An Orphan's Ticket Home

A New Year with Orphan's Ticket Home

I pray that you had a wonderful Christmas holiday, celebrating our Savior’s birth, with family and friends!

In some small way, I hope that the calendar gift has helped you to enjoy this season even more and that it communicated, in part, America World’s sincerest gratitude to you for the part that you have played in God’s plan of adoption. 

I wanted to take a brief moment to thank you.  You may not know it, but your participation with our Orphan’s Ticket Home campaign is saving lives.  One such life that has been touched and given a hope through your generosity is that of “Marco” in Honduras.  The following report is from one of the team members at the Honduras Permanency Center supported by the Orphan’s Ticket Home campaign:

In 2005, when “Marco” was 2 years old, he began living in an orphanage in Honduras after he was abandoned by his mother. We learned through our investigation that his father has never been in his life.  Even as severe as this situation seems, Marco’s case was inactive in the child welfare system – nobody was working to find a family for Marco, until the Permanency Center staff came to his aid.

Our team was able to take this case on and pour in time and resources over the last 10 months.  Our staff has collaborated with the government child welfare office to do the psychological evaluations, social work investigations and legal steps necessary to move through the system.  The funds we have received for Orphan’s Ticket Home have subsidized Marco’s medical tests and media publications necessary for moving his case forward.  Our lawyer, who was assigned to Marco's case, was diligent to not let details fall through the cracks and to always keep his case moving through the bureaucratic system. 

Much like putting together a puzzle, we had to resolve many things in Marco's file in order to make sure that he was legally adoptable.  In early October 2009, the court declared Marco legally abandoned, opening up the path to adoption.  His case has been officially assigned to the adoption committee and there is already a family who is looking for a boy in his age range.  We hope that Marco is with his new adoptive family in a matter of a few months.

 

Marco does not know who you are but he will soon know the love of a permanent family because of you.  As the New Year begins and many people make resolutions and plans to better their lives, please consider partnering with America World in our Orphan’s Ticket Home campaign in order to make an orphan’s life better.  Help us bring hope to the other “Marcos” in Honduras, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Rwanda and China through Orphan’s Ticket Home permanency work. 

Would you help us give another child like Marco the opportunity for a family by purchasing a $300 ticket today?  Just click this Orphan's Ticket Home link and fill in the credit card information and you’ll have helped another child on the path to getting a family. 

Sincerely,

Brian Luwis, Founder and CEO of America World Adoption

OTH's Work Continues!

Despite the political turmoil in Honduras, our efforts to support the work of partners to continue their work of processing children through the child welfare system continues.  More children’s cases have been investigated by teams of social workers, psychologists and lawyers.  We hope to continue to see the progress we’ve seen and we look forward to updating you as more of this children are able to find permanent families.

We have hired additional staff for our transitional home in Ethiopia.  After we moved facilities and increased capacity for the number of children in the transitional home care, we also had a need for additional staffing.  We appreciate the feedback we have received from adoptive parents that have been to this home.  We have hired additional medical staff to assist the children and staff of the home.  As you pray for the transitional home in Ethiopia, please pray especially that the children there will be protected from illnesses, including the H1N1 flu. 

One of the initiatives of the Orphan’s Ticket Home campaign is to support America World Adoption’s new program development.  This work, in Brazil, has been showing fruit recently.  There are currently two families in Brazil that we can be in prayer for.  America World hopes to continue to develop new programs and offer Christian families the opportunity to adopt from more countries.

We will be hosting an online “silent auction” in the coming weeks.  Please keep a lookout for this – we’ll email families and update our OTH blog. 

We are continually accepting families gifts toward the work of OTH.  Please visit our website to learn more about different giving opportunities.  Thank you!

