The Important Role of a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) in the Foster Care System

Our next OFF The WALL Meeting is Friday, May 23rd at Christ The Redeemer Church (1523 W Mallon Ave) at 6:00 pm.

The topic will be:

"The Important Role of a CASA!"

Have you ever wondered who is advocating for kids in the foster care system?  Do you desire to speak up for the most vulnerable but don't think you are ready to bring another child into your home?  If you are a foster parent, would you like to learn more about the role of CASAs and their importance in the dependency process?  What is a CASA?  Why would you want to be a CASA?  All of these questions and more will be answered at the May 23rd meeting.  The presenter will be Pat Donahue, who heads of the CASA / GAL program for the Spokane Juvenile Court.

Come spend an evening with others who desire to advocate for vulnerable children. Fellowship and Dessert to follow. Childcare is available.

Jason

JasonWiens@SpokaneOrphanSummit.com

STUCK in Spokane

The movie STUCK is coming to town Friday, April 5th at 7 pm.

"STUCK is a new award-winning documentary film, produced by Both Ends Burning that uncovers the personal, real-life stories of children and parents navigating a roller coaster of bureaucracy on their journeys through the international adoption system, each filled with hope, elation – and sometimes heartbreak.
Please join the movement and share this event with friends and family! The movie screening will begin at 7:00 PM
For more info please visit: http://bothendsburning.org/movie/#tickets"

Jedd Medefind is the president of the Christian Alliance for Orphans.  Jedd shares in a short video about why the movie STUCK is important.  In his explanation he tells the story that we share about how OFF The WALL Ministry got it's name.  Jedd shares a powerful message and I wanted to share it with you.


Jedd Medefind invites you to watch STUCK adoption documentary from Both Ends Burning Campaign on Vimeo.

Blessings as together we seek to serve children locally and in other parts of the world.

Orphan Sunday and More

Exciting things are happening in Spokane and the Inland Northwest as we seek to minister to orphans.  

First

I want to remind you that Orphan Sunday is fast approaching.  Sunday, November 4th is National Orphan Sunday this year.  OFF The WALL Ministry is having a meeting at 5:30 pm at Christ The Redeemer Church (1523 West Mallon Ave) this coming Sunday.  We hope you can make it.  Perhaps you would like to bring a friend.  We seek to, not only raise awareness about the needs of orphans in our area and around the world, but we also seek to support and encourage families who are taking care of orphaned and vulnerable children, whether through adoption or foster care.  There are also many resources available at our website over on the right side of the page.

Spread the word....

Do you have questions about the adoption process?  Are you interested in adoption but you have questions about some of the details?  Nicole Koyama and Mirisa Bradbury will share from their professional training the various legal aspects of adoption whether it be through the state, an agency or done privately.  They will also discuss legal complications that may occur and how to avoid these pitfalls.  Nicole and Marisa will share from their vast professional but also personal experience in the field of adoption.  Don’t miss this excellent opportunity to celebrate adoption and by all means, “bring a friend!”

Dessert and coffee will follow, along with fellowship with other parents who are on the journey of adoption/foster care.

Second

Faith Bible Church is hosting an event this Saturday where you can get free clothes!

WEAR IT AGAIN CLOSET

What:  Free gently used clothing for the entire family

Where:  Faith Bible Church, 600 W. Cora, Spokane, 99205

When:  Saturday, November 3 (this coming Saturday)

Time:  9-1

Third

Don't forget about the Orphan Sunday event going on in Couer D'Alene this Sunday as well.  Although this event is going on at the very same time as the one at Christ The Redeemer, look who we're sending over to Idaho to give the main talk. :-) Both events should be fantastic and the main point is to "care for orphans"!

Last

Monday November 5th at 9:00 am we begin planning for Spokane Orphan  Summit II.  Our second SOS conference will be March 16th at Eastpoint Church.  If you think you would like to invest a little bit of your time/talent once a month for the next 5 months we would love to have your help.  So, next Monday meet at Christ The Redeemer Church at 9:00 am and we will put our heads/hearts together.

Blessings,

Jason Wiens

http://www.spokaneorphansummit.com

Orphan Sunday - November 4 - Kroc Center, Cd'A

What:
Community Orphan Sunday event at the Kroc Center Presented by Real Life
Ministries Orphan Care (1765 West Golf Course Road  Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815)
When:
Sunday, November 4, 2012 from 3 to 6 PM

Focus/Goal: To provide enrichment, hope and information for parents
who are interested in or are presently fostering, adopting or are
caring for relatives.

