A Letter

Dear Family and Friends,

April 22nd –May 1st. Why start off a letter like that? Because I want you to remember those dates to pray for me during that time. In November I got an email from an organization that I support called Show Hope. The email was to inform their sponsors about a trip to China that they are organizing. They wanted to know if any of us would like to go and see what God is enabling them to do over there and I jumped at the opportunity to go.

Let me give a little bit of background as to how God has placed Show Hope on my heart and working with orphans. Below is an excerpt of a letter that I wrote to Show Hope (then named Shaohannah’s Hope). I wrote this letter almost three years ago.

I have been a fan of Steven Curtis Chapman for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I had heard about the Chapmans adopting Shaohannah that I really took notice of what he was about. I was excited to see someone that was prominent in the Christian music industry stepping out in faith and opening up their home to a needy child. It resonated so deeply in my own heart because I knew that adoption was something I wanted to do one day. I believe that God put the desire to adopt on my heart even years before He saved me.

I can remember when I was as young as seven, the idea beginning to take root in my heart. Only God could have put an idea like that in the heart of a seven year old little girl who didn’t personally know anybody who had adopted. When God saved me in my teenage years, that desire not only began to grow in intensity, but also, by God’s grace, became something that is intricately linked to the gospel. God the Father sent His only Son to die on the cross so that I, a filthy undesirable orphan, could call Him Daddy. Those who have the privilege of adopting show the world a glimpse of the Gospel. How exciting to be part of that!

What will I be doing in China? We’ll be going to their medical facility for orphans who need extended care called Maria’s Big House of Hope. We’ll be coming along side the workers there helping them in any way we can: playing with the kids and doing odd jobs.
I would ask two things of you. First and foremost please be praying for me and the other fourteen people that will be going. Please pray that God would use this in our lives to draw us closer to Him. Also as you may have guessed this trip isn’t cheap. I still need to raise $1,600 by the end of this month. If you feel like this is something you would like to support financially please fill out the form I’ve included and mail it to Show Hope by the 25th of this month. I know that doesn’t give you a lot of time to pray and consider it. If you would like to know more about Show Hope their website is www.showhope.org. God is doing some neat things through them.

In Christ,

Christa