Almost 50% of pregnancies in the United States are unintended. Of those, over 40% end in abortion. The purpose of adoption is to give a parent facing an unplanned pregnancy an opportunity to give their child life and plan for their future by placing them into a loving, Christian home.

Adoption ministers to everyone involved. For a birth parent, it provides the chance to make a loving, responsible, and painful choice. It allows them to put the needs of their child before their own wants or desires. They are able to choose a family to raise their child, entrusting them to love and nurture the child as much as the birth parent does.

Adoption allows adoptive parents to grow or create their family. It also allows families to be obedient to the call of the Lord in James 1:27 to care for the orphans. Adoption lets adoptive parents be a part of the Lord’s plan to “set the lonely in families” (Psalm 68:6). Adoption is the framework through which the Lord ensures that family-less children find families.

For children, adoption provides a Christian family. Families are God’s perfect design. Through a family, children find love, nurture, and healing. Families provide the foundation of faith. Children are able to grow up in the optimal environment for success when they have a Christian family.

Adoption matters to us because it matters to God. What a blessing it is to be part of God’s plan for all children to have families. At Christian Services of Oklahoma, we have the opportunity to help create families through domestic adoption, international adoption support services, and foster care. I invite you to join us in this special ministry.

For more information go to www.christian-adoption.org or visit www.111project.org

6-9 p.m. at Mitch Park

Entry Fees:
$30/adult
$15/children and students
$50/couple
$100/family
$250/adult team of 10
$125 child or student team of 10
All proceeds benefit Christian Service’s adoption, foster care and maternity home ministries.

The Second Annual Tot Trot is sponsored by Christian Services of Oklahoma, Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity Apparel and Lil’ Dudes and Divas.

Over $32,000.00 was raised from the live and silent auctions. This will help fund and continue their work. CSO is looking forward to a new project in 2011 which will allow them to serve even more children in need of families.

The Tot Trot raised almost $10,000.00 to help with the operation of CSO programs which benefit women in crisis pregnancies, unborn babies, adoptive families, foster families and infants in state custody. A big thanks for making a difference in the lives of others!

“Our agency continues to grow and serve more children and families,” said executive director Holly Towers. “This new family friendly event is a great way to help us continue to serve those who are in need.”

Inflatable moon bounces and other activities were available for children during the run and walk.

“We scheduled the event in the evening so that more people could fit it around their work and school schedules,” Towers said. “It was also be a little cooler, which was nice.”
Towers reported that over 200 people participated in the inaugural event, including a group of 50 sent by the Lakehoma Church of Christ in Mustang, OK. 

“We are so thankful to the Lakehoma Church for sending so many participants,” said Towers.

The event, which raised over $9,000, was held in May to coincide with National Foster Care Month. Christian Services of Oklahoma provides Christian foster homes for infants in state custody, in addition to private adoption services.  Towers stated that the agency plans to make the event an annual occurrence and is already looking at a date for May 2011.

About Christian Services of Oklahoma
Christian Services of Oklahoma is an adoption agency providing comprehensive services to women in unplanned pregnancies and couples wishing to grow their families. Christian Services provides women in crisis pregnancies a place to turn to for guidance. In 2008 the agency began serving infants and young children in state custody by matching them with loving, Christian foster families. Since its inception in 2000, Christian Services has served more than 600 birth-mothers and placed more than 85 babies in loving Christian homes. With the recent addition of a foster care program, even more children and families are being served. For more information visit www.christian-adoption.org.

Christian Services of Oklahoma

Foster Parent Spotlight

Names:  Josh & Aubrey Kingcade

Occupations:

Aubrey:  Sonshine School Teacher, Memorial Road Church of Christ

Josh:  Education Minister, Memorial Road Church of Christ

What motivated you to become a foster parent?

We knew that foster care would be a path we would eventually take at some point. We planned on starting our own family first. God obviously had a different plan for us than we imagined. Amazingly Christian Services was starting up the foster care program and we jumped right on board.

What is the most rewarding part of fostering?

Hands-down, the precious baby is the most rewarding part of fostering!! Bonding with that little one is indescribable. It is nice to know that you can provide a stable, warm and loving family for that baby for the time that it is in your home.  Exposing that baby to family life, Bible class and the support of friends is so wonderful to experience.  In our experience, it has actually been great to work with the birth family.  Seeing that you can make a positive impact on not only the child, but the family, is very rewarding.

What is the hardest part of fostering?

The hardest part is preparing your heart for the likelihood that the baby you have been caring for will be reunited with their family or an adoptive family.  That is just a constant prayer each day, to prepare your heart for whatever God has in store.

Any advice for those considering fostering?

While it may seem impossible to “give the baby back,” the benefit of the child having a loving Christian family far outweighs the risk that you’re taking on your own emotional well-being.  To know that because of you, this baby is being nurtured and loved, is priceless