weekend of prayer

We are exited to fly to Washington D.C. the end of this week to attend the International Justice Mission Global Prayer Gathering!

This will be Luke's 3rd and my 2nd trip to hear updates from IJM field workers and to join hundreds of believers in praying purposefully for the needs of their mission and for those living in bondage.

We cannot describe to you the incredible blessing it has been to join in worship and offer prayers of petition to our great God who cares so supremely and passionately for the least of these! He commands us in Isaiah 1:17 to join with Him in this mission.

Sure,  we could just stay home and pray... as we do on a weekly basis for the work God is doing through the International Justice Mission... but His Word tells us that something very special and significant happens when His followers meet together to worship His holiness, celebrate His faithfulness and offer prayers of thankfulness and petition!

Here is a video clip from last year's gathering...

We're excited this year to have some friends from Central Illinois joining us for part of the conference, as well as to stay with friends in Washington DC area who are like-minded in this effort to see the church being the hands and feet of Jesus to those who suffer at the hands of oppressors. 

Proverbs 31:8 tells us to "speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed."

"Woe to you teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices - mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law - justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former." Matthew 23:23

Micah 6:8 says "He has shown you o man what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Thanks for praying for us as we travel, and for our children as they spend the weekend with grandparents and aunts and uncles... It's a good trip for us to get away together as a couple; like-minded in purpose and heart.

We look forward to giving you an update!

Adoption Update

     

Some of you have asked us for an update on our fundraising efforts... first of all, thank you so much for your prayers and support! 

We're thrilled to announce that we have reached just over half our goal to raise $35-$40,000 to offset the cost of our adoption! 

LifeSong for Orphans still accepts donations on our behalf until our sweet son has been officially adopted!

We look forward to bringing home this precious baby boy from South Korea!
There are 153 million orphans… We are not all called to adopt, but we can all play a role in taking care of orphans!

Your donation, large or small, will make an impact!

Donation checks should be payable to "Lifesong for Orphans" and in the memo, note: Schurter #6219.

Please mail to:

Lifesong for Orphans

P.O. Box 40

Gridley, IL

61744

Or visit Lifesong for Orphans to donate online. 

www.lifesongfororphans.org/give/donate Select "Give to an Adoptive Family". 

Complete the online form and fill in "Family Account Number" (#6219) and "Family Name" (Schurter) fields. 

Note: Your donation is processed by STRIPE with a 2.2% + $.30 (3.5% for AMEX) per transaction fee. 100% of your donation received by Lifesong will go directly to the need.

Lifesong has been blessed with partners who underwrite all U.S. administrative and fundraising costs. That means that 100% of your donation will go directly to our adoption costs.

Individual donations of $50 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $50 will gladly be sent upon request. Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. 

What does love really look like?

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 
If I have the gift of Prophecy and can fathom all Mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy,  it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 
For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 
And now these thing three remain faith hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 
- 1 Corinthians 13

We've been reading these verses to our children to let them know what Valentine's Day is really all about... and so that they can understand what real love looks like.

Today, following someone's words or behavior, you can hear throughout the house the question;
"... was that loving? Is that really love?"
(Even mommy has had to check herself!)

As we've observed the behavior and words of some Christian brothers and sisters in response to the refugee/immigration issue, we want to ask; "...but is that loving? Is that what Christ's love really looks like?"

We have been saddened to realize that many of our American brothers and sisters are becoming steeped in the nationalistic "America first!" mantra and a patriotism fervor that reaches a level of self-worship since last year's raucous election.  (Self, being our Country.)

Whatever happened to "God first!" ?
First and foremost our heart's desire should be to see His Truth reigning on the world stage: not the advancement of our party's or even country's political agenda.

I know that I myself have fallen into this nationalist trap in past years... and while we are so thankful for our Country and are incredibly blessed to have been born here, we know that this is not our home; and in fact, is not where we should place our best hopes and dreams and efforts.

But the "America first!" passion that has risen in 2017 even among Christians, is most alarming because it reveals so much about the heart.

These conversations all seem to be rooted in one emotion: fear.

