Project Belong

An Update on the Hoffman Family

2010-08-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

Some of the posts on this blog for the ministry of Project Belong are rather outdated now. We find it so hard to believe that it has been over two years since the kickoff our Project Belong at our local church. It's also interesting that our family has added four new children since that time. We thought it would be fitting to write a post to introduce the new members of our family and explain how it has grown and changed since 2008.

We are now the proud adoptive parents of 12 children! Legally, we have 10 adopted children from foster care in Kansas. We also have two older "informally adopted" daughters. We have not actually been licensed foster parents for all of our years' experience. We started the process of choosing foster care and/or adoption in 1997. While all of our children have come to us from foster care or kinship placement homes, only one of them has come to us while we were licensed. Interestingly enough, this child is our oldest "informally adopted" daughter and she is the MOTHER of the children we actually had in our home in foster care in 2008, making these sweet little boys our grandchildren now!

So as not to confuse you any further, I will post a list of our children in the order of their adoptions. We're always happy to share more about our experiences and our adoption journey. Feel free to ask us anything!

Kevan--adopted 1998 at 3 years old, now 15
Dean and Corlyanna--adopted 2001 at 10 and 8 years old, now 20 and 18
Skylar--adopted 2002 at 9 months old, now 9
SueAnn and Thomas--(biological half siblings to our son, Kevan) adopted in 2007 at 18 and 15 years old, now 22 and almost 19
Caryann--adopted 2009 at 6 years old, now 8
Crystal--lived with us in informal foster care placement 2000 at 15 years old, now 24
Britanya--mommy to our two foster sons in 2008 and now claims us as her parents and their grandparents, now 29 years old
Gregory, Hunter, and Patrick--adoption will be final late 2010 at 6, 6, and 5 years old

If I counted correctly, that is all twelve! Adding to that, we also now have 2 sons-in-law and 8 (soon to be 9) grandchildren ages 4 down to 6 weeks old. Grandchild number 9 is due in October.

It's a crazy life we lead. Just as we began to put more emphasis on forming the ministry of Project Belong in 2008, God led us to adopt our daughter, Caryann. Since that time, Crystal and Britanya and the three new boys have all joined us as well. Seven of the children still live at home while five of the older ones live on their own. Our family has followed the leading of the Lord and continues to grow. We hesitate to say that we are finished, although we do believe that at some point, our direction will turn to more support and advocacy for other families than continuing to grow our own.

This leads us to 2010. We are excited about whatever God might have in store for us next. It has been a wild ride, and we are sure that it will continue to be. Thanks for joining us. Please continue to pray for the ministry of Project Belong and our family.

New Focus, New Vision

2010-08-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

Our heart's desire is to serve the foster and adoptive families of Kansas. We are constantly coming into contact with people who are affected by foster care or adoption in some way. However, just as our ministry's name states, we are determined to do our part in making sure that children of our community and our state feel like they have a place to belong. Every child deserves to be shown love, kindness, and compassion, from an array of sources. This takes loving families, mentors, churches, schools, and community partners.

Our hearts are just filled to the brim with a new vision for Project Belong. We have been dreaming and brainstorming for the past two months, and we believe that God has been growing these dreams in our hearts for quite some time. We cannot even begin to share everything with you in one post here, but we want to let you know that we are praying for BIG things for Project Belong. If, by chance, you are following this blog and would like to know more than we are able to share, we do have a private group on Facebook called "Project Belong Prayer Team." If you are interested in reading more and would be willing to pray for us and the ministry, please contact us by commenting on the blog or emailing us at missy@projectbelong.org.

For now, we will leave you with the words from our new, revised Mission Statement:

Project Belong is a Christian ministry, which serves the purpose of working in partnership with the Church, community organizations, families, and individuals in striving to help meet the needs of children who need a place to belong through the avenues of the local church, youth activities/programs, mentoring, foster care and adoption.

Some new direction in our ministry...

