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The Amazing Opportunity Coming in May

January 24th, 2012 | by Jedd Medefind | Categories: Adoption, Advocacy, Churches, Events, Foster Care, International Orphan Care | 4 Comments »

Registration for Summit VIII opened today.  Amidst the dizzying pace of life, it suddenly struck me:  this conference is going to be amazing.  I can hardly wait.

Sure, the work of the Alliance is my day job.  And I love it.  But it is my night job, too—the things I think about when I’m “off.”  How can the church come to look more like Jesus?  Can ordinary people transform lives of destitute kids?  How do parents and mentors and caregivers best connect with children coming from hard places? 

So it’s not just my day job that elevates my heart rate for Summit VIII.  It’s the way that these questions, and countless others that really matter, will be engaged in such deep and inspiring and substantive ways this May.

It’ll be seeing and learning with and from people I admire.  Not just Francis Chan, Rick and Kay Warren, Dennis Rainey and Steven Curtis Chapman.  Them too, of course.  But also so many other speakers, presenters, and fellow attendees who may never be famous, but glow like a lightening strike, lit up with Jesus and a love for orphans.   Foster parents.  Indigenous church leaders from other countries.  Mentors.  Adoptive families large and small.  Adoptees now living a vision for transforming the communities they came from.  30-year veterans of global orphan care and newcomers full of dreams and energy.

Just about every part of me–adoptive dad and mentor, follower of Jesus and guy who wants to learn more about “pure and faultless religion”—is so deeply challenged and nourished at Summit.  I just pray I’ll be able to gift to others there at least of fraction of what I always receive.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=543657034 Carala Friesen Jellema

    What a great post…I got goosebumps just thinking about Summit! It will be our 3rd Summit (hard to believe) and as adoptive parents we are one of those that will never be famous (thankfully!) but have a growing heart for kids from hard places.

    We hosted our very first Orphan Sunday in November 2011! 25 people came from our own church as well as others in our city. Our prayer was that we would develop a lead team from those that came to our event for a future Adoption/Foster Care ministry in our church of 2000 people…and that’s what God did! We have a team of 5 people that have met monthly since November…to pray, dream and brainstorm what our ministry could look like. It is our desire to help existing foster/adoptive families in our church as well as be a support and help give direction to those feeling called to adopt or foster. It’s been a roller coaster no doubt…but so exciting to be a part of God’s plan to care for the Orphan. It’s crazy what happens when you say YES to God.
    We have aimed to have our ministry launch at church the week after Summit VIII! Yes, a crazy time to be away at Summit when we’re about to launch our ministry…but we know we can not miss Summit this year! We came to our first Summit 3 months before we brought our daughter home from Russia. God knew we needed to be surrounded by like hearted people….to grow in us a deeper love for orphans and to hear from people like Dr. Karen Purvis and the Tapestry Ministry, to others like Mary Beth Chapman and those that spoke on how to start our own Church ministry for adoptive and foster families. Our minds and hearts were blown away at what we took away from Summit that year. God was beginning to stir in our hearts a deeper love for his children. A heart that wasn’t just for our daughter from Russia…but for so many more in our city and around the world.
    My day job..is being a mom to 3 amazing kids…but I also spend my nights dreaming of all the things God has planned for our family, our church and our city. I’m excited to see God move in the hearts of Canadians (yes, that’s where we’re from!)….some days I’m overwhelmed that we’re in over our heads. Why did God chose us? Well, I know why he chose us….cause we’re crazy enough to take a leap of faith. And, I know he won’t let us sink! He loves to use those that feel inadequate…cause he knows I won’t take the glory! To God be the glory, for the things HE has done. :-)
    Looking forward to hearing some amazing speakers and I see once again it’s going to be a hard choice which classes we will sit in on….they are look amazing!!! Great job guys!

    Carala Jellema (from Calgary, Canada!)

    • Jedd

      I love the heart and vigor in your post, Carala! It’ll be great to see you at Summit!

    • Medefind

      I love the heart and vigor in your post, Carala! It’ll be great to see you at Summit!

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