Approved for Both Hands Project

Once our Home Study was completed, we completed the application process for two adoption grants.  One was with Show Hope (Shaohannah's Hope) and the other was with Lifesong for Orphans.  We received an email from Show Hope yesterday letting us know that they received our application and will review it by the end of June.  We should hear back from them the first week of July.  We also heard from Lifesong yesterday...they called to let us know that we have been approved to be part of the Both Hands project.  There is a great video on their site which explains the Both Hands project.  In James 1:27 we read, "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."  In the full context of Scripture, we can understand this passage.  The Bible tells us, and from our own experience we know, that we are sinners.  In other words, we have turned away from God and rebelled against God.  In His holiness, God is unable to have a relationship with sinners, and in His justice He must deal appropriately with our sin.  Therefore, in our sin, we face an eternity separated from God under His judgment.  In His love and mercy, God sent His Son Jesus Christ who lived a pure life, and died in our place on the cross.  God chose to place our sin upon Jesus Christ, so that the penalty of our sin was taken care of in Christ.  Jesus died and was buried, but on the third day, he was raised from the dead.  Through His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus conquered sin and death.  Everyone who places their faith in Jesus Christ alone receive the forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternal life.  Through Christ we are free to know God, love God and love forever in God's awesome presence.  Faith in Christ is the only way to have a right relationship with God.  The outflow of a right relationship with God is a desire to do that which brings Him glory and live according to His word.  James rights that we bring glory by caring for orphans and widows.  This is where the Both Hands project comes into play.

We are seeking to care for orphans through adoption and working with Living Hope Adoption Agency, which works to care for orphans in the countries of China and Honduras.  This is "one hand", with the "other hand" we are planning to care for a widow.  We will select a widow that needs work on her home, and we will set up a day that a number of us will work on her home.  We will gather a number of our friends to work on her home as well.  All of the participants working on the widows home will send out sponsor letters to their friends and family.  Those who want to sponsor the team members, will send their financial support to Lifesong for Orphans.  This will fund our adoption account and be a big help for us through this process.

We will share more details as they come together.  Please pray for us, for the widow that we will serve, and for our daughter in Honduras.