2010-07-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

We have not been actively involved in a lot of ministry through Project Belong since its beginning in 2008. Over the past weeks and months, God has been opening our hearts to bigger and better things for Project Belong to undertake. While we can't share all the details yet, as nothing is really certain yet, we can share with you that we are very excited about the possible ministry work that Project Belong may have in the future. Our vision for the ministry has been molded and given some new focus, and we are thrilled to see where God might take it from here!

Please pray for the future of Project Belong. It is our desire to share in life with foster and adoptive families throughout the state of Kansas, to continue to spread the word about the need for foster and adoptive families, and just to share our story with all whom we come into contact.

God bless you,

Missy Hoffman

Congressman Jerry Moran Honors Brandon and Melissa Hoffman as an Angel in Adoption™ To Be Recognized at National Event in Washington, DC

2009-09-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

Hutchinson, KS – September 10, 2009– Congressman Jerry Moran has selected Brandon and Melissa Hoffman as a 2009 Angel in Adoption^TM for their outstanding advocacy of adoption. The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which orchestrates the Angels in Adoption^™program, will honor the Hoffman’s, along with more than 190 Angels, at an awards ceremony and gala event in Washington, DC, September 30, 2009.

Brandon and Melissa Hoffman are being honored over 11 years worth of work in the adoption and foster care realm. They have adopted seven special needs children who were in the foster care system. The couple also has two older “daughters” who, while not legally adopted by the family, are considered members of the family as well. Brandon and Melissa are a strong couple and good parents with a heart for healing and the strong family values that make caring for the children their priority. The gift they give their children is one of love and acceptance of each child’s strengths and needs. In addition to all they have done directly to help children have a permanent family, in 2007 they began a ministry, Project Belong, encouraging others to adopt children from foster care.

The Angels in Adoption™ program is CCAI’s signature public awareness campaign and provides an opportunity for all members of the U.S. Congress to honor the good work of their constituents who have enriched the lives of foster children and orphans in the United States and abroad.

“The Angels in Adoption program is unlike any other program in the Nation’s Capitol. Because of it, over 1400 “Angels’ have come to share with Washington their adoption experience and left with a renewed excitement of all that adoption makes possible,” said Kathleen Strottman. “I learned one simple lesson from my time on the hill, knowledge is power. Angels in Adoption is meant to give Members of Congress the knowledge they need to use the power they have toward making the dream of a family a reality for every child.”

In addition to the more than 190 local angels from around the country, several National Angels will also be recognized at the ceremony and gala for their dedication and commitment nationally and internationally to child welfare on a grand scale. Former “National Angels” include First Lady Laura Bush, Patti LaBelle, Jane Seymour, Muhammad Ali, the late Dave Thomas, Steven Curtis Chapman, Bruce Willis, Alonzo Mourning, and Marcus Samuelsson.

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) is a 501(c)3 nonpartisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about the tens of thousands of orphans and foster children in the United States and the millions of orphans around the world in need of permanent, safe, and loving homes through adoption. CCAI’s goal is the elimination of the barriers that hinder these children from realizing their basic right of a family.

CCAI was created in 2001 by the active co-chairs of the bicameral, bipartisan Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA) to more effectively raise Congressional and public awareness about the issue of adoption.

The Angels in Adoption™ program was established in 1999 as a Congressional press conference to honor outstanding individuals. Since then, the program has developed into a yearlong public awareness campaign culminating in an extraordinary awards Gala and celebration in Washington, D.C.

CCAI does not receive any government funding and they rely on the generous support of foundations, corporations, and individuals to accomplish their mission. For more information visit http://www.ccainstitute.org/

The Necessity of Support and the Lifeline of Faith

2009-04-16T08:31:00.001-07:00

When we began our journey into the world of foster care and adoption eleven years ago, we could never have been prepared for all that we have faced. We saw adoption as a wonderful way of building our family and the hand of God was upon every step of that construction. We firmly believe that He is not done with our family even still. The construction is not finished.

Three years ago, we watched in awe when God allowed us the blessing of building our own home. We saw the land being prepared, the foundation being poured, and the walls going up. We photographed every step of the process and planned to scrapbook those memories for the future. If the builders hadn’t built the foundation of our home correctly, it could never provide the support for the rest of the house to stand firmly upon.

