Orphan Sunday

While attending a church service in Zambia, an American visitor, Gary Schneider, was struck by the pastor’s passionate call to care for orphans in the local community, a community dramatically affected by AIDS and poverty. Those in the congregation faced real need themselves, needs we can barely imagine. But, as the service ended, one after another stepped forward with money, food, and material things, some even taking off their own shoes and placing them in the offering as a response to the pastor’s call for the orphans.

Gary Schneider, President of Every Orphan’s Hope, was so impacted that he began to help Zambian leaders coordinate Orphan Sunday efforts across Zambia which spread to the United States in 2003.

So we stand together on this day specifically set apart to bring attention to God’s call for us to care for the orphan. We are a people called to defend the fatherless and to visit orphans in their distress. God sets the lonely in families.

Orphan Sunday is our opportunity as preadoptive families, adoptive families, and those who have hearts for children around the world to rouse the Church, our communities, and friends to God.

Join us as we pray for, love and defend the millions of precious children worldwide waiting for their forever families.

We may not all be called to adopt but we are all called to share in God’s heart for orphans.

September 10, 2014September 9, 2014

Together Called 2015 #timetoregister

You don’t need another conference. There’s a lot of great conferences out there. I’ve been to them. I’ve taken copious notes, gone to lots of seminars, and met a lot of people. I’ve been blessed by those conferences. But, I can tell you, we don’t need another conference to build some sort of pseudo-resume in our career as parents. We need connection; we need each other; we need rest.

Together Called was born to meet that need. It isn’t just another conference. It is an opportunity to come together, a place for husbands and wives to step out of the chaos we call everyday life and be encouraged, a place for us to learn and fellowship together as individual couples and as a community. It’s a weekend set apart so that you can take a deep breath and commit to lock arms again with your spouse so you can press on in what you have been together called to do.

Please join us there.

bohlender73 — The Bohlenders {they’re awesome}

We want you to come gather with us at this retreat designed just for you March 27th-29th, 2015 at the beautiful Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Berks County, Pennsylvania (easily accessible from Lehigh Valley International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport). Randy and Kelsey Bohlender, our keynote speakers, are going to bless our socks off; I just know it.

Because you’re our friends {yes, you reading the We Are Grafted In blog makes us friends}, we’re giving you a bit of a heads up. Last year, Together Called filled in under 5 minutes. Yeah, no joke. We watched our inbox fill with registrations from couples from 14 different states across the country until every spot was gone, a whole 4 minutes and 16 seconds later. We moved to a new venue this year to make room for more couples, but we’re expecting it to fill again. So, friend, go ahead and grab your phone now and set your alarm for 8:55pm EST on Sunday. Registration will open at 9:00pm EST. We’re eagerly anticipating seeing who those 100 couples will be to join us there this year. And, we want you to be one of them.

Wanna know more? See the Upcoming Events page for more details like a schedule for the weekend, cost, and that sort of thing.

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Together Called is offered to families below actual cost because of the generous support of sponsors who know how valuable this retreat is for families around the country. Those sponsors include Norman L. Graham, Inc., Bethany Christian Services’ Lancaster office, Living Hope, Madison Adoption Associates, America World, and the Attachment & Bonding Center of PA.

We need additional sponsorships so that we can meet all the expenses of this retreat. If you wanna hear about what sponsorship entails, email info@sparrow-fund.org.

July 4, 2014July 7, 2014

{their vision is valuable} make it happen

In March, The Sparrow Fund led our first team to serve at an orphanage in China. A team of 13 people from all over the United States held babies, taught preschoolers how to play London Bridge and blow bubbles, and built relationships with the staff who serve the 300 orphans in their care day in and day out. It was a foundational trip in an ongoing work. As we plan the next trip there in October, only a few months from now, we are looking forward to being able to do more as trust has been built. Among our team of 14, we have a neonatal nurse and several occupational therapists who will be able to assess children and gently encourage their caregivers to better care for them. We’re also offering something entirely new. It’s super exciting but we need help to make it happen.

Ben Leaman who generously volunteered to be part of our team in March, has agreed to join us again and bring something incredible to the older children there—a photography workshop for 10 young adults (aged 10-14). Using a custom designed 5-day curriculum, we will be teaching them photography basics but also speaking to their hearts to show them that they are beauty makers and creators and that their vision is valuable.

