Fall 2014 - Agape of Central Alabama

Finding permanency for vulnerable and orphaned children.
WE ♥ OUR
VOLUNTEERS!
Page 2
CHRISTMAS
PRESENTS
FOR KIDS
page 4
INTERNATIONAL
ADOPTION
UPDATE
Page 2
CHANGING OIL,
CHANGING
LIVES
page 5
iCARE:
AGAPE SUNDAY
Page 3
www.agapeforchildren.org
FALL 2014
WE LOVE Our Volunteers
Agape is growing in many areas,
and one of those is our number
of volunteers. Agape loves our
volunteers and have had the pleasure
to work weekly with these three
women in the office. These women
come in every week to devote their
time to a greater cause! Thank you
to all our volunteers out there - you
mean so much to us!
Deb Watkins
"I whole-heartedly
support Agape's
mission and work
and I hope my
volunteering helps
in some small
way."
Amy Turner
"Since I am a
teacher, I work with
kids 10 months out
of the year and
volunteering with
Agape is a way to
continue caring for
kids all year long."
Brittany Pouncy
"Agape has a
wonderful ministry
helping women
on behalf of the
children… I like
how Agape offers
different services
to give women
options."
If you are interested in volunteering
for Agape, please contact
info@agapeforchildren.org for
more information.
Volunteer
2
THE HALLS, DOMESTIC ADOPTION
By Stacey Hall, Adoptive mom
or 14 years David and I prayed to have a baby
but were unable to conceive, so we prayerfully turned to adoption. We were a
little hesitant about adopting because we were not sure if an adoptive child would
love us in the way a conceived child would. What a silly thought.
Our situation was a rare one because we were fortunate to be in the delivery
room when Piper was born. Our hearts burst with love the second we saw her. The
birth mother gave us the most precious gift, and we will be forever grateful to her
for that gift.
Piper will soon be a year old. We have watched her grow from birth to her first
birthday. We wake up every morning to a beautiful smile. There are no words
to express the love we have for her. It would not have been possible without
adoption. God has truly blessed our family with the most beautiful little girl on
earth. Those big brown eyes, shiny black hair, and a smile as big as the sun were
made possible because of our Agape adoption.
F
Adopt
THE ALLENS, INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION
by Megan Malinoski, Director of Permanency Planning
t has been one year since Agape received Hague accreditation through the Council
on Accreditation. While we are still carefully and prayerfully considering a few
countries in which to begin our on-the-ground work, we have been beyond blessed
to serve seventeen international families this year through our home study and postadoption programs. Some of these families have already completed their adoptions
and some are in the beginning stages.
One such family is the Allens, on the cover. Agape was blessed to work with
Tom and Rebekah on a portion of the adoption process of their newest daughter.
Angelica Marie Allen was born November 7, 2012, in Guinea Bissau, Africa.
She was placed in to her forever family's arms on May 23, 2014, and arrived in
the United States on May 29, 2014. She is loved and adored by her parents and
siblings; big brother, Josiah, and big sister, Addison. Agape feels so blessed to have
been a small part in this family's incredible, faithful adoption journey. To read more
about this family's story visit their blog at tombekallen.blogspot.com.
Other families are adopting from all across the globe: China, Kyrgyzstan, Haiti,
Ethiopia, Guinea Bissau, and Liberia. Some have been relative adoptions, some
have been older child adoptions and some have been special needs adoptions.
Every time we are able to partner with a family to provide a forever family to a
child in need we thank God for equipping us with resources and wonderful social
workers to provide these services.
If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about international
adoption please contact Megan at megan@agapeforchildren.org to learn more.
We also appreciate your prayers as we continue to explore where it is that God is
calling us to serve beyond our backyard.