That’s how it is with the need for support in our adoptions. Not financial support or anything of the sort, but a support on a deeper level, the support of those who should be there for us. Loving support of those closest to us in this world should be a strong and firm foundation for our family to be built upon.

That, however, is not always the case. Not everyone understands why we chose to adopt. Not everyone understands that it wasn’t necessarily out of our struggles with infertility that we came to the decision of pursuing adoption, though those struggles did come and did mingle themselves with other struggles we faced. People have difficulty understanding how we discipline our children and how our children’s behavior is different from children who have not had similar past experiences. We have faced questioning time and again of our ability to care for our children’s needs because they are “higher maintenance” than a “normal” child. Each time God brings a new child across our paths, either for adoption or, more recently, foster care, we have faced questioning about whether we can handle that much more stress or whether we can financially provide for more children. These experiences come at us from every side, from family members, well-meaning friends, church family and even from strangers.

When times are hard or we are going through a struggle with one (or more) of our children, we often question why we don’t have anyone around who understands or why we don’t feel normal. My husband continually reminds me that we are not normal and our family is not normal. He reminds me that we can never expect people to understand us perfectly, because there is only ONE who understands everything and sees it all clearly. That ONE is our Lifeline, our Heavenly Father, our God. When a struggle feels so big that it will overwhelm us, we have a Lifeline to cling to. When human support in the form of our family members and friends may fail us, God is still there. We have to remember that our God began this work in our lives, in our family, and He promises to carry it on to completion (Philippians 1:6). He is faithful and has proven Himself faithful over the years time and time again. We stand upon the promises of God’s Word, knowing that He has a plan for each and every one of us, plans to prosper us and not harm us (Jeremiah 29:11). It is His Word and His promises that strengthen our relationship with our Lifeline, and when the support that we so desperately crave is not there in the people who surround our lives we know where to turn. Turning to God Himself, time and time again, has carried us through difficult years and will through many more.

We pray that through this ministry we can be a support to families. Project Belong is here to offer support to those who are caring for foster or adoptive children. We can offer support, advocacy, prayer and more, yet when all is said and done, as adoptive and foster parents, we need more than a support network of people. We need a Lifeline of faith in an all-knowing, all-powerful God who will never fail us.

4/16/08 Missy

Back to the Basics

2009-04-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

So, you want to help children? You have a heart for families and kids? You want to know what the Bible says about all of this and if this is something you are really “called” to do? Let’s start our new series of articles with a round of basic thoughts and answers on how we, as believers, are supposed to deal with the issue of adoption, foster care, and caring for children and families?

Since 1997, we have watched as our family has been built through adoption, and we have lived out, in a very real and tangible way, the basic truth in Scripture that God adopts us into HIS family. Romans 8:15 (New Living Translation) says, “So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, 'Abba, Father'.” We have been adopted! If God so lovingly, freely, and unconditionally would bring us into HIS eternal family, then why should we not offer that same openness to serving others? Some may feel that they can serve others through church ministries or community outreach or other efforts. Many Christians have an effective ministry of some sort, whether that is helping in children’s ministry in churches or being a witness in the workplace or hosting fellowships in their homes. The list of service projects and ministry opportunities is endless.

Where does ministry happen? This is a very serious question that we have most definitely asked ourselves and applies directly to the subject of serving children and families. Because we knew that we wanted to have a large family (though we did not expect it to grow this large) before we were ever married, there was no question that we would open our hearts to loving children. When God opened our eyes to the needs of children in foster care and began to bring us children through adoption, we were made keenly aware of the fact that true ministry happens not just in the church building on Sunday, but even in our own home, within our own immediate family. Caring for these children, our gifts from God, has become our personal ministry. It is not hard to see this basic truth in Scripture as it is foundational to the ministry of Project Belong and our family. The root of Project Belong’s ministry can be found in James 1:27 and reads, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” (New Living Translation) We strive to live pure and genuine lives, and because of this passage of Scripture, we believe that we must care for others.

