Loving Shepherd Ministries

I had the privilege of speaking at a local adoption and orphan care seminar over the weekend. The seminar was organized by the Orphan Care Alliance (OCA) and is mainly geared towards couples interested in starting the adoption process. (Although we are working on adding more orphan care topics!)

For many Louisville families, this is the first step in seeking more information. It was at an OCA seminar in October 2008 that we first choose our adoption agency.

If you aren't in Louisville, and even if you are, and are in the beginning stages of seeking more information on adoption, I highly recomend that you start with Loving Shepherd Ministries (LSM). LSM's mission is:

We have been called to care for the orphan. Orphans are not orphans because they lack food, clean water, or clothes. They are orphans because they lack a family. Our prayer and mission is to place these orphaned children in a loving family. We want to them to be godly leaders in their communities - and child by child, bring about effective change for the glory of God.

Their adoption resources are phenomenal. When Ethiopia denied our case and I wandered around in my pajamas all weekend, one of the first things I did was go to LSM's website and fill out their assessment form. Basically, they ask you all kinds of questions - health, marital status, kids in the home, finances, etc. - and then give you a list of countries you can adopt from based on those countries qualifications. And it's all FREE.


From the LSM website:

Loving Shepherd Ministries is not an adoption agency, but rather a not-for-profit Christian adoption organization helping families at the beginning stages of adoption.  Our program saves time, money, headaches and potential heartache for couples interested in adoption – all at no cost.

We assist families with both international and domestic adoptions by providing them with resources and information to help them understand their options and what countries they are eligible to adopt from.

We offer the following resources to families:

* Which type of adoption – international, domestic or foster - is best for your family.

* Determine which countries’ laws and programs will best work with your family and which options your family is eligible to pursue.

* Provide a list of agencies that are ethical, experienced and financially stable for the specific adoption program your family chooses.

* Provide a list of home study providers in your area.

* Provide resources on how to fund your adoption.

* Help answer specific questions or concerns a family may have.

We strive to make the adoption process less complicated and overwhelming.

And they do. 

Below is a portion of what LSM sent me after we completed their assessment form. (We specified African countries.)

If adoption is something that God has put on your heart, please do not ignore Him. Click on this little link and utilize LSM to see what He may have in store for your family.