I
aGAPE sUNDAY
ADOPTION Celebration
November 1, 2014
T
AGAPE SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2014
By Julie Johnston, Community Outreach Coordinator
Throughout this issue, you'll find lots of ways people are showing they care for
vulnerable and orphaned children. Just look for the iCARE logo to see how you
can get involved too!
gape Sunday is happening now at many churches across Alabama! While
Agape Sunday is our largest fundraiser of the year, it's also a time to encourage
more Christians to help more children. We know you all can't adopt or foster - but
what can you do? This year's theme, "iCARE, iDO" is focused on sharing real,
tangible ways YOU can make a difference for these boys, girls, families and
pregnant women.
We hope your church can find a Sunday to dedicate to raising awareness of the
need and how to help by choosing to participate in Agape Sunday. Here's what it
could look like for your church:
• Pray for Agape’s families, children and staff.
• See real life people being helped through Agape by showing the Agape iCare
videos in your group or at your church.
• Give to the cause. Take up a special contribution to donate to Agape's ministry.
This is above and beyond your regular weekly giving. We are $40,000 away from
our goal for this year's Agape Sunday.
• Challenge your congregation to aid the ministry year-round by becoming an
iCARE Sponsor by joining our Care Club. iCARE sponsors decide on a recurring
monthly giving amount. Our goal is to have 200 new sponsorships through Agape
Sunday this year.
Agape will do all (or most of) the work for you after you pick a date. We have
all the promotion materials and announcements created for you. Just contact Julie
(jjohnston@agapeforchildren.org, 334-272-9466) to get your packet.
A
his year we are so
excited that our
celebration will
be held at DeSoto
Caverns Family
Fun Park in
Childersburg,
AL. This is a
community event for
adoptive families to come together
and celebrate God’s unique plan for
their family.
Come spend the day with us and
enjoy all the fun family activities that
Desoto Family Fun Park has to offer
and the best part is... it’s all FREE!
Agape will provide lunch as well
that day. This year is sure to be one
to remember and we hope you can
attend!
To get more information, contact
info@agapeforchildren.org. Be on the
lookout in the upcoming months for
information on how you can register
your family for this special event. To
learn more about DeSoto Family Fun
Park, you can visit their website:
www.desotocavernspark.com
WHY ONE CHURCH DOES AGAPE SUNDAY
By Dorothy Harris, Port City Church of Christ
"Our church family has worked with Agape over a period of years. We promote
the coin can effort and take up a special collection [on Agape Sunday] as well
to assist in the work they do. Why? Why wouldn't we? We have the power to
effect good in a child's life by doing something so simple…. It's a small act that
can change a life. We as a church family have seen the results of Agape's work
firsthand. We have extended family members who have been blessed through
adoption and foster parenting with Agape. We want to bless Agape so they can
continue to bless others."
3
6 CHARACTERISTICS OF AN AGAPE FOSTER PARENT
Foster
ByJenny Cummings, Program Manager for Out-of-Home Care
1. Flexible - Great foster parents roll with the punches. If their child wakes up at 2 am with nightmares, they are there in a
heartbeat offering comfort and snuggles. A grocery store tantrum does not ruin their day- they handle it like champs and move
onto the next challenge.
2. Structured - Great foster parents have a plan and rarely stray from that plan-no matter what.
3. Organized - Our best foster parents have a system for everything. Their system keeps them sane and their daily planner is
an extension of their frontal lobe.
4. Disorganized - Our favorite foster parents are totally disorganized. They fly by the seat of their pants and their children
live happy lives full of humor and fun. Their homes are lived in and loud!
5. Experienced - Our best foster parents have years of experience in raising biological children and/or adopted or foster
children. They draw on that experience and have so much to offer not only their children but also their social workers and
fellow foster parents.
6. Inexperienced - Our best foster parents are new to fostering or even parenting in general. They are green, excited and
patient beyond belief.
Truly, foster parents are a mixture of all these things. They are willing to learn and adapt their thinking and lives. They
have an immeasurable love for children and love them enough to follow a path that is filled with unknowns. Qualities often
contradict and it proves that our families come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and stages of life. They are prepared to go to war for
their kids. Agape foster parents pray over them, speak life into them, and meet them wherever they are, even in the hardest,
darkest of places. If you have what it takes, call us to learn more about fostering or helping a foster family in your community.