Fear that our comfortable lives here will change.

Fear that welcoming others will somehow threaten the "safety utopia" we have carefully constructed around us.

Fears that we might even have to share some of our vast resources and our wealth may be diminished.

Sadly, sometimes when you try to engage a conversation from a Biblical standpoint on refugees or immigration, what is thrown back in your face is;

"Don't you love your country?"

"Are you for open borders?" 

"Why don't you want to keep America safe?"

(For the record, we believe the immigration system in this country has been broken for a long time and there are many things that need to be repaired! However that's not the point of this post.)

As our nation engages in a national dialogue (argument, really) about these important issues, it's vital that Christians stay above the fray. For, as our pastor so eloquently preached this past Sunday, we believers will be held accountable for how we treat one another... whether graciousness or vitriol abounds.

What has reached a level that sounds ungodly is, sadly, the apparent lack of understanding of what Christ's ministry here on earth truly was all about. If we are called to follow in sync with Christ's footsteps, we have to know what His mission is!

He didn't come to save and preserve only Americans! Though our judeo-christian history is special and unique, to whom much is given; much is required! How can "One Nation, Under God", perceived by the whole world as the freest, most prosperous nation of predominantly Christians, not show Christ's love and compassion?!

What speaks volumes around the world is our obvious interest in self-preservation; an "America First!" policy that does not represent Christ well.

Nabeel Qureshi, author of "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity", and a speaker in Ravi Zacharia's ministries,  wrote:

"There are simply too many barriers for Muslim immigrants to understand Christians and the West by sheer circumstance. Only the exceptional blend of love, humility, hospitality, and persistence can overcome these barriers, and not enough people make the effort."

American self-centeredness and misplaced priorities, lack of compassion, while being cloaked in pious religiosity, serves only to push other peoples further away from Christ instead of being a sweet aroma of Christ that draws people to the Truth of the Gospel!

Today is Valentine's day where we all focus on love and what that truly means as believers in Christ. We pray that our conservative Christian brothers and sisters in America would soon realize that nationalistic fervor should take a very distant backseat to our passion for Jesus Christ, His ministry here on earth, and where God's heart truly is; illustrated so magnificently in Revelation 7 verses 9-12:

"... I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. 

They were wearing white robes and we're holding palm branches in their hands. 
And they cried out in a loud voice: 

    "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worship God, saying: 

   "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen!" 

And Revelation 7 verse 17:

"...for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

♡ "Happy Valentine's Day!"
Let's all love as Christ loved us! ♡

Celebrating the First Lake Rescue of 2017 with IJM!!

24 boys who were forced to work on Lake Volta, Ghana are now FREE!

Early in the morning of January 24, IJM and Ghanaian authorities prepared for a rescue operation. The sun rose over the calm waters of Lake Volta, one of the world’s largest manmade lakes. The team was abuzz with anticipation. Everyone was ready for the day’s mission: rescue the boys.

These boys used their small bodies every day to dive into deep water to untangle nets for their masters. It was dangerous, back-breaking labor, made worse by violent abuse and lack of food and sleep. They dreamed of their families whom they could not see.

But today would be the day this would end. Right before 6:30a.m., eight boats launched off the shores to look for them. When we found them, most were scared—the boys didn’t know what was happening. As we pulled them into our boats, the Ghanaian commander instructed his unit to arrest the suspected boatmasters, 16 in all. The boys were now free!

24 boys were rescued; the youngest was 7 years old. Three had malaria. Several had injuries from work and abuse. We quickly reassured them that they were now free and safe. When this new reality sunk in, many began to clap and sing. The youngest boy felt safe enough to fall asleep.

That night, for the first time in a long while, they slept in warm beds.

“It was a new experience for them to live like a child and eat a full meal and sleep a full night and play football and do the things normal kids do. In these small moments, there were little beginnings of transformation,” said IJM Ghana Director of Aftercare Anita Budu.

Together, we celebrate their freedom.

But the road to recovery and healing will be long. The journey to regain their childhood will be hard. Many of them will need care for years for come.

Will you walk with them and thousands of other boys on Lake Volta who need rescue by giving today?

