Adopt An Orphanage?

by Joy Casey, Adoption Ministry Director

Near and Dear to God's Heart

I have been pondering and praying about many things lately. Because poor women and children are at the center of God’s heart, I begin every day satisfied that I am doing work that is smack in the center of His will. I continually keep my spiritual ears in tune for any adjustments the LORD would make in this ministry to families, widows and children.
Our fall fundraising banquet is coming up October 9th in Tacoma, and I have especially been seeking to clarify God’s vision for Adoption Ministry so I can present an unequivocal picture of where we are headed to the many who will attend the event. I don’t know how God works in your life, but He is always five steps ahead of me and I struggle to keep up! What He wishes to accomplish is way beyond my simple imagination, and now is no different. Over and over these past months, God has been stirring this mandate within me:

Get the Orphanages Funded Apart from Adoption Fees

Therefore, the challenge for 2011 will be to have all four Widows and Orphans Homes fully funded so our budget is not dependent on adoptions. Because I set the budget and wire the money to Ethiopia, I know that this is a tall order. How do I engage churches to “adopt an orphanage?”

One resource that has committed to help raise awareness in churches and among businessmen and women is a YWAM ministry called Streams of Mercy. In fact, the founder of Streams, Wick Nease, will speak at our fall banquet. But, as God usually orchestrates things, it will take Streams of Mercy along with many others, to accomplish this lofty goal.

And then ……

The second phase after getting the orphanages funded is to put the lion’s share of adoption fees into the Micah Casey Memorial Scholarship Fund. This fund will then turn around and financially help strong Christian families to adopt through the YWAM orphanages in Ethiopia. This is exciting to me as this has been a dream of mine since the inception of this ministry.

Can you help?

Many churches have or are starting an orphans’ ministry. It might be called by a different name, but the purpose could be threefold:

1) to help those in the congregation with adoption/foster concerns

2) to help orphans around the world through finances or practical helps

3) to set up mission trips to serve orphaned children.

If your church has such an orphans’ program in place or is contemplating such an outreach and if you have been touched by our ministry in Ethiopia, please consider introducing the Widows and Orphans Homes as a project for your church. We have packets that explain our mission to poor widows and children as well as detailed ways (big and small) an individual or organization can help.

I constantly question if I have heard correctly from the Lord. This is a good thing and a bad thing. It keeps me on my knees but it can also render me inert at times. However, funding our orphanages in Ethiopia apart from adoption fees and then using adoption fees to help families adopt has been a theme in my spirit over and over. I have finally said, “Okay! I get it! I’ll share Your vision and see what happens.”

Will you help with the amazing work God has started in Ethiopia?

If you are interested in finding out more about helping with all or one part of the monthly budget for one of our orphanages, or if you'd just like more information, please contact us: 
support@ywamethiopia.com