Contact Jenny (jcummings@agapeforchildren.org) today to talk about how you can become a foster parent.
DONOR Spotlight
Professional Pediatrics
Montgomery, AL
Thanks so much
to Professional
Pediatrics for the
constant support
of Agape's
ministries. Not
only did the staff
give Christmas
gifts to Agape's
children last year,
they also see to many of the medical
needs of our children throughout the
year. What a great group of people!
Donate
4
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS FOR KIDS
By Julie Johnston, Community Outreach Coordinator
t’s the most wonderful time of the year…and we are so grateful for generous
hearts that allow our foster children’s Christmas wishes to come true every
year! We are looking for churches, small groups, civic groups, college social clubs,
individuals, businesses or any group of
people to sponsor a child this Christmas.
We’ll start giving out wish lists to
sponsors in early October so be sure to
send us your information soon if you
are interested. Contact Julie Johnston at
jjohnston@agapeforchildren.org or call
334-272-9466.
I
Give
ACA elementary students ►
collected gifts for their sponsored
children last Christmas.
HOW AGAPE IS MINISTERING
TO PREGNANT WOMEN
Mentor
By Katie Rotton, Office Assistant
e sat down with our Maternity Services Coordinator, Amber Duke to talk
about this fast-growing ministry. What she shared with us reminded us that
Agape is reaching so many but could be reaching so many more.
W
What kind of women do we serve?
Really that's a hard question to answer because our clients vary a good deal. We
have women from teens through late 40s, married and single, all difference races,
and they all have different backgrounds and circumstances.
AGAPE PECANS
AND POINSETTIAS
D
on't forget to order your Agape
pecans and poinsettias this fall!
Order your pecans throughout
October by contacting your church
representative or Marlea at the Agape
office, 800-239-1020.
Order your poinsettias by contacting
Nancy Land at 334-277-9331.
Amber, what does a typical day look like for you?
Well, any day I could be visiting a local pregnancy center, helping a client to
prepare for a job interview, taking a client to counseling, catching up with a birth
mom who recently placed her child for adoption, helping a client create a resume,
helping a mom develop an adoption plan, or touching base with a mom who has
chosen to parent. One aspect of my job that I really enjoy is the privilege of discipling and mentoring many of these women.
Support
What makes this job so fulfilling to you?
When it really hits me is when I see a birth mom who is really trying to do what's best for her child. I love being able to see
how God is taking these women from a crisis situation to a state of peace, not perfection but a place where they can heal and
grow.
What is one thing you wish the community knew about your job and your clients?
I wish they understood the love these moms have for their children. Whether they choose to parent or create an adoption plan,
they are all trying to do the best for their children. I wish more people in the community knew about this ministry so that we
could minister to more women who are facing an unplanned or crisis pregnancy alone.
Want ideas on how to help? Contact Amber at aduke@agapeforchildren.org
AUGUST 27, ALL AMERICAN TIRE AND AUTO, MONTGOMERY
"Changing Oil Changing Lives" is a philanthropic organization dedicated to highlighting and benefiting local charities through
the donation of oil change proceeds. Once a month, tire and auto dealers donate 100% of the proceeds of a day's worth of oil
changes to a different charity in their community. This month, Don Duncan's All-American Tire & Auto has chosen to donate
the proceeds to Agape of Central Alabama. Mark your calendars for August 27 to get your oil changed! We couldn't be more
thrilled to build a relationship with this community business. Help us spread the word to change lives! For more information,
contact Agape at info@agapeforchildren.org.