As Ansel Adams pointed out, you don’t make a photograph with just a camera. But, we do need equipment or we cannot offer this program. We are seeking Valuable Vision sponsors, people like you who understand the significance of what we’re doing and want to come alongside a specific child to allow him or her the privilege of joining us to be mentored in photography and heart.

Be a Valuable Vision Sponsor

Through a donation of $200, you will be sponsoring one child to be a part of our program. Your $200 will pay for the camera, camera case, and memory card he or she will use for the class (note that we have been given a discounted price for the equipment). You will also pay for the in-country printing of some of the child’s shots for him or her to keep as well as the printing of a portrait for the child to keep as well as to be placed in his or her orphanage file—a shot that could be potentially used for advocating for that child as well if he or she becomes available for adoption.

As a sponsor, we want to engage you in your child’s vision. You will receive professionally printed artwork of one of your child’s prints (8×12 freestanding Standout) as well as your child’s portrait and a small gift purchased specifically for you during the trip to Shaanxi, China this fall (all funded by another source).

There are only 10 Valuable Vision sponsor spots—don’t miss the opportunity to have your family be one of them. Click on the button below to secure your sponsorship spot.

If the $200 sponsorship is beyond your means right now but you want to support this program and make sure it happens, consider giving a lesser amount of perhaps $100 or $50. Your donation of any amount will ensure our being able to offer and continue this program so that orphans are mentored in a skill and can know that their vision is valuable.

Please note that with all donations to The Sparrow Fund, your gift is tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

May 2, 2014May 2, 2014

Celebrating Motherhood (Link Up)

Motherhood. It’s a beautiful thing. It’s a hard thing. It came to each of us in many different ways. Some of you are still on the journey to becoming a mama for the first time.

With Mother’s Day a little over a week away, we want to celebrate and give you a chance to share a part of your story with the WAGI community. Remembering the day you became a mama or the day you placed your child with their forever family. Maybe you want to share with us how you celebrate your child’s birth mama on Mother’s day. Whatever part of motherhood you want to share: the victory moments, the memories, the struggle in the journey, or your heart as you raise the children God has put in your life, we would love to read it! Share an old post or write a new one this week, but share part of your story.

An InLinkz Link-up

April 30, 2014May 28, 2014

It’s nest building time

It’s that time of year again. The Sparrow Fund team is all abuzz because May means it’s time to build the nest. This May marks our 4th annual fundraiser which is what allows us to continue our work to support adoptive families through grants, support, and training as well as our new work in orphan care as we lead teams to serve at an orphanage in Shaanxi, China.

Building the nest for The Sparrow Fund isn’t an independent task; it takes a lot of people to build that nest so that we can help others as they build theirs through this thing called adoption. All the businesses linked up below have joined us by making a pretty big commitment to donate at least 10% of their total sales during the month of May to The Sparrow Fund so that we can continue to serve adoptive families in a significant way.

Visit their sites, shop with purpose and make that 10% something crazy. Then, after you do, come back and leave a comment here sharing who you purchased from and what you purchased. For every purchase you make, you get one entry to…

Pretty awesome, right?

*in order to to qualify for an entry to win, orders or purchases must be made within the month of May. Comment must include the name of the business and what you ordered. The winning entry will be chosen during the first week of June and announced on The Sparrow Fund Facebook page and Twitter feed.*

Jewelry Design

Art and Design

Home

Clothing & Accessories

Special Gifts

Services

Sponsors for Building the Nest

To get the nest started…

Sparrow Sponsor

Norman L. Graham, Inc.

Norman L. Graham, Inc. is a premier builder of custom homes and additions in South Central Pennsylvania. From design to construction, every Norman L. Graham project is built with care and careful attention to detail. What better partner to build the nest than a company who is all about nest building.

Other Sponsors

If you would like your store or business to be a part of this May fundraising event, please contact Kelly at The Sparrow Fund to be added to this post and future posts as part of this effort.

January 17, 2014January 17, 2014

It Takes a Village {Together Called 2014}

Together Called 2014 is only 5 weeks away! In addition to hearing from Stephen and Beth Templeton in the main sessions, couples who are attending will have the opportunity to hear from some others who have been prayerfully preparing to share with them during two different breakout session times. We are so thankful for their commitment to helping make Together Called 2014 a time of restoration and refreshment for attendees. Won’t you join us in praying not only for the attendees, but for the following speakers — part of the “Together Called Village” — as they prepare to share what God has laid on their hearts.

