Adoption: Lutheran Teachings Guide Us to Serve

We in the LSG adoption program recognize the journey of adoption for both the family and the children who are adopted. We also recognize it is a privilege to find a permanent home for a waiting child. Adoption is one of the many missions of this agency serving and engaging the community by bringing hope, healing and strength to people in need. This past year, we successfully transitioned all the families and the children from two other agencies to our adoption program who unfortunately had to close their doors due to budget cuts and the economy. In some cases, we accomplished this awesome task with no financial support with this transition. We are proud to say over this past year, we found “forever families” for 35 children in foster care which included seven sibling groups of 2, one sibling group of 3 and one sibling group of 4 children. We found a “forever family” for 8 infants in our cooperative open infant domestic adoption program and has facilitated ongoing connections between the adoptive families and the birth families. In spite of these accomplishments, we know that the work continues on because the need is so great for the hope, healing and strength that we at LSG provide.

Refugee Services: From Drought and Danger to Dadaab

Each year, LSG helps hundreds of refugee families resettle in the United States after spending months or years being displaced in refugee camps

Since January, more than 120,000 Somali refugees have arrived in the already overcrowded camps in Dadaab, Kenya – the largest refugee camp in the world.  Driven there by the prolonged drought in the Horn of Africa which led to a failed harvest and dying animals, coupled with the growing insecurity inside Somalia, many of the refugees have walked for up to 15 days or more to reach Dadaab.

The Lutheran World Federation, which manages the refugee camps in Dadaab, has been hard at work building extensions to the camps to provide a more secure environment for those fleeing Somalia.  For more information on the work of the LWF in Dadaab, see here.

Mohamed Ahmed, Lutheran Services of Georgia Resettlement Case Manager and a former refugee from Somalia, says that it is almost unimaginable to him that even when so many around the world are eager and ready to provide food, water and shelter to those suffering from the drought in his homeland of Somalia, extremist groups refuse to let the help get to the people who need it the most.

To see the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees video, "Kenya: Dadaab Keeps Growing," click here.

For more information on Lutheran Services of Georgia's refugee services, click here.

Refugee Services: Marip Family Moves Forward in New Life

We first shared the story of the Marip family in the May, 2011, edition of Crossing Oceans, highlighting the story of this Burmese family's arrival in Atlanta and their introduction to the Family Builders Sunday School Class of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, who furnished the family's apartment and welcomed them to a new life in Georgia. Since their arrival, the family has been busy! A strong friendship has formed between the Family Builders class members and the family through time spent together. Debby Eidson from the class says, "I have taken the family to Walmart and Kroger but by far their favorite store is the Buford Highway Farmers Market. Their eyes just light up when they recognize produce, seafood and products! On every trip to a store, the family is gracious and appreciative... they share their candy with me and often treat me to a glass of soda when we return to their apartment after shopping."

Sporting new backpacks, lots of school supplies and a computer provided by the class, the Marip daughters, Sut Nu Pan and Bawk Bawk Pan started middle and high school this fall. Dad, Aung Aung, and mom, Ah Ja, recently began working at a bakery in Norcross and they report they are very happy with their new jobs.

The Marips are a family on the move!

'Heroes of Hope' a Heroic Success

Thanks to all those who helped make Lutheran Services of Georgia's annual Heroes of Hope, Healing and Strength gala on Thursday night one for the record books. More than 130 guests came out to to the 755 Club at Turner Field to help celebrate our honorees: Kay Trendell, Jean and Betty Mori, and the Georgia Association of Homes and Services for Children.

With WSB-TV news anchor John Bachman serving as master of ceremonies, the night included a silent auction, tours of Turner Field, heartwarming speeches from the honorees, and videos celebrating their work and achievements. Especially poignant was the speech from honoree Kay Trendell, who, after nearly 30 years of service to LSG's Refugee Services department, will be retiring in September. Thanks largely to Kay's work and dedication, Refugee Services is celebrating 30 years of success this year, which was also honored at Heroes of Hope. With your continued support, there's no doubt that many more years of success are in LSG's future.

To see more pictures of the event, click here.

Adoption: A Baby's Long Journey Home

A baby girl, born too soon, too tiny, and with so many medical complications, has shown us all what it means to be a true fighter. Lutheran Services of Georgia is known by local hospitals as a go-to agency to find families for domestic infants with medical issues, so it was no surprise when the LSG adoption case manager received a call about Annie.

At the time, her prognosis was very guarded, but soon the good days outnumbered the bad. And a family had come forward – mom, an NICU nurse, and dad, a teacher. Even though they live out of state, they visited Annie as often as possible through the many months she was in the hospital. Annie’s birth mother knew that her child would be in good hands when she selected them to adopt Annie.

Finally, in early August, Annie was released and today is a plump, happy little baby. There’s still a long road ahead for Annie and her new family, but we all know that there’s a lot of fight in that little seven-pound baby. One baby, one birth family, one adoptive family – one agency fulfilling its mission to bring people home.

For more information on Lutheran Services of Georgia's adoption services, click here.

Refugee Services: One Church, Two Families

One Atlanta congregation, Trinity Presbyterian Church, and two refugee families, the Gurung family from Bhutan and the Reh family from Burma, are becoming fast friends.  "Trinity Pres" co-sponsored the two families with LSG in the spring, meeting them at the airport and providing furnished apartments for each family. "Trinity Pres" members continue to visit the families on a regular basis, welcoming them with warm friendship. The families, who live next door to each other, are settling well into their new lives in Clarkston.  While the adults focus on learning and improving their English and working with LSG to find jobs, the children are enjoying summer fun, like summer day camp and outings to Stone Mountain and Centennial Olympic Park. For more information on Lutheran Services of Georgia's refugee services, click here.