5
CHURCH CONNECT SPOTLIGHT:
GIVING HOPE HOME
NEW Staff
By Julie Johnston, Community Outreach Coordinator
avid & Christie Breedlove, of
University Church of Christ in
Tuscaloosa, Ala, have found a way to serve
children and their community and are
making a huge impact along the way! The Breedloves have a heart to encourage and
support adoptive families in their church and community. They have four biological
children. About four years ago University church had several families in the process
of adopting, and members, like the Breedloves, wanted to support these families in
some way. So they started the Giving Hope Home group. They quickly found there
were other families in the community that desired to be a part of a group to lean on
during their adoption journey. Giving Hope Home has now become a community
group that allows families to get to know each other and spend time discussing
resources, fund raising ideas and praying together. David says, “we are just lay
people working together to serve the Lord and work in some capacity to live out
James 1:27.”
D
Katie Rotton
Katie came to Agape
as a Communications
Intern from Faulkner
University in the
Spring, but decided
she just couldn't leave
when the semester ended. Fortunately
Agape was in need of an Office
Assistant to fill in some gaps in the
Montgomery office.
True devotion before God is
to take care of the widow and
orphan in their difficulties...
James 1:27
Helping a child can be as
simple as giving $1 a day.
Be an Agape Sponsor by joining
our Care Club today. Signing up
means you'll know that you're
making a difference year-round.
Choose a gift amount to be
automatically donated to Agape at
the same time each month.
Agape Sponsorship Goal:
200 people
Sign up today by going to
agapeforchildren.org/careclub
Thank you for your
gifts and prayers.
FOR
orphans
and giving Ava* a Christian
family through adoption.
FOR
Foster Children
and caring for Mika and Lily*
in their foster home.
FOR pregnant
women in crisis
and supporting Nikki* as she
makes a plan for her unborn child.
*Names, details and images changed to protect identity and privacy.
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In Loving Memory
Harold Baggett
Linda & Ronny Turner
Charlie Baker
Vaughn Park Church of Christ
Linda Baker
Landmark Church or Christ
Edward Billings, Sr.
Linda & Ronny Turner
Mary (Hicks) Blocker
Virginia Hicks
Larry, Retta Phillips & Family
Jack Bobo
Vaughn Park Church of Christ
Don Brunson
Genelle Dale
Jean B. Bullington
Rex & Jeanne Anderson
Jeanette Cauthen
Linda & Ronny Turner
Ronnie Clark
Carolyn & Marvin Gentry
Prattville Church of Christ
Charles Cline
Bill & Diane Donegan
Annette & Jimmy Huett
Jo Cluck
Landmark Church of Christ
Jewel Cochran
Clara Price
Joan Dalafave
Jim Dalafave
Crowell Davis
Kate Houston
Ruth M. Davis
Lowell Hataway
Shelby Duncan
Linda & Ronny Turner
William Enfinger
Landmark Church of Christ
Sue Eubanks
Marie Echols
Kristin Fuller
Linda & Ronny Turner
Teresa Grant
Linda & Ronny Turner
Norman & Sue Hagler
Linda & Ronny Turner
Thomas Guy Hartley
Mamie Hartley
Pete Hayes
Linda & Ronny Turner
Hodman Head
Genelle Dale
Irby Heaton
Landmark Church of Christ
Annie Henagan
Linda & Ronny Turner
Paul Hoyle
Carla & Mike Young
Melba Jeffcoat
Linda & Ronny Turner
Christine Johnson
Vaughn Park Church of Christ
Jimmie Lois Johnson
