Today Made A Difference

Coming from many, many places...some driving over four hours, the first faith-based adoption conference held in the Miami Valley was a tremendous success. Hearing numerous thank-yous and comments, we want to thank Phillip and Heather Bench,the Salem Church of God for organizing and financially supporting this event and the workshop speakers who gave of their time and energy. Over  200+ foster and adoptive parents walked through the doors early this morning.

This was a great start to, what we hope will be an on-going event.  A year ago August, Heather and I sat at the Panera Bread by the Dayton Mall and started dreaming about what could be.  We thank God for His direction and for what happened today.

Here are the conference highlights in pictures:

Heather Forbes, author of Beyond Consequences,
Logic and Control was the keynote.

It was so exciting to see the gymnasium fill up!

Pastor Ken and Jackie Day and the praise band from
Dayspring Ministries provided the music.

David and Phillip Bench conducted a workshop just for dads.
We heard so many good things about it! 

Pastors and laymen gather to talk about orphan care ministry.

Heather speaks to the moms.

Dr. Wendy Flowers discusses a child's developmental issues.

Ruby Johnston, from LAMb, talks about parental expectations.

Betsy Smalley shares on parental self-care.

Our creative trio from the Shelter Community Church
 manned the support group table and helped wherever they could.

Randy and Kim Gebele, representing LAMb International
had many opportunities to share about the ministry.

After the conference, many came up to us saying "today made a difference in my life."   One mom told me that  in one workshop, she had more insight into her son's issues than years of therapy.

What now?  We will step into the next planning stage for the development of faith-based adoption support groups in this area and hope to support churches in this area who want to start adoption or foster care ministries.

Watch for news on the date for 2012!

Wounded Children, Healing Homes Now In Ukraine

We just learned today that the Russian translation of  Wounded Children, Healing Homes is now completed. We are so indebted to the International Leadership and Development Center of Ukraine, founded by Lynn and Ruby Johnston, for their work in this as well as many other projects that will assist children and families in Ukraine.

God has touched our hearts, David and mine, with incredible love for the people of Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan and it is a privilege beyond description to be able to serve them in this way.

To learn more about ILDC and the truly amazing work throughout Ukraine, visit

 http://www.ildcua.blogspot.com and

http://homeforeveryorphan.org

The Candles Are Coming

A Word From The Candlemaker

Hello!

I wanted to take a moment and thank you for helping in making a difference in the lives of God’s children. The Dayspring mission touches my heart in a personal manner as I am a child of adoption. I was blessed to have been adopted by a loving family at the age of 3 weeks. The children of Dayspring are looking at different circumstances all together. Being older, they are all too aware of what is occurring…losing the security of their familiar lives for multitudes of reasons. Our hopes and prayers are that through the Dayspring Family Life Resource Center, these children will have their sense of hope and security restored by the love of Christ.

Starwick Candles emerged four years ago with two friends making candles for Christmas gifts that evolved into dreaming of having our own business. Little did we know that with the Lord’s leading, doors would be opened to this awesome opportunity to help support Dayspring. It wasn’t by chance that this kindled a passion within me for vulnerable children of the world. I am excited to pursue this passion and with your help take action in making a difference in the Kingdom of Christ one candle at a time!

Thank you for your time and effort!
Blessings,

Jennifer Hauk & Starwick Candles
 
TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN PURCHASE CANDLES FOR CHRISTMAS GFTS OR BECOME A TEAM LEADER TO HELP SELL THE CANDLES....visit http://lamplighterorphancare.blogspot.com/

What Good Would It Do?

What good would it do to throw a pie in Rick Matheson's face?

Isn't this face anyone could.......throw at pie AT!

It could help provide Christmas and much more to over 2,000 children living in orphanages across Kyrgyzstan.

Here’s the deal: Rick Matheson needs to raise just $500 for LAMb’s Christmas orphan outreach. As soon as he reaches that goal, someone, somewhere – a prearranged celebration, will get to throw a pie in his face! For every $10 Rick raises, a child will experience a day they will long remember, receive a special gift plus be provided with a year’s vitamin supply. We are hoping for $500!

If you want to help get that pie thrown in Rick’s face there are two ways:

1. Go to http://actofkindness.blogspot.com/p/pie-in-face-for-orphans.html and hit the US paypal button. BE SURE TO INDICATE WHO you are sponsoring to receive a pie. You should put that information in the special instructions memo box that will appear while on the donation screen.

OR


2. You can send a check made out to LAMb International to LAMb International USA, P.O. Box 24688, Huber Heights, OH 45424


                     WON’T YOU HELP MAKE THIS A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER!

Rick Matheson is David and Jayne Schooler’s son-in-law, married to their daughter, Kristy.

