Think of the plight of the orphan somewhere right now out there in the world. It’s not just that she’s lonely. It’s that she has no inheritance, no future. With every passing year, she’s less “cute,” less adoptable. In just a few years, on her eighteenth birthday, she’ll be expelled from the orphanage or from “the system.” What will happen to her then? Maybe she’ll join the military or find some job training. Maybe she’ll stare at a tile on the ceiling above her as her body is violated by a man who’s willing to pay her enough to eat for a day, alone in a back alley or in front of a camera crew of strangers. Maybe she’ll place a revolver in her mouth or tie a rope around her neck, knowing no one will have to deal with her except, once again, the bureaucratic “authorities ” who can clean up the mess she leaves behind. Can you feel the force of such desperation? Jesus can. She’s his little sister.

There is much speculation that some of the push is to weed out child trafficking, but throwing out the baby with the bath water is not the answer. There are 5.5 million orphans in Ethiopia today, who need homes. Who need parents. We are praying that God would raise up families in Ethiopia who would adopt these children within their own culture and context. While we pray for a domestic adoption movement to sweep over Africa, these children need homes now…

As most of you know, my wife and I are adopting two brothers, Surafel and Esrael from Ethiopia. We have a current court date of April 13th. We do not know how this will effect that court date if at all. In so many ways, our heart can’t see beyond our own boys, but we are feeling the pain of all the families and the fatherless out there who will be effected by this.

We are asking you all to join us in prayer for the government of Ethiopia. I believe it is pretty much common sense that children were created to be in families, not orphanages. They need wisdom to not forget this. They need wisdom to not make a rash decision right now. They need help with administration and they need a better system to eradicate child trafficking. Please join us in prayer, and if you feel led, fasting.

To have the hope of a final adoption is both a personal and cosmic reality. Not only in our hearts, but the whole creation is groaning for the day when adoption in part gives way to the fullness of adoption. We are pregnant with glory!

Because the whole pan-national family of God will be adopted (Just as God has promised), because Jesus is going to finish making all things new (Just as He has promised), we can and must give ourselves over to offering this world the first fruits of the new heaven and new earth. This is why Christians should be the front-line lovers and servants in the world of human trafficking, poverty, hunger, injustice, and indeed, in the world of orphans. Because Jesus has signed on for eliminating the very category and word “orphan” from the human vocabulary, let’s partner with Him, one adoption at a time. We cannot fail. We cannot and will not possibly fail. Our labors in the Lord are, and never will be in vain!

This is a picture of Kahesay, an 11 year old boy, pictured with his 9 year old sister, Mulubirhan. Because they are older children, and there are two of them, the cold truth is that they are less likely to be adopted.  Most people want to adopt a single infant.  I am praying for one family who will be more influenced and motivated by the Gospel than by preference and comfort.  I’m praying that a family would adopt these two children.

They have ZERO foriegn and agency fees. This means you don’t pay the $5,000 agency fee OR the $12,000 foreign fee. Essentially you would only be paying for your travel, homestudy, and a few other miscellaneous expenses, but you’re getting to skip about $17,000 worth of expenses and the wait for you to get your referral.

If you’ve been praying about adopting or considering it, this is an amazing opportunity to change 2 lives forever! There is nothing easy or convenient about adopting. There is nothing sexy about it. But God has adopted us and given us an example of sacrificial generosity and taking care of the fatherless.

If you are interested, please email me at stephen@stephen-miller.com and I’ll send you the information.

Grace and peace,
Stephen Miller

There are an estimated 163 million orphans in our world.  The good news is that there’s much hope!  Many churches and organizations are creatively stepping up to actualize God’s heart to care for orphans.  Join us for a fresh, honest, meaningful and transformative conversation about a collaborative movement to bring hope to the orphan.

We will be talking with leading thinkers and practitioners on topics including US & International care, community development, trafficking of orphans, adoption, foster care, child sponsorship, special needs, cross-cultural & religious dynamics to care, and many more.

I would love for you to join me, Aaron Ivey, Jason Kovacs, Dan Cruver, Esther Havens, Chris Marlow and slew of other amazing guides as we dream about ways to be a light in our world and to care for the orphan in the way God had in mind for us when created us, saved us, and adopted us.

For more information, go to www.theideacamp.com. Register with the discount code “NWA” to cut registration price in half to $49.

See you there!

MORE THAN SONGS

What do You require but that we’d act justly
What do You desire but that we’d love mercy
What would please Your heart but that we’d walk humbly
With our God, with You God

Let the poor run free from their poverty
Let the hands of Your people meet their needs
Let the lives of Your saints be an echo of Your heart
To the broken and the hurting of Your world

I hope you are blessed by the words of the song and that as you sing it, you are reminded that our worship goes far beyond chords and a melody… beyond the lyrics that our mouths sing… it’s the heart and the way we walk humbly with Him, living lives of mercy and justice and compassion that God desires.

You can download it for FREE on my latest EP, Adoption Art. We have really seen people connecting with it as we’ve led worship over the past few months, so feel free to email if you would like a chart for it to begin using it in your local church.