Format:3-3:40: Main Session - Carey Hughes-Pastor at Christ The Redeemer Church, Spokane
3:40-4:00: break (split meeting room into 2 and reconfigure for smaller setting)
4:00-4:45: Two Breakout Sessions:
1) Adoption Through The Years (a panel discussion with a facilitator) 
[Adoption is a journey and while the path is different for everyone, wisdom can be gleaned from others as you prepare yourself, your family and your child(ren) for the stages and questions they will face about birth parents, your own relationship, and unknowns. Bring your questions and concerns.]
2) Foster and Relative Care: Unmasked (a panel discussion with a facilitator)
[Q&A with local Foster and respite care providers. If you are interested in learning more about fostering, respite, CASA, or are presently fostering or providing respite and want a clearer vision of the joys that can come from fostering, join the discussion.]
4:45-5:00: Break
5:00-5:45: Two Breakout Sessions:
1) We Did All the Training, but something is not right! Practical help for foster and adoptive parents dealing with unexpected behaviors of children from hard places (panel discussion with a facilitator)
2) Adoption or Fostering? Which is Right for My Family? (a panel discussion with a facilitator) Want to adopt, but the process seems daunting? Have you felt lead to foster, but aren't sure where to begin? Come get your questions answered and walk away with a clearer understanding of adoption and fostering.
5:45-6:00: close sessions and allow for people to continue making connections and develop new relationships in hallway and at cafe.

Potluck Support Dinner

In an effort to continue to support and encourage adoption and foster care, Summit Ridge Christian Fellowship is inviting individuals and families, who want to support adoption or families who want the support of others, who have adopted , to a potluck dinner.  We hope you can join us! Please pass the info along to anyone you know who may be interested.

Please join our Summit Ridge Christian Fellowship – Adoption and Foster Care group for a PotLuck dinner.

 

Where: 1801 E. 29th Ave (Note: New Location for Church)

Spokane, WA

When: Sunday October 28th @ 5pm to 7pm

What to bring: a main dish and a salad or dessert to share, along with plates, silverware and drinks for your family.

NOTE: Please bring chairs to sit on. It does not look like there are tables and chairs there yet. We will bring a couple of tables to set food out on.

Any Questions, contact: debking78@gmail.com  or cell (509) 999-4792 

Hope to see you!!

Potluck Invitation

OFF The WALL Ministry is thrilled that there are other churches in Spokane that share our vision to support and encourage adoption and foster care.  One of the churches that we are partnering with is Summit Ridge Christian Fellowship.

In an effort to continue to support and encourage adoption and foster care, Summit Ridge Christian Fellowship is inviting individuals and families, who want to support adoption or families who want the support of others who have adopted, to a potluck dinner.  We hope you can join us! Please pass the info along to anyone you know who may be interested.

Please join our Summit Ridge Christian Fellowship – Adoption and Foster Care group for a PotLuck dinner.

Where: Summit Ridge
57th and Freya | South Hill | Spokane, WA
(We meet in the Seventh Day Adventist Building)

When: Sunday June 24th @ 5pm to 7pm

What to bring: a main dish and a salad or dessert to share, along with plates, silverware and drinks for your family. Also, weather permitting, we will eat outside. If you have any outside activities for the kids, please bring them with you. Thanks!

Beyond Adoption - The Body of Christ Mobilized

Our next OFF The WALL Meeting is next Sunday, June 3rd at 5:30 at Christ The Redeemer Church.  This will be a good opportunity to invite people from your church who may not be adopting or fostering children but who want to be involved in the lives of orphaned children.  Our speaker, Anna Rowe, is knowledgeable and experienced about different ways to be involved in the care of vulnerable children.  Her discussion will include opportunities such as, volunteering at Sally's House, becoming a CASA, ministering to adoptive families, and fundraising assistance.  What is a CASA?  Come on Sunday, June 3rd and find out.  


Adoptive families who have brought a child home know how it feels to be overwhelmed in the first weeks and months and sometimes years.   Come and learn how you can use your gifts to assist the body of Christ in caring for vulnerable children beyond adoption.  Here is a fun video with some creative ways others have been involved in the lives of children.  