Gratefully,

The IJM Team

All text and images © 2017 International Justice Mission.

So, what about that refugee crisis??

Hello lovely people! If you're new to our blog, this is where we post family updates of significance on our adoption journey; but it's also been a place to share inspiration and things the Word has been teaching us. So please read this in that light and understand that this is not a political posting in any shape or form!

We listened to this podcast by David Platt - which was a speech he gave at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2016 - and after the recent Administration's decision regarding immigration and refugees, was re-posted this past week at his Radical website.

We think his message was a good reminder for American followers of Christ. Sometimes we get so caught up in the current worldview of our country, that we forget to see things through a Biblical worldview - to see everything through God's lens.

When we focus on the world and all the voices clamoring for attention, man's opinions harden our hearts and cause our love to grow cold.  Unfortunately,  some of us need the reminder that God loves us ALL! He created each person uniquely; yet each one in His own image. He died for each one individually; whether we're Americans, Syrians, Iraqis, Europeans, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus ... and so on.

The refugee crisis is an orphan crisis.

It is a human trafficking crisis.

Image: UNHCR via Faceboo

The UN reports that 70,000 Syrian refugee children are living without their fathers and nearly four thousand more have had both parents killed or imprisoned. Many simply cannot find their parents because of separation during their flight from war torn regions.

 
Photo by Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images

Bottom line, Christians cannot turn away and overlook 60 million people who have been driven from their homelands; cast aside as the world's refuse.

(Eerie, isn't it, how history tends to repeat itself? Some 60+ years ago, the world slammed its doors shut to the diaspora of the Jews?)

We can pretend that granting asylum is a grave threat to the security of our nation and there is a very good argument for that. But as the freest, strongest, most prosperous nation in the world, it is unconscionable to slam our doors to brothers and sisters in Christ fleeing for their very lives simply because it might be uncomfortable for us or have the potential to take away what most Americans revere foremost: our believed safety.

Photo courtesy of the Chronicle Herald.

CNS photo / Marko Djurica, Reuters

We shudder to think of how it must grieve God's heart to see His Church - we who are supposed to be His hands and feet! - allow the work of Christ come to a halt because of fear.

David rightly notes that millions of people are fleeing countries that are closed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ; countries where the Light of God has nearly been snuffed out by oppressive regimes and yet these people flood across Europe and into the Western World seeking refuge.

Why are we not greeting them with open arms and sharing the love of Christ with them? Why do we choose to miss giving the life-saving message of the Gospel to people whose hearts are softened in their greatest time of need?

It should hit us like a ton of bricks that we are missing the most incredible opportunity of our time to respond to the most incredible crisis of our time for His Kingdom purposes.

We pray you take a moment to watch this with an open heart...

"For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in..." - Matthew 25:35

So what now??

Samaritans Purse 

Catalyst Ministries

Resurrection Lutheran

Giving our family...

A friend sent us this picture from Life Song and it was such an encouragement to us!

We have been receiving updates about our son in Korea with pictures we can't wait to share with you someday!

And there's a feeling we carry that just can't be explained to those who are not going through this ... I've heard that said by other adoptive parents, but never fully realized it until experiencing it for ourselves...

We love him like he is our own son, yet he is so far away! We hold pictures of him yet we've never held his hands... we missed his first word... his first time pulling up to stand... his first birthday... his first everything!  And we've never missed any of our baby's firsts!

The love we have for him isn't sympathy; it isn't pity; it is a genuine compassionate deep love to be this child's mom and dad. His brothers and sisters are looking forward to paling around with him... to take him on their many adventures... to laugh with him! To live life with him... We have such a desire to call him our own!

So we wait expectantly; praying for this little soul ... this sweet little guy ... praying that he will soon be united with our family and we can share with him all the love that we share right now around our dinner table and in our home doing life together!
Thank you for praying with us!

Status update: right now we're waiting to hear that our dossier has been translated into Korean and has been submitted to the Korean Ministry for an emigration permit... We are hopeful this process goes through swiftly so we can receive a court date and plan our first trip to S Korea!