This is your personal shout out for your adoption or missions projects!  My Crazy Adoption Blog is dedicated to bringing the craziness straight to you- sending readers to check out your links every Saturday.

If you have a special project, fundraiser, or blog post you want to share with my crazy readers click on the “Inlinkz” at the end of this post and include your link with an eye catching title for your project.

You can also leave a comment including all your project information and permalink (example http://tinyurl.com/3t4fxbo: ) to take readers directly to your site.

YOU INSPIRE ME!!

You Inspire Me!

If you are raising funds for adoption or orphan care … I want to help!  Click on the Inlinkz at the bottom of the post and add your information.  If you need Inlinkz 101- take a peek at the description below.  Also, feel free to leave a comment and share your story and project.  This is YOUR shout out!!

PS: If you are selling Simply Love gear … please leave your blogs and links in the comments with a description of your project.

What is your main fear about raising money for adoption or a mission trip? I want to know …

What in the world is the “Inlinkz” at the bottom of this post?  Well, I want to continue to shout out for your adoption and mission trip projects and fundraisers.  This new tool will help YOU spread the word to other bloggers that want to help make a difference in the life of an orphan.  All you need to do is leave your “permalink” with an eye catching title for your projects every Saturday- open to share for 48 hrs. What this means … you have two days to add your link with the Inlinkz tool, but readers can click on your images [here] to view for months to come.

My Crazy Adoption Blog receives over 10,000 monthly readers.  The new InLinkz tool will help bring readers to your site, but it won’t work unless you share!

This is YOUR personal shout out for your adoption and missions fundraisers!! My Crazy Adoption Blog brings the craziness straight to you- sending readers to check out your links!

If you have a special project, fundraiser, or blog post you want to share with my crazy readers, leave a comment with all your information and permalink (example http://tinyurl.com/3t4fxbo: ) to take readers directly to your site.

YOU INSPIRE ME!!

1. By way of introduction, my husband and I (Kristin) are currently in the middle of our international adoption, bringing home this little one will make ours a family of nine. We’ve identified a little girl with some special needs in Thailand and are praying hard that we’ll be able to adopt her. Thailand would have to make some exceptions in our case, and right now we’re just doing the old wait and wait and wait routine. One of these days we’ll hear something! : )

In the meantime, though, we’re working on raising funds, and that’s why I’m contacting you. My husband works in the film and video industry, so the idea for a film festival fundraiser was a no brainer for us. The festival is scheduled for October 28th, 2011. Our biggest need at this point is film submissions- we’re trying to round up a great variety of films to show, and need to get the word out. We’ll consider films from anyone, professional or amateur, the only real requirements are that they be short (under 15 minutes) and family friendly. There is no entry fee for submissions, the funds are being raised by audience donations.  Here is the link to the post that includes the submission guidelines and entry form- http://trippfamilyadoption.blogspot.com/2011/07/film-festival-submission-guidelines-and.html

Man Up is really about LOVING BIG

Three years ago, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia I found myself lying in bed shaking from the fear of death.   Not my own, but for my brand new daughter. I had already been down this path before not once, but twice.  A daddy losing a little child definitely has a lasting sting. The first one I lost, the second one became our beautiful daughter, Hannah.  I was not ready for trip number three.

After 48 hours of constantly nurturing Zoie Senait, being rejected by four hospitals, and finally the doctor who did see us said, “Good luck. I hope she makes it” as if she was trying out for the junior high cheerleading squad. Finally, we made it back to the hotel and we put Zoie down to sleep. I fell crashed on the bed and tried to go to sleep, but my mind was racing to figure out how to get out of my daughter’s death. (I know, pathetic.) I felt guilty that I was even thinking such thoughts. I just couldn’t face the thought of it.  For me, it was the pain of failure. How could a real father allow a little girl to die? How could a real father not provide the things that she needs to have a GREAT life?  I had only been her daddy for two days and I was scared out of my mind!

Kari could sense my anxiety so she encouraged me to pick up the phone and call the one person who always seems to have the right answers, my dad. Hearing his voice is always so calming and his words are filled with wisdom. It was in the middle of the night back home, but I needed my dad, so I made the call. As soon as he picked up the phone, I instantly started sharing how inconvenient this whole adoption thing has been – problems with the embassy, problems with our paperwork, and to make matters worse, a sick baby in a foreign country…  blah, blah, blah. I finally ran out of words and was patiently awaiting for his perfect, uplifting words. I needed him to validate my inconvenience. There was a long awkward pause … then I hear the words I will never forget … Man Up! (Did my dad just tell me to Man Up? Where was the validation I was looking for? Doesn’t he know how much I’ve been through?) He repeats himself to make sure I did indeed hear his words, “Man Up, Son! Zoie needs you. If she were to die right now, at least she can say she had a daddy for two days. Who loved her and fought for her with everything he had. Who else is going to stand up for her? Only you, so love her BIG!”

Man Up is really about Loving Big.

Man Up is really about doing what we (men) were made to do: lead, protect, and love… the greatest of the three is love.  I’m often reminded of the parable of the Good Samaritan when thinking about Man Up. Lying right in the middle of the path is a beaten, unconscious, naked man who has just been robbed of everything. The first two dudes to walk by actually sidestep the problem as though it doesn’t exist. These were guys who would have been the most qualified to “fix” the problem, but chose not to. The third guy was just like me and perhaps you – ordinary. Yet, Christ uses an ordinary Samaritan to demonstrate what it means to Simply Love.
That dreaded, embarrassing meltdown I had in Ethiopia is forever etched into my memory as me being one of those “qualified” wimpy dudes. Not wanting to be inconvenienced, or face another possible sting, or sacrifice my time. I’m so thankful for my dad speaking truth to me. The rest is history. Zoie is now a healthy, beautiful three year old girl that I could never imagine life without. Since that time, I’ve learned a lot about what it means to Man Up for the Fatherless. Men, they need us. They need to experience authentic love from a man. They need to feel the healthy touch from a man. They need to see a smile from a man. They need to experience the blessing from a man. They need you.