Photo: Can't wait to fill this room at this year's Together Called in 5 1/2 weeks!

The Biological and Adoptive Family: Parenting With Grace in a Blended Family – Tim and Nancy Shaw

Adoption is born out of loss and disruption. Primarily a loss for the child(ren) you are adopting but also a disruption to your marriage and the lives of the children who are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their new sibling. Blending the family God intended for you will be hard. But, in accordance to His perfect plan, God has provided us with all we need and come to a place of great joy in this process. In this session, Tim and Nancy will share the good, the bad, and the ugly of their adoption story and practical strategies for blending biological and adoptive children. They’ll discuss preparing the family for the arrival of new family members, using your children’s natural personalities to your advantage, what to do about the inevitable squabbling and sibling rivalry, and how discipline changes as blending occurs.

About the speakers: Tim and Nancy both grew up and live in gorgeous Arizona. Tim is an adult adoptee, and Nancy is a soccer mom and reluctant city girl. They were highschool sweethearts and are now parents to 7 children (4 homegrown and 3 through the blessing of special needs adoption), none of whom have actually ever played soccer. Tim and Nancy put their faith in the Lord to direct their path and get them though each fabulously crazy moment. Nancy blogs at Ordinary Miracles & The Crazy 9.

It Takes a Village of Two – Mark and Kelly Raudenbush

Intentional parenting of kids from hard places is not easy. All the traditional methods of correction we know have to be reconsidered. As we set out to meet the unique needs of each of our children, it’s imperative that moms and dads approach correction as a team. This session will provide a little bit of why and how and then give an opportunity for couples to wrestle through some real life application for their own families.

About the speakers: Mark and Kelly Raudenbush founded The Sparrow Fund in 2011, having been changed by the adoption of their youngest child and desiring to serve adoptive families. Kelly holds a Masters degree in counseling, and they both have been trained to teach the Empowered to Connect material which is based on TBRI, Karyn Purvis’ research and methods for children from hard places. They consider it a joy to pour into both mothers and fathers who are eager to do the right thing for their families, encouraging parents to understand their own hearts more clearly as they seek to care for the hearts of their children. Mark and Kelly have been married for 15 years, have 4 children, and also work professionally with a nonprofit reaching students in Asia. Kelly blogs at My Overthinking.

Let’s Play: Building Blocks, Building Attachment – Cheryl Walters

Play isn’t only about fun and games. In this session, Cheryl Walters will explain the importance of child’s play in building attachment and fostering positive parent-child relationships. She will also share different ideas about how to play with your children during different seasons of life for the “play-challenged,” focusing on how we can be attuned to our children and maximize interaction.

About the speaker: Cheryl Walters is a Licensed Psychologist since 1985. She is a Registered Clinician with ATTACh (Association for the Treatment and Training in the Attachment of Children) as well as a Certified Theraplay Therapist. Cheryl designed, implemented, provided services, and fulfilled the role of Supervisory/Consulting Psychologist in a specialized treatment program for children/adolescents and their parents/families with diagnoses associated with Reactive Attachment Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Developmental Trauma Disorder. Currently, Cheryl specializes in providing outpatient psychotherapy for attachment issues and early trauma as a psychotherapist at Bethany Christian Services.

Nutrition for Our Kids: Some Things to Chew On – Wanda Graham

You don’t have to bite off more than you can chew to provide your children with good nutrition! With her love for cooking and passion to have healthy kids, Wanda Graham has invested herself in learning how good nutrition can bless children who have experienced trauma. In this session, Wanda will serve up an overview of the impact of nutrition on our children and the role we have as parents to meet our children’s needs in this way as well as provide bite-sized tips to healthy meal and snack options that will be well received and won’t make parents feel like they need to be masters of the kitchen or spend a fortune at the store.

About the speaker: Wanda Graham has been married to Matt for 14 years. Their home here in Lancaster County is a busy one, bustling with 6 children, all of whom have joined their family via adoption (one private domestic adoption, five adoptions through foster care). She is passionate about caring for the fatherless and the families who graft them in as their own. Wanda and Matt have been joyfully serving on the leadership team for Together Called since last year’s retreat.