New Sparrow Recording Artist, Sarah Reeves to be Guest Artist at Stockton, CA Orphan's Ticket Home Gala

New Sparrow recording artist, Sarah Reeves will be our guest artist at this year's Orphan's Ticket Home Gala in Stockton, California on Saturday, October 23rd.  The event will take place at Lakeview Assembly Church. She is a talented young singer, songwriter and worship leader and you will be blessed by her love for the Lord and gift to lead you into the heart of God.  Here is a quote from her bio, "I am a worship leader/songwriter. I love my Jesus and all I want to do is serve Him and make Him famous."  You will become a fan of her song Sweet Sweet Sound and can hear it here.

Our Guest Speaker will be Tom Davis, author of Fields of the Fatherless and Red Letters.  You can find out more about this Gala and register here.

Rob Mitchell, Author of Castaway Kid - Guest Speaker in Orlando

"It wasn't that things were so bad at the orphanage that we hated it.  Most of us got much better care there than our parents had given us. But even at age seven I could see that kids preferred poverty if they were loved, rags if they were cared for, and homelessnes if someone wanted them.  We were willing to suffer much if we could only be part of our own families...We all wanted to believe it.  We all wanted to think that soon we would get to live our dream of going to a home where we were wanted and loved." 

The above quote is from a Focus on the Family endorsed book called The Castaway Kid by author, Rob Mitchell.  Rob grew up as an orphan in America and will be sharing his story at our Orlando Orphan's Ticket Home Gala.  He believes and knows from first hand experience that every orphan wants a mom and a dad and a family to call their own.

You can register for this amazing night which will take place on Friday, October 30th at www.orphanstickethome.org. 

Imagine If...

Imagine you are living in a Northern state in the 1850's....you are invited to a dinner to help raise awareness of the suffering of the slaves held in bondage in the South. Do you look the other way or quickly rsvp?

Imagine you are living in America during WWII.....you are asked come to a fundraiser to help Christian German citizens provide refuge for the persecuted Jews. Do you politely say you give to plenty of other causes and can't make this one?

Currently---RIGHT NOW---there are more than 147 million children orphaned--while we provide abundantly for our own----
homeless--while we have plenty of rooms unused
starving--while we count calories
sick--while we fight over the finest healthcare in the world
naked--while our closets overflow
enslaved by real oppressors-- while we are enslaved by our own schedules

This is the humanitarian crisis of our time! Our generation will be held accountable by God for actions.

You are cordially invited  to a night that will bless you and empower you for the plight of the orphans.......and in the process you will contribute to the freedom of one held in bondage. You will literally be binding up the brokenhearted...proclaiming freedom for the captives...releasing the prisoners from the darkness. Isaiah 61:1-----

Imagine your own child homeless, starving, sick, naked and enslaved......imagine yourself before you were set free by the Lord.

http://www.orphanstickethome.org

---Please Come! Galas are being held in Nashville, Orlando, Atlanta and Stockton, CA

 

 * Beautifully written by an America World Adoptive Mom, Tracy Mihnovich

Come Hear CMA Artist, Britt Nicole and Author, Tom Davis at our Orphan's Ticket Home Gala!

 

America World is excited to announce a great night with Sparrow Recording Artist, Britt Nicole and Author of Fields of the Fatherless and Red Letters, Tom Davis.  Our Nashville Orphan's Ticket Home Gala promises inspirational worship music, motivational teaching on God's heart for the orphan and a wonderful silent auction!  The night is Saturday, August 8th at the Gaylord Springs Golf Club in Nashville, TN.  For more information or to register for this event, please see our Orphan's Ticket Home website.

Someone To Let Him Cry...

Now that I am home I will be blogging about my past days in Africa.  On the last night of our Visiting Orphans trip, I asked every team member what was their most memorable moment.  Here is mine:

We spent a day at one of the many Mother Theresa Orphanages in Ethiopia.  This orphanage has about 400 kids with HIV.  The number is staggering and a very small percentage of these children are ever adopted.  It is one of the most hopeless places we visit as a mission team.