If you are interested in joining me this summer on the Visiting Orphans Man Up mission trip July 31- August 14th, please email me [here on the blog] and I will get in touch with you.  I promise you, it will change your life forever!

Roger Gibson

Visiting Orphans Website

Man Up & Protect.  My hubby’s story….

I’m with my two daughters picking up a few items at my least favorite store in the world to be at on a Saturday afternoon … Walmart Supercenter.  After spending time in the toy section with Zoie and then wondering over to the make up section to pick up a few items for Hannah, we finally make our way to the check out line.  Before I proceed any further, I need to share that we live in the Ozarks and whenever you make a trip to our local Walmart you just might see … real Hillbillies. Yes, I’m serious. I’m talking … overalls, sleeveless t-shirt, John Deere ball cap, missing a few front teeth, and a big Rebel flag tattoo on their bicep for everyone to see.

On this particular day, we just happened to get behind a particular big “hillbilly” as I described above at the check out line. I don’t know why I picked this line, but I did (It was probably the shortest). Anyways, whenever you go out with Zoie she is guaranteed to make a lot of noise and the case here was no different.  As Zoie was begging for her favorite candy – M&M’s, I noticed the man turned around and eyeballed back and forth between me and Zo as she was shouting “pretty, pretty please daddy. “  I could sense his brain trying to figure out the connection.  I’m sure I read more into it than what it really was, but in an instant, I felt a sudden rush of adrenaline kick in and I was in protective mode. Thankfully, nothing bizarre happened and life continued on peacefully.

Unfortunately, there are millions (YES! Millions!) of orphans without a Christ-centered Man Up kind of a dude in their lives. A man who will love BIG to guard their hearts, minds, and bodies from the kind of pain that takes advantage of their innocence or leave a child malnourished. I still think about the first six months of Zoie’s life when I was not there for her. I wonder if she ever had to endure the hardship of living on the streets like the baby twins that we met at Korah in Ethiopia, whose mother was so malnourished that she couldn’t produce enough milk for them to eat. What about that 14 year old girl in Moldova who just recently left her orphanage with dreams only to have a predator rob her of her freedom by turning her into a sex slave. What about the boy in Uganda who had to watch his father be murdered and his mother be beaten, raped repeatedly, and left to die.

There is a very special picture of Zoie I have that was taken in an orphanage of her before I even met her.  In the picture, there is a teenage boy holding Zoie.  I don’t even know his name, but I can see in the picture as he is looking down at Zoie with a playful laugh and Zoie with her big chocolate brown eyes looking straight up in his eyes with a smile from ear to ear.  As an adoptive dad, I treasure to know that my girl was being loved on by a man that I didn’t even know before I even met my daughter.  The loving touch of a man is huge for babies, children, and teenagers, but it all starts with us (men) creating a safe place for kids.  I love hearing about the men here in the States and overseas who are Manning Up to build and create a home of safety and food for orphans. I created the Man Up trip with Visiting Orphans for the sole purpose of men coming together to LOVE BIG on orphans., but prayerfully I’m hoping that God moves hearts of men to want to invest, wherever in this world, in the real lives of orphans to have a safe place to live , nourishment, clean water, and most importantly a man who will teach them to Go BIG & LOVE BIG by his example.   Thanks- Roger

2 Week Man Up Blitz

Purchase a new Man Up tee shirt (2 styles and 4 colors) and help us raise funds for Korah (where Zoie was born) Home Make-overs and projects the team will do in Uganda.  Click on the Store button- top right side.  Allow 2 weeks after purchase for shipping.  We only buy what we sell to save every penny for missions.  You can also make a monetary donation directly to Visiting Orphans designated to the “Man Up July 31-Aug. 14th” mission trip.

NEW MAN UP MISSION TRIP 2012

July 14- 28th 2012- Apply Now Visiting Orphans!!  The trip is filling up fast, so don’t miss out to Simply Love orphans in Ethiopia and Uganda!!!

On Orphan Sunday, Christians stand for the orphan . We are a people called to defend the fatherless…to care for the child that has no family…to visit orphans in their distress.  Orphan Sunday is hundreds of events across America and beyond, all sharing a single goal: that God’s great love for the orphan will find echo in our lives as well.  Every person can get involved.  Events can be whatever the Lord calls you to do.  Some events in the past have included sermons, small groups, concerts, prayer gatherings, etc.—each rousing believers with God’s call to care for the orphan…and what we can do in response.  Orphan Sunday is your opportunity to rouse church, community and friends to God’s call to care for the orphan.

The seeds of this united Orphan Sunday come especially as a gift from the Church in Africa. While attending a church service in Zambia, an American visitor was struck by the pastor’s passionate call to care for orphans in the local community, which had been ravaged by AIDS and poverty. Members of the church faced deep need themselves. But as the service ended, one after another stepped forward with money, food and other goods-some even taking off their own shoes and placing them in the offering for orphans.  The visitor, Gary Schneider, was so impacted that he began to help Zambian leaders coordinate Orphan Sunday efforts across Zambia. These efforts spread to the U.S. in 2003 with help from Every Orphan’s Hope and other organizations.  The Christian Alliance for Orphans honors the church in Zambia for the gift of Orphan Sunday. We pray the Church in America may be as faithful to reflect God’s heart for the orphan, both near and far.