 LAMb International is the mission organization under whom the Schooler’s serve. www.lambinternational.blogspot.com

For complete information, visit this link


http://actofkindness.blogspot.com/p/pie-in-face-for-orphans.html

Exciting News about Wounded Children, Healing Homes

Not only speaking to the heart of adoptive parents,
but equipping them for the journey.

In just over two weeks, the Russian translation of Wounded Children, Healing Homes: How Traumatized Children Impact Adoptive and Foster Parents, will  be released in Ukraine. 

We are so deeply appreciative of Lynn and Ruby Johnston, and the International Leadership and Development Center of Ukraine ( http://www.ildcua.org/) who have championed the translation of this and another book project, Telling the Truth to Your Adopted or Foster Children.

Ruby just yesterday posted this on their blog:

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN HELPING SEVERAL COUNTRIES? There are children suffering all over the former Soviet Union - children who have been in orphanages and have not had the healthy beginnings they need to develop physically, socially, intellectually, emotionally or spiritually. We can make a difference. Here is a GREAT opportunity to impact several nations. We have translated, edited and published 1000 copies of Jayne Schooler's book - (our team member) on Wounded Children Healing Homes. This book was originally published in the United States by Navigator Press. It is a HOT item that helps anyone who is working or living with a child who has been wounded by trauma in their lives. For example, loss, abuse, violence.



This book comes off the Press in Ukraine in just two weeks! We need more copies and we have found that we can print 1000 more copies for just $1500. A small cost for such an impact. It is in Russian - and will be distributed for free. The cost for the first 1000 was $5000  (which included the translation, editing, design layout and printing.)

This is a BARGAIN....$1500 AND WE ARE DISTRIBUTING FREE MATERIALS TO HELP UKRAINE, BELARUS, RUSSIA, AND KYRGYZSTAN.


ARE YOU INTERESTED IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR A TRAUMATIZED CHILD? LET US
KNOW!  lambinternational@gmail.com   or jayeschool@aol.com   

Your gift to this book ministry can help prepare parents to be a permanent family for a child who comes from a very hard place..

Dayspring - A Healing Place

Why the door when we are talking about Dayspring?  It is our hope that this is exactly what Dayspring will be to the children who pass through the doors of this family resource home - a healing place.  It will be a journey for all of us.

This past week marked a historic event for Dayspring – the Family Resource Home in Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan.   Our first little girl, Dasha moved in.   From now on, when we think back to the early days of Dayspring, we will always remember Dasha, age 8, as our very first one.   

Natalia, our country director and Dasha

We don’t know a lot about Dasha, except, like many children living in difficult circumstances, we must journey alongside of her leading her to healing and wholeness.  

Dayspring's Needs

The financial needs of Dayspring continue as we anticipate more children arriving soon.   In mid-October we will be announcing the 2nd annual Dayspring Candle sale.  More about that to come.   If you would be interested in sponsoring a child at Dayspring, please let us know. We are hoping to have three sponsors for every one of the children who will call Dayspring their home.

Thank you for caring enough to stop by our blog....blessings  

Winter is Coming and the Needs Continue

Many of you who regularly follow our bog have seen these faces before.  They are the faces of men who will spend the rest of their lives, most likely shortened, at the home for disabled men.  Most of these men began their lives in orphanages for disabled children, moving through those orphanages to finally “graduate” to Iskra.  It is a heart-breaking place.   LAMb has been very involved in the work at Iskra, with the hope of restoring some level of hope and dignity. 

They told us they fear that winter will come.  The statement almost sounded as if with hoping for a miracle,
 that winter wouldn't  come.  But it will.  What is ahead of them is something most of us have never faced.

On our most recent visit earlier this month, we toured the facilities again. When we walked into the dining facility we were disheartened at what we saw.  It has been totally torn up. We are not sure who did it, why it was done, but now, without intervention from the outside, it will remain that way.   Everything is in need of major repair. 

The floor in the dining room. 

The walls of the dining room.

What We See as the Greatest Need

Of our greatest concern, however, is the heating in the dining area.  From what we understand now and didn’t know before, it hasn’t worked in a number of years.  Once winter arrives, over 280 men will eat three meals a day in an area with no heat.  It could be a room where the men can gather during the day as well for warmth not available in other parts of the building.

This is what is left of the heating system in the dining area for the men.

Each evening, as David and I end the day praying together, we tell the Lord that we don’t have the financial ability to meet the many needs we see while in Kyrgyzstan.  They are overwhelming. We know the men at Iskra are important to God  and He has a way.  All we can do is let the need be known. 

If you would have any interest in helping with the $2400 cost of putting heat in, please go to www.lambinternational.blogspot.com  or contact us.  On the right is the US donation button.  Thank you for helping us carry this burden for those who are invisible to the outside world.