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| Greetings! |
 The number 143,000,000 is both a challenge and a springboard to Hope for Home as a ministry. That figure is the estimated number of orphans around the globe. But it is much more than a number. It represents real children created and loved by God. And they are not a sea of faces; they are individual masterpieces who are intimately known by Him.
We believe strongly that these children are the responsibility of the church of Jesus Christ, and it is our priviledge to love them as God does.
As we continue to plow ahead through 2009 we are seeing God move in mighty ways while challenging us to trust Him in the face of obstacles. In this newsletter your will read of an unexpected layoff that has challenged Hope for Home. But in this same issue you will read of our ministry trip to Guatemala, two more children coming home, and a new partner to our ministry. Why? Because we cannot afford to retreat, no matter how great the challenges and obstacles. There are 143,000,000 little ones counting on us...and you...and we will not let them down.
Thank you for your prayers, work, and financial support for every child who hopes for a home! | |
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| Advancing in the Face of Challenges |
 As most of you know, I have been employed part-time with a local business while working to grow Hope for Home ministries. Last week I learned that due to the current economy I would be laid-off from that position on February 20th.
With that news came a barrage of questions. What does this mean for our family? How will this impact Hope for Home? Will we be able to survive financially? And with those questions came the temptation to retreat from our ministry to orphans and focus on bread-winning.
But once the dust settled and I had the chance to quietly seek the Lord, I realized that both the questions and the temptation were a distraction from the call of God on our lives. Week after week we challenge families to take up the mission of adoption without regard to the size of their bank accounts or abilities. Instead we ask them to seek the Lord and follow His voice, trusting that He provides when they obey. The situation in which we find ourselves is no different.
The urgency within us to be a voice for the fatherless is stronger than ever. At the same time, we are experiencing an unprecedented level of success in finding adoptive families and challenging individuals to orphan ministry. As I write these words, we are less than two weeks from leading our first ministry team to Guatemala. Meanwhile people are begging for details of this Summer's ministry trip to Africa.
So, in the face of uncertainty regarding finances, we have felt God's call to advance instead of retreat. And we ask you to join us in that effort. If you are not currently a financial partner will you prayerfully consider becoming one? If you are not currently involved in caring for orphans, would you prayerfully consider joining us as a part of a ministry team? Together, through the power of God, we will bring orphans into forever homes! |
| Guatemala '09 Service Trip |
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 On February 28 through March 8 we will be leading our first ministry trip to Guatemala. During the nine days we spend there our team will be working in three orphanages, a children's hospital, and a children's ministry. The goal of our trip is to simply love and care for the children of Guatemala who need it so desperately. And, in the process, we hope to realize a deeper understanding of how we as individuals and the church as a whole can make a difference.
Will you please pray for our team and its leaders (Zac and Lindsey Robinson and me) as we travel and minister? Pray that the love of God will be seen through us. Pray that healing will occur in the children as we minister. And pray that God will be glorified through us. |
| Nathan & Rebecca...Coming Home! |
As I write this newsletter, Michael & Stacy Warner are in Uganda finalizing the adoption of Nathan & Rebecca. The Warners began the process of bringing these two little ones home this summer after hearing our presentation at The Gathering Place in Piqua, Ohio.
Currently they are dealing with the frustrating tangle of the Ugandan court system, but hope to return on schedule. Please join us in praying that the final steps of the process will be concluded promptly. Also pray for a smooth transition for Nathan and Rebecca as they join their siblings back home. |
| Welcoming a New Partner |
Hope for Home Ministries is pleased to welcome Reece's Rainbow as a partnering ministry. Reece's Rainbow is a Christian ministry that promotes the international adoption and rescue of children with Down Syndrome exclusively. In addition, they work to raise grant funds from individual donations to make the cost of adopting these beautiful children affordable for interested families.
Please take time to visit their Web site, read about their mission, and view their waiting children at www.reecesrainbow.org. |
| Pray for a Waiting Child |
 Mary Margaret is waiting in Mexico for her forever family. She was born December 24, 2002 with Down Syndrome and is now facing SIGNIFICANT RISK of losing her chance for a family.
What a glowing smile! Mary Margaret is healthy and doing well. She is very active and happy and affectionate. Her speech is quite delayed, and she is behind in her emotional and academic development. But she is still darling and very deserving of a loving family! We are seeking a family quickly for her, as she is nearing the time when she must be transferred to the home for severely disabled children (no other place to go).
Please pray for Mary Margaret and consider giving her a home..your home!
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Daryl Fulp,
Director
Hope for Home Ministries
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