Orphan Tree of Hope, Church Outreach

In the inaugural year of Children's Hope International's Orphan Tree of Hope Ministry, our Church Outreach teams raised thousands of dollars to support orphan care in 8 Children's Hope countries.

Churches across the nation erected a Christmas tree during November - National Adoption Month - and then celebrated all season long by spreading awareness of international orphan needs. As individuals, church members were able to make a tangible and distinct difference from across the globe, one ornament donation at a time.

Last week over our lunch hour, Children's Hope Foundation staff began loading up the ornaments with opportunities to help an orphan - from medical clinics in India to nutritious meals in Vietnam and school supplies in Colombia. Pictured here, Michelle Howdeshell, CHI Church Outreach Director pauses to read a child's story.

This year, the Orphan Tree project is limited to 22 churches due to the cost of printing. Donations for printing are certainly accepted!

Contact Michelle at TreeOfHope@ChildrensHope.net for more information on how you can bring orphan ministry into your church this season.

 

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In Celebration of National Volunteer Appreciation Week!

Children’s Hope International is blessed with very generous, loving families who give of their time, talents, heart and self through volunteering to bring hope to orphans around the world.

During National Volunteer Week (April 27 - May 3) we get a chance to thank them!

 

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A Bridge to Orphans Worldwide: CHI's Orphan Ministries

Children's Hope International's Orphan Ministries was created to be a bridge between churches and the 143 million orphans around the world. We are honored to say "Thank You!" to the 297 families across the country who created an Orphan Ministry in their church and community.

There were 100 Churches that participated in the Orphan Tree of Hope Project in winter 2007. Thousands of dollars were raised specifically for orphan care and numerous children were sponsored because of Church Outreach. But that's not the only reason we are excited about this project:

One hundred and forty orphans received a holiday gift, 27 orphan and street children of India are now clothed, 18 China orphans received foster care, 1200 lunches were served to Colombia orphans, 4 AIDS orphans received counseling, and 16 Kazakhstan orphans received medical care. Those are just a few of the big numbers.



One Chinese orphan received a life changing cleft lip/palate surgery. This one child does not think this is a small thing.

“Many people in our church took home an (Orphan Tree of Hope) ornament. I just want to thank Children’s Hope for the opportunity to be able to help orphans in this way.”
~ Christy Hammersley, CHURPS

Through National Adoption Month, over 50 meetings, displays, tables, car washes, talks, dinner parties, and concerts took place across the country! Through these programs, orphans are now going to school and experiencing warm lunches, needed surgery, fresh water, and the feeling of love.

A heartfelt thank you to all of our amazing volunteers!

Michelle Howdeshell
Director of Church Outreach

To become a part of building a bridge to those children who are hurting overseas, click here.

 

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Orphan Arithmetic: The Problem That Goes Unsolved

Cory Barron, Children's Hope Outreach Director and father of twin daughters from China (pictured), shares his inspiration from Orphan Summit III held at Focus on the Family in Colorado...

The math seems so easy. It’s not a difficult equation and appears so doable. But then why has it not been done before?

Here, you figure it out.

There are over 300,000 churches in the United States. There are around 115,000 American children waiting for adoption or a stable foster home. To place every child in a loving family would mean only one family in every third church must step forward to either adopt or become foster parents.

One in three!

God commands us to take care of the orphans. Are we?

That was the running theme of the Orphan Summit III held at the Focus on the Family campus in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In attendance at the May conference were over 300 people representing 160 church orphan ministries and adoption agencies, including Children’s Hope.

In the three days of meetings, the overriding answer voiced was that the church has not done enough, even though the church is the only organizational structure capable of effectively attacking the world’s orphan emergency. But when you look at the international orphan numbers, the problem seems so immense, can this really be solved?

There are 143 million orphans in the world.

Here are some astounding numbers for you that were shared at the conference:

We spend $150 billion on Christmas gifts and decorations every year.

We spend $17 billion on pet food and supplies.

We spend $18 billion on perfume and beauty products.

Meanwhile, 30,000 people, many of them orphans, die from preventable diseases every day.

No one at the conference was saying money will solve the orphan emergency, because it won’t. But the money we spend is a reflection of our heart.

God’s heart is for the orphans.

Now that adds up.

Join Children’s Hope by sponsoring an orphan at www.ChildrensHope.net, contributing to a project, financially assisting another to adopt or adopt an orphan into your life.

You can also start an orphan ministry at your church and we can help.
Click here on this link, Churches Responding to the Needs of Orphans, or contact Michelle at Michelle.Howdeshell@ChildrensHope.net

 

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