Adopted by Design

America World Adoption will be hosting a free adoption seminar entitled "Adopted by Design".  This multimedia program will address what God's Word says about adoption.  You will hear families share their personal adoption experience and see the love that defines what it means to be a mother and a father.  You will also see a moving Hallmark presentation of Steven and Mary Beth Chapman's story of adoption.  It will take place Monday June 11th  6:30-8:30 pm at Immanuel Baptist Church, Spokane, WA 99205.   
Please visit:  www.awaa.org/events or call 1-800-429-3369 to register.

Next OFF The WALL Meeting June 3rd

NEXT OFF the WALL Meeting

Sunday June 3^rd, 5:30 pm - Christ The Redeemer Church

Dessert provided.  Please RSVP : Jason@SpokaneOrphanSummit.com

http://CTROrphanCare.blogspot.com

The Body of Christ Mobilized for Orphans:  Speaker -Anna Rowe

One of the benefits of being a Christian is that we are “adopted” by God and placed in a big crazy family.  The body of Christ is most beautiful when it works together.  For reasons that are unique and specific, some families are not called to adopt, others are called, but wait.  No matter what your circumstance the “Church” is called to care for the orphan.  There is a need, and as Christians we can share God’s love and mercy by stepping up and saying we care.

 The burden is great.

·         There are roughly 900 foster children on any given day in Spokane County.

·         There are approximately 11,100 children in the Washington foster care system.

·         2,800 children wait for a family to adopt them in Washington.

·         Approximately 400 children turned 18 last year and never found a permanent adoptive      home in Washington.

·         143 million orphans world-wide wait.

So what can the “Church” do?  We can speak up for the orphan, collaborate with agencies, and participate in the judicial system.  Give of our time, money and resources.  Sacrifice as Christ has.  Come learn how you can be involved with orphan care beyond adoption and join with the body of Christ.

Are you trying to find out more about adoption?

Spokane Orphan Summit will be April 21st from 8:00 - 4:30 at Faith Bible Church.  If you would like to foster or adopt some day but don't know where to start, then this conference is for YOU!




Here are some of the breakout sessions that are available:

1) Myths and Truths about Foster Care

(There are a lot of stories to sift through about foster care. It can be hard for potential foster parents to sort through what is myth and what is reality.)   Come hear a speaker share how Christians can work within the foster care system to care for children who desperately need families.)

2) Panel Q&A Discussion Part 1- Pro's and Con's about the different Adoption Options.

(This breakout session will be a panel discussion led by people who have experienced the gamut of adoption.  There will be parents on the panel who have adopted from; foster care, domestic agencies, private adoption and also from a variety of international countries.  Some have adopted infants while others have adopted older children.  Each adoption option has its own inherent twists and turns.  Come and learn more about which adoption path might be right for your family.)

3) Panel Q&A Discussion Part 2 – Pro's and Con's about the different Adoption Options.

(This breakout session will be a continuation of Part 1.  The same panel will be available to help you answer questions and wrestle with which adoption path might be right for your family.  Warning: You might leave with more questions than you came with.)

Lunch will be provided and childcare will be provided for children 5 and under.

Please register online at SpokaneOrphanSummit.com so that we provide a sufficient amount of food and workers to care for your children.

Are you on an adoption journey?

Spokane Orphan Summit will be April 21st from 8:00 - 4:30 at Faith Bible Church.  If you are already on the adoption journey and would like support from others who have already been through an adoption, then this conference is for YOU!  


Here are some of the breakout sessions that are available:

1) Eternal Lessons During Seasons of Waiting

(Adoption is filled with opportunities to learn lessons about waiting.  Waiting on the Lord is something talked about extensively in scripture but in our "now" culture it can be difficult.)

2) When Adoption/Post Adoption Doesn't Go As Planned

(Being flexible and having plans change is the name of the game on the adoption journey.  What do you do when life throws you a curve ball?  When you have done everything you feel that God has called you to do and then things don't turn out how you expect, then what?  Come and learn from a couple who has seen a few curve balls come their way.)

3) Helping Adopted Children Deal with Grief of Adoption at Different Ages and Stages of Life

(Adoption is a blessing as children are connected with their families.  The truth of this blessing does not take away the fact that adoption stories also include loss.  As adopted children grow-up most will go through grief at the loss(es) they have experienced in their life.  The grief process varies for every child but there are some things that we can expect along the journey.  How can we help our child deal with their grief in a way that brings healing?)