If we believe Scripture to be the word of God, God-breathed, as we are told in 2 Timothy 3:16, then are we not called as believers to care for others because James 1:27 says to do so? Specifically children? Widows? The poor and needy? We can answer that with a clear and resounding “YES!” Is this just a calling for the general good or the general population of Christians or the all-encompassing Church? Or is this a command and calling that we should take personally and live out in our daily lives? We believe that this is a calling that is not just for “those who are called to adopt or foster.” We believe that this is a calling that reaches beyond age or race or economic status or parenting skills and ability. We believe that, as followers of Christ, we are to take the Scripture literally and at HIS Word, and we are ALL called to do our part in caring for others.

What are the ways you can help? When we answer the calling in our lives, the commandment from God’s word to care for orphans, we can do so in varying ways. We can become foster parents, adoptive parents, mentors, lay-counselors and ministers to children and families in a church setting, volunteers with an agency that serves children and families, and more.

While regulations and rules vary by state, typically becoming a foster parent involves formal training and a certification or licensing process regulated by state agencies, with continued training and record-keeping requirements throughout the span of time one serves as a foster parent. If you are interested in more information about foster parenting in Kansas, please visit the website for St. Francis Community Services and/or contact us at Project Belong for more information.

If you are interested in adoption, there are many possibilities for you to consider. Private adoption (most common with infant/newborn adoption), public or state-sponsored (foster care) adoption, and international adoption are all options. Each type of adoption has its own set of guidelines, requirements, costs, and expectations. At Project Belong, we are most familiar with foster care adoption in Kansas. If you are interested in another type of adoption, we have a great deal of contact with families who have adopted internationally and privately. Prayerfully consider your options and seek advice and counsel from those who have already adopted as well as your pastor or mentor. Contact us at Project Belong and we will attempt to offer as much information as possible and/or connect you with people who can answer specific questions about international or private adoption. We are NOT matching specialists or a child-placing agency, but our ministry serves to help you find answers to your questions and provide resources for you.

Mentoring youth is another amazing way to minister to a child as well as the child’s family. Organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and Boys and Girls Clubs offer volunteer mentoring positions for anyone interested in spending time investing in a child’s life. Big Brothers Big Sisters has a faith-based matching program called Malisa’s Hope where volunteers are matched with youth and encourage to share your faith and values with your “Little.” Visit the website for Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters or Kansas Mentors to find out more information and possibilities for mentoring a child.

Those who find that none of the above can be an option for you should consider other ways to help. Get involved in your church’s children’s ministry, volunteer at a local agency, get involved in a fund-raising or clothing drive for children and families, donate time or financial support to a credible ministry or agency, or talk to others and spread the news about the need for involvement.

Not everyone may be called to adopt or become a foster parent, but EVERYONE can do something. The need is great and the opportunities to serve are limitless. The basic truth of God’s word is that we are called to care for orphans. We are called to serve the needy. What will you do to answer the call?

written by Missy 4/1/09

Sorry for the LONG absence

2009-04-01T12:25:00.001-07:00

Greetings from the Hoffman family and Project Belong! Please forgive our absence from the blog...life has completely gotten away from us this past year!

It is still very much our desire to pursue the ministry of Project Belong and share with others about our family and the need for more adoptive families. We're trying to work on organization and find opportunities to share more by visiting churches or whatever God leads for Project Belong. It has been a difficult time of "waiting and watching" and focusing on some family issues as we have allowed Project Belong to sit aside for this time. We believe that God has put adoption at the forefront of our hearts and our life experiences and this gives us a story to share and a heart for ministering to adoptive families (foster families and prospective families as well)!

I (Missy) had made the commitment last year to post weekly articles that I have written to share our experiences or discuss topics on adoption, foster care, parenting issues, etc. That clearly has not happened. It is something that I still believe I need to do. I have decided to come to the blog today to renew that commitment, with a slight change. I will be posting a new article every two weeks (or more if possible) on Fridays. Please contact me with topics or questions or concerns that you would like to see discussed. I am praying that God will guide me in the chosen topics of writing. I'm praying that this will be a ministry to all who view it and that God will bring people to our organization and blog who share our heart for families and children.