Linda & Ronny Turner
Ben Kendrick
Glen & Virginia Huggins
Woodroe Leslie
Linda Turner
Jim Leuy
Genelle Dale
MEMORIALS February 2014-July 2014
Dr. Billy Ray Norman
Bobby & Patsy Owens
Max Norman
Linda & Ronny Turner
Julia Parker Oliver
Dale Gentry
Kenneth Owens
Linda & Ronny Turner
Larry Price
Annette & Jimmy Huett
Beth Reynolds
Prattville Church of Christ
Laurine Redman
Virginia Bowie
Genelle Dale
Bill & Ginger Page
Evelyn Rhodes
David & Nancy Berry
June Dillard
Carolyn & Marvin Gentry
Andrew & Cathryn Gerachis
Virginia Hicks & Family
Nell McCain
Denise Oliver
Prattville Church of Christ
Diana White
Mervin Scholfield
Linda & Ronny Turner
Brock Sims
Bobby & Patsy Owens
Linda & Ronny Turner
Kevin Singleton
Linda & Ronny Turner
Clifton Smith
Happy Hearts Fund - Vaughn Park Church
Flo Smith
Virginia Bowie
AGAPE Staff By Office
Montgomery Office (Main Office)
P.O. Box 230472 | Montgomery, Ala., 36123 | 334.272.9466 | Fax 334.272.0378
Jimmy Dobbs, Executive Director | Amber Duke, Maternity Services Coordinator
Carol Esco, Adoption Specialist | Marlea Johnson, Business Manager
Julie Johnston, Community Outreach Coordinator | Buddy Renahan, Supervisor of Traditional Foster Care
Katie Rotton, Office Assistant | Emily Thames, Director of Operations
Birmingham Office
P.O. Box 36533 | Birmingham, Ala., 35236 | 205.733.9755 | Fax 205.733.9408
Natalie Chambers, Social Worker | Jenny Cummings, Program Manager for Out-of-Home Care
Megan Malinoski, Director of Permanency Planning
Mobile Office
Billy Solberger
Clara Price
Doyle Springer
Vaughn Park Church of Christ
Happy Hearts Fund - Vaughn Park Church
Virginia Hicks & Family
Annette Stauch
Linda & Milton Slauson
Donna Stephenson
Linda & Ronny Turner
Billy Wayne Stinson
Retta Phillips & Family
Webster Sullivan
Doris Sullivan
Debe Taylor
Peggy Barnes
Charles Thomasson
Glen & Virginia Huggins
Curly Turner
Annette & Jimmy Huett
Gwen Turner
Vaughn Park Church of Christ
Jon Tyler Esco
Marjorie & Virgil Esco
John Westcott
Andrew & Cathryn Gerachis
Louise Vines
Paul & Ann Hubert
Curt & Linda Jones
Diana White
Lena West
Linda & Ronny Turner
Martha Windham
Glen & Virginia Huggins
In Honor Of
Mary Shaver
Mamie Hartley
BOARD of Directors
Ben Blanchard, Vice Chair
Jay Clark
Jason Isbell, Secretary
Morgan Simpson
John Stewart
P.O. Box 2602 | Daphne, Ala., 36526 | 251.625.1133 | Fax 251.625.1129
Linda Sanders, Social Worker
Mark Sullivan, Treasurer
Enterprise Office
John Tyra, Chair
P.O. Box 311541 | Enterprise, Ala., 36331 | 334.393.1990 | Fax 334.393.0224
Patrice Kenney, Social Worker
Alliance: S.T.A.R. and Continuum Staff
Nancy Guilford, Alliance Social Worker, Montgomery | Lea Hunt, Alliance Social Worker, Montgomery
Katie Walker, Alliance Social Worker, Birmingham
Shana Phillips
7
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Montgomery, AL
Permit #282
Agape of Central Alabama
P.O. Box 230472
Montgomery, AL 36123
334.272.9466
800.239.1020
www.agapeforchildren.org
Return Service Requested
As a ministry of Jesus Christ,
Agape’s mission is that
vulnerable and orphaned
children find permanency in
safe, nurturing families.
CONTACT US IF YOU WOULD LIKE A STACK OF
AGAPE NEWSLETTERS OR BROCHURES FOR YOUR OFFICE.
INFO@AGAPEFORCHILDREN.ORG ● 334-272-9466
M
ARK
YOUR
CALENDAR
FOR
O
CTOBER
6, 2014
9th Annual
GOLF TOURNAMENT
Wynlakes Golf & Country Club
Montgomery, AL