Lunch will be provided and childcare will be provided for children 5 and under.

Please register online at SpokaneOrphanSummit.com so that we provide a sufficient amount of food and workers to care for your children.

Do you want to support an adoption culture?

Spokane Orphan Summit will be April 21st from 8:00 - 4:30 at Faith Bible Church.  If you would like to be involved in orphan care by supporting an adoption culture this conference is for YOU.  Here are some of the breakout sessions that are available:

1) Helping the Church Find its True North

(What does a culture of adoption look like and how can The Body of Christ foster a culture of adoption in The Church?)

2) The Theology of Adoption

(Gaining a deeper appreciation for our adoption as members of God's family and finding out how this can revolutionize how we view life.)

3) Strategizing Roundtable Discussion – Let's Do This Together 

(With God at work in us as The Body of Christ in the Inland Northwest, how can we work together to take care of children in our state and around the world?)


One more thing -  Please encourage your pastors and church staff to come to this Summit.  Mobilizing The Church can be much more effective when church leaders are involved.

Lunch will be provided and childcare will be provided for children 5 and under.

Please register online at SpokaneOrphanSummit.com so that we provide a sufficient amount of food and workers to care for your children.

An Important Connection

Have we as The Church fully connected these two issues; 
ABORTION - - - - - - - - -ADOPTION?


Can we say to someone considering abortion, "Every child IS a wanted child! and that there is a loving family waiting and desiring to love your baby"?


Adoption needs to be part of our "church culture".  If you would like to learn more about how you could adopt, or support others who are adopting, then find an adoption conference near you.  


There is an adoption conference coming to Spokane on April 21st, SOS (Spokane Orphan Summit).  


And there are many other conferences going on in cities all around the country this year.  Let's get TOGETHER and care for every child in our country waiting for a loving family.  And let's not stop there.  There are orphans all around the world in need of love and protection.  Let's not let the IMMENSITY of the need overwhelm us.   Adoption and orphan care are about ONE CHILD AT A TIME.


Three Opportunities Coming To Spokane That Could Make a Difference!

"The Great Turnaround" is a movement of churches, in cooperation with Life-Services, to send a positive message to women contemplating an abortion, "there is no such thing as a hopeless situation."  Kick-off is March 12, 7:00 pm at the INB Performing Arts Center.



"October Baby" is a story with strong themes of bitterness/forgiveness, guilt/healing, death/life.  The STORY has the power to change lives.  "Tell me a fact and I'll learn, tell me the truth and I believe, but tell me a STORY, and it will live in my heart forever." Steve Sabol

Let's pray that more pastors in Spokane will get together to strategize about how to change the culture in this country from a culture of ABORTION to a culture of ADOPTION.  


HINT: One of the breakout sessions at the Spokane Orphan Summit will be "Strategizing Roundtable Discussion – Let's Do this Together".  This is an opportunity for us to help bring about change in the CULTURE OF ADOPTION in Spokane.

Two Weeks To Go....

In less than two weeks we have the opportunity to spend a very inspiring time together and hear Dr. Ken Hutcherson give his vision for orphan care ministry.  This is both a reminder and an encouragement.  A reminder not to forget Friday, January 27th at 7pm at Christ the Redeemer Church.  An encouragement to invite a friend to join you.  

We have an opportunity to be a voice for children throughout our state, our country and around the world.  This is a population who in all other respects do not have anyone to speak up for them.  We as believers have the opportunity to speak up for orphans and then IF CALLED to take them into our families.  The churches in Colorado have caught the vision to work together to take care of children in their state and, by God's Grace, they have cut the number of children in the state foster care system in half.  "What can we do TOGETHER that we could never do SEPARATELY?" for the children in our city, in our state, in our country and around the world?

Project 1.27 is an example of what the churches in Colorado are doing TOGETHER to care for orphans in their state.  Their mission, "to recruit, train, and support parents from local churches to adopt or foster children in Colorado's foster care system."

Foster Care Crisis in Spokane

With permission from the Foster Parents Association of Spokane, I am reposting an email they sent to me today.  Please spread the word to any friends you know of who might be considering foster care or adoption.

"CALL TO ACTION TODAY

Attention Spokane Community:  We are in a crisis.  We need more foster homes willing to take children now.
Here are the facts:
Placement Staff in Spokane County (Homes Finders) have placed 253 children in the last 3 months alone!  This is a dramatic increase over previous years.
Home Finders had to call 9 homes before they could find a home for a newborn baby.
Home Finders have had to separate sibling groups including a set of twins because we do not have enough homes.