Together to the Throne – hosted by Stephen and Beth Templeton

There are times when what we need most is simply for someone to stand with us in prayer. This session is set aside just for that. No teaching except what you hear from God in prayer; no topic except the one you bring for prayer. Jesus said, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” During this time, Stephen and Beth, our keynote speakers, will stand together with couples, believing God for His kingdom to break in to the situations that are on your heart and for His voice to speak louder than all the others as you walk this adoption journey.

About the facilitators: Stephen and Beth Templeton, our keynote speakers, serve as elders at Northlands Church where Beth also leads a ministry to mothers and Stephen is a worship leader. Thirteen years ago, after having had three biological children, the Lord called Stephen and Beth to adopt four children from Russia, so now there are 9 Templetons. Both Stephen and Beth have a passion for communicating the joy, peace, and victory available to us as adoptive parents. Stephen is also a physician and practices dermatopathology in Atlanta. You can read their blog here: Hope at Home.

Trauma and the Adopted child: What it is and What to do – Dr. Phil Monroe

Does adoption represent a trauma for the adopted child and his or her new family? Might trauma explain some of the problem behaviors your child exhibits? In this session, Dr. Monroe, director of the Global Trauma Recovery Institute, will review the characteristics of posttraumatic stress disorder and complex trauma along with options for treatment adoptive parents should consider. Dr. Monroe will also discuss recommendations for parents and loved ones, those who are most impacted by the adoption of children who have experienced trauma.

About the speaker: Phil Monroe is a licensed psychologist and Professor of Counseling & Psychology at Biblical Seminary. He directs both the MA in Counseling degree program and Global Trauma Recovery Institute. Phil has been married to Kim for the past 23 years and together they adopted two infant boys who are now 15 and 13. Phil’s professional and personal musings can be found at www.wisecounsel.wordpress.com.

What’s Romance Got to Do With It? – Jeff and Cheryl Nitz

All of us experience unique challenges balancing the needs of our children and maintaining a growing vital marriage. And, loving and caring for our spouses, including having some semblance of a love life, is an important way that we care for them, ourselves, and even our family as a whole. Come join Jeff and Cheryl as they share some of their own journey as adoptive parents and offer thoughts about how best to foster a fun, growing, intimate marriage that equips parents to lead healthy families.

About the speakers: Jeff and Cheryl Nitz bring both professional and personal experience to share as they offer insights, challenges, and encouragement to families whom God has brought together through adoption. Jeff and Cheryl both have over 25 years of professional experience in the field of adoption and foster care. Jeff is currently the Vice President of Adoption & Family Services for Bethany Christian Services. Cheryl is a therapist and the Director of the Attachment & Bonding Center of PA, specializing in working with families impacted by adoption, trauma and attachment challenges. But, Jeff and Cheryl often say their best education has come from being parents to their four kids (two of whom came to the family through adoption) and grandparents to four. Most importantly, Jeff and Cheryl are presenting as fellow sojourners—sharing with other adoptive parents the joys and challenges and lessons learned and deeply committed to fostering a fun, growing, supportive marriage in the midst of chaos!

Where Are My Green Pastures? – Stephanie Smit

If the Lord is your Shepherd, shouldn’t you be enjoying some green pastures? Perhaps you feel like your adoption journey has felt much more like the valley of the shadow of death than green pastures. Maybe He walked you through the “valley of the shadow of death” in your adoption process; but, now that you are home, you are still waiting for some “green pastures.” By adjusting our understanding of the green pastures David was writing about, we will gain a better understanding of how God provides for His people. Whether you are still waiting to complete your adoption or have been home “in the trenches” for many years, find encouragement by getting new perspective on the promises of Psalm 23.

About the speaker: Stephanie’s 18 years teaching in the classroom were easy compared to mothering three little ones at home full time. Through the process of growing her family with her husband Matt, God has revealed Himself most clearly. He not only worked a miracle in giving them their biological daughter, He continued to show Himself in mighty ways throughout their adoption journeys in China and Bhutan that were anything but normal. Through times of heartache, disappointment, and uncertainty God proved Himself to be not only the God of the end result, but the God of the right-there-with-you. In addition to being a full-time mother, Stephanie loves connecting with and encouraging other adoptive families through her work as administrator of The Sparrow Fund’s blog “We Are Grafted In.” Stephanie also blogs at We Are Family.

December 13, 2013December 14, 2013

Gotcha Day Link Up

You thought the day would never come. The day when the child or children you have been praying for would officially join your family. The waiting is in the past. The wondering is in the past. You have seen God’s perfect plan unfold and you couldn’t be more excited and thankful for the journey God has led you on to get you to this point. To get you to the child that God had for your family all along.

