Mission Spotlight: A Child’s Hope

Every month Holy Cross sends funds of support to worthy ministries that proclaim and faithfully exhibit the gospel of Christ. For the month of October, we have chosen to help support the ministry of A Child’s Hope Spokane. There is a great need for foster and foster-to-adopt parents in the US, including in Spokane. Today there are over 850 kids in the foster care system in Spokane alone. These children come from broken homes where they experienced or witnessed abuse and suffer from the effects of trauma. Care for these children is a pursuit after God’s own heart, as the Psalmist says “[God is] A father to the fatherless” (Ps 68:5) and “[God] defends the weak and the fatherless; upholds the cause of the poor and the oppressed’ Ps 82:3). He also calls on us to take part in this ministry in the Epistle of James: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and blameless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” (Jm 1:27). While this call to care for the orphan may be a call to be a foster/adoptive parent in some cases, in others it is a call to support the ministry of those who are foster/adoptive parents. One such Christian foster/ adoption agency in Spokane is A Child’s Hope Spokane (ACHS), which is a non-profit, licensed child-placement agency providing no-fee adoption services and foster placements to Christian families in Spokane County. ACHS is committed to serving families in all stages of the adoption journey. From the first step (introduction class) to the last (adoption finalization), they work hard to support families, understanding that a significant part of ACHSs role is to support them in ministry. Their mission is to place children, regardless of ethnicity, age, or special needs, into Christian adoptive homes, and to remove barriers to adoption. In the past, under the leadership of Ben and Lindsay Anderson, Holy Cross has provided our facilities for A Child’s Hope foster parents to meet monthly for mutual support and guidance. Many members of Holy Cross have selflessly volunteered their time and energy to provide childcare and activities for children so that parents can relax and share their excitement and burdens with one another. We at Holy Cross Lutheran Church are happy to support A Child’s Hope Spokane as they labor in the gospel of Christ and assist foster and adoptive parents to provide loving homes for children in need. Our Mission Funds for the month of October—$500—will go to this ministry. For more information about A Child’s Hope and ways that you can get involved, please contact Ben and Lindsay Anderson or Brent Runge via the contact information below. Also, we encourage you to pray for the work of A Child’s Hope Spokane and if you would like to donate individually to them, you can through their website at www.achildshopespokane.org or by sending a check to: A Child’s Hope Spokane 222 W. Mission Ave., Suite 250 Spokane, WA 99201 In the love of Christ, Brent Runge Comm. Engagement Coordinator and Ben and Lindsay Anderson 586-612-8779 614-208-1639