Grace and peace,
Stephen

So now, we are on the brink of having to make our first payment of $4,500 to our agency, International Adoption Guides, so that they can really begin to organize and work on all of this craziness! We are so grateful because you guys have rallied so much support for us and we have raised $3,600 of this first payment, but we’re still about $900 short.

So we’re really hoping to sell around 100 bags of coffee or t-shirts over the next 2 weeks.

The amazing people at Summermoon Coffee in Austin, TX have very graciously designed the “MercyJusticeCompassion” Ethiopian blend just to help us raise money for this adoption. It is honestly the greatest coffee on the planet and I’m not just saying that. That’s the feedback we’re getting from everyone who has ordered some already!

It’s all organic, fair trade, wood-fire roasted Ethiopian coffee. We are selling 12 oz. bags for $15, which is not too much more than you would spend on a bag at Starbucks and it’s going to a much better cause!

The more bags we sell, the quicker our child(ren) can come home and be with a family that loves them! So all you coffee enthusiasts, we urge and ask you to buy a bag (or 4) and tell your friends to buy a bag (or 4)!

BUY SOME COFFEE!

Or if you’d rather just buy a shirt (or 4) and you’re an XS, S, M, or XL (because we’re out of L, and XXL – SORRY), you can also just

BUY SOME SHIRTS!

Or if you just absolutely hate coffee and t-shirts, or just want to donate, you can paypal a donation to adoption@stephen-miller.com, or mail a check to:

Stephen Miller Ministries, LLC.
7701 Maryland Ave
Clayton, MO 63105

“So how do the parents choose if you are who they want their child to go to?”

“Why does it cost so much?”

“How long will it take?”

“Why Ethiopia?”

“But you’re so young! Live a little and wait a few years…”

“Adopting kids from Ethiopia funds terrorism…”

“Those kids are better off over there with their people in the orphanages…”

“Why in the world are you adopting?”

“But you already have 2 kids of your own…”

We are finding there are a lot of common misconceptions, and an ignorance surrounding the topic of adoption in general, and international adoption in particular.

First off, let me start by saying that there are roughly 5 million orphans in Ethiopia, and around a million of them have been left without parents, orphaned by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. They have no parents waiting around for the “right family” to take their children. They are being raised by the Ethiopian government who cannot keep up with this crisis and are in desperate need of people who are willing to obediently submit to God’s call to care for the orphan through adoption. If no one comes for them, 1 in 10 will die before they turn 1. 1 in 6 will die before they turn 5. And many more will die before they reach 15. No cost could be too great… But there is a cost.

It is paid to multiple organizations who all work together to make the process happen. Our first payment of $4500 is paid to the adoption agency, International Adoption Guides, who ensures that everything runs smoothly by coordinating all of this madness. Some smaller payments of $1,500, $1,000, & $2,000 are paid to obtain a home study, as well as legal representation before the Ethiopian government, plus all the documents that must be ordered in addition.

The 2 biggest payments are:

1. $9,000-$13,500 (depending on if we get 1 child or a sibling group of 2) to the Ethiopian government to help them maintain their orphan care system that they are desperately trying to keep up with.

2. $6,000-$9,000 for travel and airfare to Ethiopia to pick up our child(ren).

So you see, no one is really making money, it’s just the result of a tragic situation in a very fallen world.
And we believe that God is calling us to follow His example and step inside that tragically broken situation as He did. The cost of His Son’s life to adopt us into His family was far more costly, yet not too great, because that is was what it took to rescue us.

Unfortunately it’s uncommon for families who can have children of their own to consider adoption part of their “life plan.” It’s so often seen as only a plan B for infertile couples. So people look at us strangely since we already have 2 beautiful little girls that we love very much and God-willing, we could choose to have more if we wanted – and may yet. Because contrary to popular belief in this great country, children are a great blessing, not an accessory or inconvenience. If I believe the latter, I must call God a liar who says as much. So for now, we gratefully heed the call to adopt knowing that it will be an even greater blessing to us than we could ever imagine.

If you have any questions about adoption, leave a comment, and I’ll try to answer it.

So glad you asked.

We’ve actually been brainstorming about ideas. I got to thinking about how we raised money back in the day… like elementary school back in the day. We took home the order form for the popcorn, chocolate, candles, wrapping paper or whatever it was that the school thought was a good idea to sell.

And then, what did we do? We had our parents take us door to door in our neighborhood, and then take those order forms to their work and sell our goodies to all their co-workers. And our parents did it for us because we wanted so badly to win the Tootsie Roll money bank.

Well let’s just say that coffee is the fundraiser, and you’re the parents and the Tootsie Roll Bank is actually a child from Ethiopia.

What would you think about the idea of taking orders for coffee bags at your work, in your neighborhood, etc.?

If this idea interests you, or you have any other ideas that you’d like to share, please email adoption@stephen-miller.com. We are humbly asking for your help. We cannot do this alone.

Grace and peace,
Stephen & Amanda Miller