We want to hear your gotcha day stories! Besides loving a good cry, it’s a great opportunity for all of us to share God’s faithfulness and give Him the glory He deserves.

So, go ahead, link up. Share your story.

Share God’s story.

September 16, 2013September 16, 2013

Together Called {Don’t miss it}

We’re in trouble. We’ve got a lot to live up to.

Truly the best and most fulfilling getaway we have attended.

We really benefitted from the couples’ breakout time. To have an hour to sit and talk, uninterrupted with questions to challenge our conversation was like a springboard of growth and closeness in our marriage.

Absolutely the most powerful example of biblical unity and expression of the love of Christ.

Life changing, heart changing…

We were not prepared for how impactful last year’s Together Called retreat for preadoptive and adoptive couples would be. In fact, we were sorta floored by it all. 122 men and women from 14 different states, parents of 186 children, 108 of whom joined their families via adoption. Worship, fellowship, time set apart for husbands and wives to reconnect, messages of truth that pointed couples to the God who pursues them, and red carpet treatment—God used every element of Together Called to work in people’s lives.

Come to think of it…maybe we’re not in trouble after all. We trust that the One who called us together will do it again. We know He can and trust He’s already on the move.

On February 21st-23rd, 2014, adoptive parents will gather for Together Called 2014 at a posh little resort in Lancaster County, PA to hear from Beth and Stephen Templeton, faithful servants and parents of 3 biological children and 4 adopted children from Russia, as well as a handful of other speakers with expertise in navigating the challenges in adoptive families. We believe that like last year, couples will leave refreshed and encouraged with a renewed passion to serve God and the children they’ve been blessed with.

We’re already all abuzz with excitement to be a part of it. And, that’s going to get even more fun tonight when registration opens at 10pm EST. Room is limited, and we’re expecting it to fill fast. So, set an alarm on your phone for 9:50pm EST as a reminder, and warm up your typing fingers. We want you to be a part of this. I know that visiting the Philadelphia area in February was totally at the top of your wish list anyway.

September 3, 2013September 3, 2013

Seasons

Even if your children aren’t school-age, you are very aware that this time of the year marks the end of summer and the beginning of school. Gone are relaxed, carefree days; in their place are routines and schedules. The change in seasons is welcomed by some and dreaded by others. Welcomed or not, this ebb and flow of changing seasons is right and good and necessary.

“For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1

The very name “We Are Grafted In” brings with it the idea of growing together, and growth happens in seasons.

What season does God have you in today?

Perhaps your season is a season of joy; celebrating all God has done. Perhaps your current season is a season of waiting; waiting for referral or that next approval to come through. Perhaps you find yourself in a season of despair; doubt and frustration your constant friends. Whatever your current season, you can be confident God is in it with you.

The time has come for a “change in seasons” here at We Are Grafted In as well. This summer we took the time to feature past posts with our {Hitting Repeat} series. We hope it gave some of you the opportunity to enjoy some posts you may have missed along the way. But, now it is time to begin sharing new posts again!

So, welcome back to a new season of WAGI. Of course we pray that the content of our posts encourages, uplifts, and even challenges you. But even more so, we hope that you can find a sense of community here — reassurance that you are not alone. To foster a sense of community, we encourage you to take the time to leave comments if you feel so led, visit the blogs of those whose posts we feature, and reach out to fellow bloggers.

Whatever your season, may you stand firm in the promise found in Ezekiel 34:26.

“I will bless my people and their homes around my holy hill.
And in the proper season I will send the showers they need.
There will be showers of blessing.”

July 29, 2013

Hello.

Have we met before? Oh, yes, yes, we have. We’re already friends. You may not recognize us with our new digs. But, it’s just us.

With all the overlap between the mission and vision of The Sparrow Fund and the We Are Grafted In blog, on top of the overlap in people involved in both, we sorta married the two.

Take some time to click around the new site. Check out who this TSF team is, what they do and why they do it. Go read about their upcoming events including Together Called 2014, the second annual retreat for couples sure to bless the stuffing out of couples and a newly announced trip in early March to serve at an orphanage in China.

The great stuff from WAGI will now complement the great stuff from TSF from this day forth.

Great stuff. So, stick around.

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Author: Admin