We need your help today!

Here is your call to action.  Every foster parent recruit one new home by October 15th .  Please take this call to action and email me back that you will commit to recruit one new home by October 15th.  Orientation is scheduled for October 18th.
Together we CAN make a difference for the children of our community!

Linda Rogers, Regional Foster Parent Recruitment Coordinator 

509-389-7192

Please forward this Call To Action to your email list.

Visit www.fpas.org for contact information, training, etc."

You can read this news article if you want to read this information in a slightly different format.

I would like more information about fostering and/or adopting.

If you would like more information about how to begin the process of fostering and/or adopting please send a message to offthewallministries (at) gmail (dot) com and we will try to put you in contact with a resource person at CTR who has been through the process.  Hopefully by having been through the process once or twice already we can help one another and remove some of the barriers and hurdles along the way.

I am willing to help out in orphan care in this way.

One of our first posts was "10 ways for every Christian to be involved".  We also did a little brainstorming and put together a list of practical ways you might use your gifts here at CTR to care for orphans.  Please add a comment below about how you would like to be involved or you can email us at offthewallministries (at) gmail (dot) com.

Ideas of ways to be involved

Babysitting

Blog and web development

Media/Video/Story Telling

Setting up for a conference


Encouragement (note, phone call, email)


Cooking Meals

Fostering

Adopting

Respite Care-for those fostering

Prayer

Fundraising

Giving

Notary Help

Legal Help

Medical Help

Counseling Help

Building Help

Plumbing Help

Mechanic Help


Orphan Care Ministry Team

other....

I would be interested in attending a meeting/day conference to learn more about adoption.

Hopefully in the late spring or early fall of next year (2011) we will have a conference on the topic of orphan care.  We are in communication with some other Christians in Spokane who also have a heart for orphan care.  Perhaps we can pool our resources with these people and learn together how we can be more organized, more intentional and more supportive of one another as we seek to care for one of the most vulnerable populations on earth.

In the meantime here are a couple of conference resources to check out for your enrichment and edification.

1) Here is a link to a good website with a conference called "Adopting for Life" put on in February of 2010.

2) T4A or Together for Adoption put on their annual conference this past October 2010 and they will have audio available soon as well which will be a valuable resource.

I would like to be part of a “CTR Orphan Care Ministry Team.”

Today at church we had people come by the table and ask, "what does this mean?"  "What will this involve?"  "What will we be doing?"  "What is the mission statement?"  Those are all excellent questions.  We are just in the early stages of planning and developing our orphan care ministry at CTR so those questions have not been answered yet.  We had a few people sign up to be a part of the "CTR Orphan Care Ministry Team."  Please put a comment in this post (or send an email to offthewallministries (at) gmail (dot) com for a more private reply) if you would like to be a part of this planning team.
Here is what I think the next steps will be:
1) Get together before the end of the year 2010 to pray together and seek the Lord about what He wants CTR to focus on as a church in this area of orphan care.
2) Nail down 4 or 5 specific areas (maybe a few more, maybe a few less) to focus on in the coming year, 2011.
Thoughts?  Comments?

How can I learn more?

There was some interesting discussion downstairs after the service about what it means to be involved in caring for orphans.  There are so many ways I could not possibly list them all.  If you have a gift and wonder if it could be used in our orphan care ministries please comment below or send an email to offthewallministries (at) gmail (dot) com.  There is another post about ways to be involved with a list I put down as I was brainstorming how people might use their specific gifts.

There are 4 sign up lists (posts now) so that we can communicate about how you can be involved in caring for orphans or how our ministry at CTR might assist you in your desire to care for orphans.

1) I would like to be part of a “CTR Adoption Ministry Team.”

2) I would be interested in attending a meeting/day conference to learn more about adoption.

3) I am willing to help out in orphan care in this way.

4) I would like more information about fostering and/or adopting.

Please get back to us in some way so that we know who is interested and where your interests lie.  Even if you are minimally interested, just beginning to search, or just want to know what this is all about please say so....  If you need more time to think on this topic of orphan care before writing (deciding how you will be involved) you can lurk and just keep checking back in on the blog.  There will be more information coming up on the blog in the coming weeks.