Children in Crisis

For the last 10 months, I have gathered together a team of 4-5 couples to meet together to brainstorm and create vision for a new adoption/orphan ministry. We've set up our mission statement, short term and long term goals. We've talked to various churches, ministries, organizations, agencies etc. to help us form what we believe God wants us to do here at Canyon View Vineyard Church. And we've prayed! We also invited some folks from an orphanage in Haiti to come and talk to the church. (We raised over $18,000 that weekend to give to their orphanage!) God is on the move! We have an exciting weekend ahead of us! We will be having a Children in Crisis" expo to showcase 15 organizations to help people find their place in caring for orphans. Kirk has been doing a series on Social Justice and the people are GETTING IT! People are hungry and excited to do something about the injustices in the world and here at home. The staff has spearheaded a "Backpack Program" to feed children and their families on the weekends. We as a church have adopted 3 elementary schools and are giving backpacks full of food to over 600 kids each weekend. We will be partnering with the orphanage in Haiti (For His Glory Orphanage) and sending teams there to help them, as well as encouraging people to adopt kids. My vision has been to see many kids come to the same community from the same orphange- so they can continue to see each other and build community here. Our goal as a church is to adopt 100 orphans (domestically and internationally) by the end of 2010.

So, my heart is excited to see how God has used our heart for orphans (because of Gracie) to start something that could turn out to be so huge here! Praise God! Stay Tuned.