The guys played football, aka, soccer with the older boys while most of the women led the children in songs and arts and crafts.  While I was working with one set of kids, a team member named Audrey cried out my name.  When I turned to see what was the matter, she was trying to help a little 4 year old boy out of a ditch.  He had been pushed by another child head first into this rock ditch and blood was running all down his face and onto his hand, while he cried in pain.  Without thinking, I picked him up immediately and rushed him to the clinic that was on this large compound.  I was with a volunteer who worked there and she asked me if I had any open wounds.  I had not even thought about that. Not once did I hesitate to not pick him up because he had HIV.  Thankfully it never crossed my mind! 

However, in that moment, the danger of this virus and the threat of it scared me.  I quickly realized there was no concern as I did not have an open wound, and I laid my head against his bloody head and tried calming him and comforting him.  It seemed to work. Pretty soon the nurse took him and laid him on the table.  He was crying as she pressed on his head.  She uttered something to him in amharic (the national language of Ethiopia) and he quickly stopped crying.  I was amazed as she put disinfectant on his sore and he didn't let out a peep. I myself would have been crying and carrying on!

I asked her what she said and my heart broke with her answer. She told him, "If you keep crying, I will not help you and you will get an infection".  So, no matter how hard she pressed, he did not let out a sound.  You know this tiny boy wanted a Mama during this time.  Someone to let him cry.  Someone to kiss his wounds.  Someone to reassure him he will be okay. 

Most orphans NEVER have someone to pick them up when they fall, or to kiss them, or to comfort and hold them.  They either go uncomforted or are hushed like this nurse did to him.  I excused myself from the room as for me even, it was too painful to watch.  Pretty soon, he found me in the multitude of children and grabbed my hand.  He was such a quiet and shy boy that even the interpreters couldn't get him to talk, so I don't know what he thought. But he did manage to say that his head was still hurting.  Then all the sudden he left with all the other children to go to lunch.  He didn't look back..he just walked away.  That was a sad moment for me too.  I realized that they are used to visitors coming and going and never seeing them again.  He didn't even bother to say good-bye.  Why bother...he doesn't seem to have any hope. 

Later that night I laid awake in tears as I realized he could have had a concussion and no one looked into that chance.  I was so worried. So, my husband and I prayed for him until we couldn't stay awake any longer.  I wish I could tell you his name.  I am more than ashamed that I do not know it.  He just wouldn't talk though. 

This is one reason why I love my job as our Development Director.  I get the chance to work for a fundraising campaign that does bring orphans some hope.  Our Orphan's Ticket Home campaign works tirelessly to help bring more children home.  I love knowing that even though I was unable to bring this particular child home and could only be there for that one moment in his life, I can still help other orphans find their way home through this campaign.  If you are inspired in any way by this blog post, please pray about giving to this campaign. You can do so at www.orphanstickethome.org. 

Until They All Have Tickets Home,

Amanda Lawrence

Director of Development

Treasure Hunters

I will be leading a mission team through Visiting Orphans to Ethiopia and Uganda.  We are leaving this Saturday and will return on July 3rd.  I will be blogging about my time there as we work with children in our Ethiopia Transitional Home, Kids Care and many other wonderful orphanages in both countries.  Much of the money raised through An Orphan's Ticket Home funds our Transitional Home.  I get to go and witness how every donor has been such a blessing to these amazing children who are waiting for their families to come bring them home.

You can find out more about our itinerary here.  Our team consists of three 15 year old girls, two couples, 3 single men, and 4 prospective adoptive moms from all over the U.S.  We are all SO pumped!

This morning I was watching the Travel channel, which my TV stays on a lot...and I found myself fixated on this show about a woman who traveled up to 14K above sea level to the top of a mountain in Colorado to find rare quartz and aquamarines...(see above photo) It took her three days to make this journey. I love the West and especially Colorado and I have hiked a similar mountain, so I was so into this show! The woman ended up finding this huge piece of quartz worth up to $25K and it weighed near 50 lbs! She very gingerly dug it out and brushed off the dirt and carried it out. Then, as the credits rolled I realized the title of this show was "Treasure Hunter".

