Sad News

Steven Curtis Chapman's youngest daughter, Maria, was killed today when struck by a car driven by her teenage brother in their own driveway. Maria is the Chapman's 6th. child and their 3rd child adopted from China. Steven and his wife have been such incredible supporters and leaders in the international adoption community. The article about Maria's tragic death can be found at:

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080521/TUNEIN/80521174/1005/ENTERTAINMENT

Chapman family - you are in our thoughts and prayers. What a difficult, tragic experience. Our hearts are carrying your burden and we will keep you lifted up to Jesus. May He comfort you in this time of deepest grieving. Maria was BEAUTIFUL! And your family has been such a beacon to the church - a call to rise to the occasion and be what Jesus calls us to be - lovers of orphans and adoption. So many families are blessed by adoption because of your willingness to draw us in to your story - God's story. Maria will continue to be an inspiration for so many more!

Also in need of urgent prayer - It is becoming more and more evident that the enemy is attacking international adoption globally - SIGNIFICANTLY! As many of you who followed our journey to Libby know, China has been slowing down their adoption program to almost nil over the last several years. China - having been the biggest international adoption program for quite some time - was the one country that allowed adoption agencies the financial capacity to keep their doors open to other international programs. The enemy was/is specifically slowing down China because it affects ALL international adoption agencies and programs. Adoption agencies across the country are closing because China's program is too slow to keep enough funding for agencies to continue.

AWAA (our agency) is having it's own share of troubles in light of China's slow down. But they are doing everything they can to cut back costs and make it work. Still, AWAA is dependent upon our prayers and the work of God.

Ethiopia is currently experiencing severe electricity outages. These outages are causing problems in communications and court dates that affect those adopting from (or being adopted from) Ethiopia. When this information was made known to me I immediately thought of something my friends, Larry and Terry Singletary, shared with me. Larry and Terry were missionaries to the unreached people group called the Karamajong in northern Uganda. They served there for 10 years - enough time to recognize some consistent patterns of the enemy. Every time they were on the verge of a spiritual breakthrough the enemy would begin upping the battle by taking away their ability to communicate with the outside world. Phones, Internet, satellite radios/phones and electricity would come to a halt. I believe this is what is happening in Ethiopia. You see, Ethiopia is the only international adoption program that's on a significant rise. It has the potential of being a "China" for international adoption agencies. So it makes sense that this is where the enemy would target the next stage of battle.

What I ask is for you to PRAY - not specifically for our future daughter (although she is certainly affected by this situation) - but for international adoption world wide. The estimated number of orphans in Ethiopia alone in 2005 is somewhere between 4 and 6 million. Can you imagine? And that was 3 years ago. The numbers continue to rise. What a grip the enemy has. But we have a chance to go to battle for them; first in prayer!!! Everything else is in vain without prayer. Second; by supporting international adoption and international adoption agencies/organizations (particularly those who understand adoption to be the heart of God) - in word AND DEED! (GIVE FINANCIALLY OR ADOPT!).

I will start a resource list on this blog soon - ways you can get involved. But for now - My first suggestion is to give directly to America World as I know their hearts, their hard work and their love for rescuing orphans. My second suggestion is to visit sites that already list reputable resources. For example - Tom Davis, the author of "Fields of the Fatherless" and "Red Letters" has many resources (including his own organization) listed on his site and even in his books.

But let me end with this: PRAY!!! Pray for the Chapman family who is so in the forefront of the international adoption cause that, I believe, the enemy targeted him and his family today. They will need so much prayer during this time. Prayer for protection of their hearts and minds as they struggle through the most intense grief possible.
And PRAY some more!!! - Picture your own children at the age of 2 or 5 or 10 walking around in complete poverty with no parent or family member other than siblings younger than themselves that they are now responsible for; no food, no bath, no bed. No clean water, no shelter from the rain, no love. Only dirt, pain, loneliness, malnutrition and hopelessness. Let that picture sink deep into your heart and be affected by it - enough to DO SOMETHING about it for the MILLIONS of orphans in this world. If we, as Christians, do not pray more AND do more there is something terribly wrong with our hearts.