“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out. When you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh (not distance yourself from those who are needy)? Then (when these things are done) your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you. The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer. You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’”
Isaiah 58:6-9

It is commonly thought that orphans are the greatest beneficiaries in our obedience to God to help them. By way of example, an orphan may need food or water; and in due course by His grace, God enables us to provide supplemental food and dig a well—and the orphan’s need is met. Thus, the supposed greater meets the need of the supposed lesser. But I wonder who, really, is the greater beneficiary in this transaction?

June 24 is the day that hundreds of AHH families will gather at LexMark Park in Lexington for the annual reunion! With plenty of activities for the kids, great food and time to catch up with travel groups and international staff, it's sure to be a great day! To see a recap of the 2005 event, get more info and even register online, click here

AHH is going to publish a book for children! The book will be about the daily life of a Chinese girl, Song Ping. The story will present interesting facts about the country, its people and customs through the eyes of a child. Our hope is that the book will turn into a series, with individual books featuring each country where A Helping Hand is working to improve the lives of orphans.

For this first book, all proceeds will go to orphan relief projects funded by AHH. In subsequent books, fees will be negotiated. Any interested artist is welcome to submit two samples of their work. To read the rules for the contest and for more information, click here.

The contest is open from May 1 through June 15, with the winning entry being displayed at the 2006 Reunion on June 24.

The following families received referrals in March!

Congratulations to:
Martin and Marybeth Laskey
Chris and Eve Rhoads
Anthony and Amy LoBainco
David and Christy Fredricks
Phillip and Juanita Richey
Robert and Anita Brooks
James and Heather Megna
Joel and Danette Neikirk

This is Maggie Bustetter. She came home last month, along with 21 other children! Congratulations to all of these new families!

Christa Morris is a Family Advocate for China with a heart for the world. It was Christa's compassion for orphans that first brought her to A Helping Hand more than a year ago. While Christa provides excellent service to families who are in the adoption process, her interest and concern for them goes far deeper than a successful paper chase. She knows that the adoption journey is a time of incredible contradictions: excitement and anxiety; joy and impatience; anticipation and frustration. That knowledge leads her to pray for families as they work through the adoption process. It is her hope that the family's spiritual life will be strengthened throughout the process.

Christa and her husband, Chris, are facing new horizons of their own. Chris will graduate from Asbury Theological Seminary in May with a degree in Missions and World Evangelism. Both have felt a special pull toward Asia, and now they pray and wait for God's plan and timing to unfold.

We are blessed to have Christa on staff and acknowledge God's goodness in bringing her to A Helping Hand. Many families are benefiting from her skill and from her character. Much more than just fulfilling a job responsibility, Christa Morris brings a heart for the world to her work. And because of it, many orphans will join a loving family.

Carol Zabilka is one of the great friends of A Helping Hand. Her roles include faithful prayer warrior, skilled volunteer, and, with her husband Ivan, generous donor.

Carol first came to AHH in January of 2005. She has become a valued addition to our staff, providing a welcoming voice to callers and visitors in our reception area. Carol knows well the joys of adoption: one of her five children is adopted, and one of her sons has two children adopted from Guatemala (the second through AHH!).

Since becoming a valued volunteer in our offices, Carol has continued to learn of the plight of orphans around the world, and see a close-up view of AHH’s adoption work and orphan relief projects. She prays often for the children, our staff, parents, families and ministry efforts. Her deep concern and prayers have also led her to another role at AHH, that of a much- appreciated donor.

Last Fall, just before Tony Brewer left for a month-long trip to Asia to visit our international staff and lay the groundwork for upcoming Friendship Teams and other projects, Carol approached him with a sizeable donation. “Take this,” she said, “I feel strongly that you will have opportunities for ministry when you wish you had money on-hand to respond. Use this at those times.” Carol was right! Her gift was used in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam as needs arose for the children, and the AHH- sponsored schools and orphanages. In one instance, a pastor who is working with us needed a bicycle to travel between his church, home and the Christian schools and orphanages made possible through AHH. In another instance, food was needed for the children.

Carol has been encouraged to hear how the donation that she and Ivan gave has made a worldwide impact. “We give as the Lord leads us, to organizations that have a reputation for integrity. I am also happy to give to AHH because I know that every penny is used for orphan relief. A Helping Hand has so many excellent and vital projects that really help the children.”

Thank you, Carol, for all your labors of love on our behalf. Your own “helping hand” has made a difference in our efforts to bring children to loving homes, and to show Christ’s love to orphans who will remain in their home countries. We are grateful to you and all our supporters. Bless you!

--Katelyn Johnson, daughter of Mark Johnson, AHH Director of Operations, is a national champion! She is a member of her high school's cheerleading team. The team won the Regional and KY State Championship competitions. Katelyn’s four member Stunt Group won National Championship honors. The culmination of months of hard work paid off with Paul Lawrence Dunbar Varsity Cheerleading squad earning their third consecutive National Cheerleading Championship at DisneyWorld's Wide World of Sports in February, 2006; the first such feat by any team in over 25 years!! Congratulations Katelyn! In the above picture, she is 3rd from the right in the back row.

--AHH welcomes Mike Welch to our staff! Mike is working in the area of client development. He brings a long history of management experience. Welcome aboard, Mike!

AHH considers it a great privilege and responsibility to place special needs children with families. Because of our responsibility to find the best possible home for each and every special needs child, we have reevaluated how this program functions and have developed a system that we feel will enable AHH to better match children to the best family possible.

I can’t explain the way I felt when I first walked in the building. June is a hot and humid month in the Henan province, and the heat made the smells of the orphanage that much more nauseous. And the noise—crying, yelling, moaning, occasional laughing— the sounds merged together into a heart-wrenching soundtrack for a surreal experience.

ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition featuring AHH Adoptive Parents Brian and Michelle Hassall premiered on Easter Sunday and was a great success. The Hassalls’ new home is extraordinary and features many beautiful touches honoring their unique family. In conjunction with the show, AHH sponsored a commercial to air during the show in the Lexington, KY, Louisville, KY, and Cincinnati, OH markets. You can view the commercial on our website. The commercial features two of Tony and Cindy Brewer’s daughters. In producing this commercial, we hoped that it might be used in other regions of the country. If you are interested in sponsoring this commercial as an adoption outreach project in your area, we’d love to work with you to make that happen.

Welcome Home Hassall Family!!