I knew then and there that God was reminding me of the verse in Isaiah 45, "I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know I am the Lord, the God Israel who summons you by name."

We are going on a treasure hunt. But this time to Africa. The treasure we seek are the precious hearts of the orphans. The place were God resides. They are the hidden treasures...we are traveling to them...to uncover them and delicately lift them up from their places of despair and allow the Holy Spirit to blow on them, bringing hope and new life. This is our mission...and we are so privileged to be called by God for such a search. We go forth as treasure hunters!
"Change our hearts dear Lord and open our eyes so we can see these treasures that you esteem so highly...We love you and we are here as your jars of clay. Fill us and let us pour ourselves out on this little ones..."

Amanda Clark Lawrence

Director of Develoment, AWA

Announcing Our 2009 Orphan's Ticket Home Galas!

America World Adoption is excited to announce four Orphan's Ticket Home Galas scheduled this year: Nashville, Atlanta, Orlando and Stockton, CA.

Our Gala's boast such great talent as Award winning CCM Artist, Britt Nicole.  Britt was made famous for her song, "Set the World on Fire" and she will be releasing her new album the same week as our Nashville Gala.  Those in attendance will be some of the first to hear her new songs!  Singer, songwriter and worship leader, Todd Fields will be joining us for our Atlanta and Orlando Galas.  Todd is a Worship Leader at the well known North Point Church (pastored by Andy Stanley) in Atlanta.  He has also been featured on many former Passion Worship CDs.  Last but not least, a new signed artist with EMI, Sarah Reeves, will be leading us in worship at our Stockton, CA Gala.  She is a young new artist with the most amazing worship music!  We will all be so blessed at the Galas to be led into God's heart for the orphan through the worship of these artists.

Our Guest Speaker for the Nashville, Atlanta and Stockton Galas is author of Red Letters and Fields of the Fatherless, Tom Davis.  Tom is actively involved in orphan ministry all over the world and has adopted from Russia.  The author of The Castaway Kid, Rob Mitchell will be speaking at our Orlando Gala.  Rob grew up in an orphanage in America and shares a heart breaking and riveting story of Gods' redemption.  Both speakers promise an inspiring glimpse into the life of an orphan and the hope that our campaign, An Orphan's Ticket Home can bring them. 

We will have silent auctions at some of our Galas with great items such as a vacation to Mexico, VIP tickets, spa visits, framed art, and one of a kind treasures. 

The dates and locations for each Gala are below:

Nashville - Saturday, August 8th: Gaylord Springs Golf Club

Atlanta - Saturday, October 3rd: St. Andrews Catholic Church

Stockton, CA - Saturday, October 24th: Lakeview Assembly Church

Orlando - Friday, October 30th: Holy Trinity Conference Center - Agape Ballroom

We invite each and every one of you to attend.  Please invite your friends, family, co-workers and church.  Each event will bring great orphan awareness to you and your guest and can change the heart of a city!  You can find out more and register at our Orphan's Ticket Home website here.

Also, if you'd like to provide a Corporate Sponsorship or donate any auctions to these events, please contact our Director of Development Amanda Lawrence at amanda.lawrence@awaa.org.

Brian & Cecile Luwis with you a Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day from America World Adoption! 

America World's 2008 Annual Report for our fundraising campaign, An Orphan's Ticket Home was mailed out last week to all our families and donors.  We hope you all received it by this Mother's Day. It was a great way to share with you how your donations gave more orphans the hope of one day finding their own moms and dads like you! We do need your help this year also to continue this great work! 

Here, Brian & his adopted daughter, Cecile, wish you all a Happy Mother's Day and a "Thank You" for donating to our Orphan's Ticket Home campaign.  To purchase a "ticket home" to help over 5000 orphans please click here.