addition, some children were illegally stolen and trafficed out of the country without the knowledge of the biological or adoptive parents. The Guatemalan government, seeking to fix the system and bring it under government oversight, has stopped all foreign adoptions while changes are made.
No one questions the need for reforming the system, but the shutdown during the process is hurting those who most depend upon adoption...the children. In 2007 over 4000 Guatemalan children were adopted into families through foreign placements. With that channel closed, their systems for caring for these children are overwhelmed, and the situation worsens each day the shutdown continues. Further, even if international adoptions are reopened all of them will likely function under government oversight. Since the necessary manpower and resources required for such massive supervision is not available, the flow of adoptions out of the country would be greatly resticted.
Meanwhile, only adoptions that were in progress as of January 1st of last year will be allowed to be completed. One of those victories is told in this newsletter in the story of Katerine and the Spencers. But thousands of others still wait.
So, what can be done? The answer is simple and powerful...pray! Please pray for a quick reopening of Guatemalan adoptions. Pray for urgency in key politicians to act quickly. Pray for the excellent people and organizations who are fighting to care for the children in the midst of an overwhelming situation. And pray for the children who are suffering most as they wait for a family of their own. |
| A HfH Financial Update |
|
 As we begin a new year, we are pleased to report God's faithfulness and provision to Hope for Home. Our bills are paid, and the ministry is growing and expanding its influence. In addition to the success we have had in finding forever homes for orphans, we are also leading our first service team trip to Guatemala next month. We have also seen our monthly giving commitment increase by $200 a month in recent days.
While we are pleased with our progress, we are still unable to fully fund our half-time salary. At present, while I am working nearly 30 hours a week in ministry, our current level of giving only enables me to receive approximately one-third salary. At the same time, God continues to provide miraclulously for my family and I, so we are not discouraged. In fact, we are greatly encouraged as we see God move in and through HfH.
However, we do ask for your prayers. My current work situation limits our ability to travel long distances, so our speaking area is limited to places to which we can travel to from over the weekend. My great desire is to once again return to full-time orphan ministry in the near future, and the ability to do so relies entirely on funding through monthly financial commitments.
Please join us in praying for God's intervention. While the return to full-time ministry seems far away, we know that God is able to make it happen sooner, rather than later.
"Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'" Matthew 19:26 |
| Pray for a Waiting Child |
 Patsy was born on April 13, 1997. She can take care of most of her own needs. Her movement is relatively good, but her upper limb usage is slightly restricted. She needs help when walking on uneven surfaces.Patsy participates in the senior class of early education and is equivalent to the first year of a primary education class.
Please pray for Patsy and consider giving her a home..your home! | |
|
|
Daryl Fulp,
Director
Hope for Home Ministries
|
|
|
|
|
|