As for an update on the Hoffman family--we are pleased to announce that Caryann Monica Elizabeth was officially adopted on March 9th, 2009, and has been quite an addition to the family! She has the most beautiful blue eyes! We have enjoyed welcoming her into our family and celebrating the holidays and all of our family traditions with her. It has been a time of adjustment for many of us, and life is never dull around here. She has definitely "rounded out" our family by adding another girl to the house!

A photo of Cary from October 2008:

We had quite a year in 2008 where our family just exploded! Our daughter, SueAnn, got married in November to Gary Vincent, and is now Mommy to his 2 small children, Tiana (2yrs) and Danny (1yr). We also celebrated the return of Crystal Richmeier into our lives! Crystal lived with us in 2000 (when she was 14yrs old) for 6 months in an "informal foster care" arrangement. She left our home, and we lost contact with her after she was officially placed in foster care. We were blessed to reconnect with her last February and celebrate with her as she gave birth to her first child, Cayson Lee, on June 25, 2008! She moved to our community just after his birth and has been joined her by her fiancé, Shane. They are now expecting their second child, a baby girl, due on May 8, 2009! WOW!! What a year!

We'll close with a family photo, taken in October 2008, with everyone present except Dean and our foster sons from last year!

God has done great things! We look forward to sharing more with you in the near future!

We are pleased to announce...

2008-08-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, things with Project Belong have been at nearly a stand-still for most of the summer. As a family, the months of April thru September are a difficult and busy time, and we just hang on for the ride! We also have been working on a few little "somethings" and would like to make you all aware of the most recent events!

First of all, our first experience as foster parents has come full-circle. Our 2 foster sons returned home to their mom at the end of July. The transition was not what we would have expected it to be, however, it turned out for the best and we believe that the boys are doing well.

Secondly, and our biggest announcement this year, we were officially chosen this week as the adoptive family for a beautiful 6-year-old little girl! "C" will begin pre-placement visits with us this weekend, and we are just thrilled to see God adding to our family again. As with all of the children, "C" has a story to tell and will take some time adjusting to our family. We are praying for a smooth transition and an adjustment that is as easy as possible for her and the rest of the family.

Life will slow down for us, somewhat, at the end of September. We hope to further the cause of Project Belong more this fall through visiting churches and sharing the message of Project Belong.

Project Belong (and the Hoffman Family) in the News

2008-06-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

We're in today's edition of The Hutchinson News!!! There are a couple of misquotes, but overall, we are pleased with the presentation of Project Belong and our family!

Please visit the article at http://www.hutchnews.com/Localregional/

For anyone who is stopping by the website/blog as a result of seeing the article, PLEASE sign the guestbook and let us know who you are!

Thanks for your interest in Project Belong!

Please Pray for the Steven Curtis Chapman Family

2008-05-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

Those who listen to local Christian radio or any Christian Contemporary music will know the name "Steven Curtis Chapman." This amazing artist and his family have been advocates for adoption for years now and have adopted three girls from China. We heard the sad news this morning that his family has been dealt a tremendous tragedy. Their youngest daughter, Maria, was hit by a vehicle in the family's driveway yesterday. She has died. We cannot even begin to imagine the grief and loss they are experiencing. This beautiful little girl's adoption story is the very same story that prompted us to open our hearts to more adoptions after hearing her father talk about her adoption on a Gospel Music Channel television show in the summer of 2006.

Please join us in prayer for this family. We are grieving with them, but we cannot begin to imagine their sorrow. May God fill them with the PEACE that only He can give!

Working with Biological Family

2008-05-10T07:52:00.001-07:00

When we were just beginning our involvement with the state foster care and adoption system, we were required to attend a ten-week course called MAPP (Model Approach to Partnership in Parenting). As we were introduced to the world of foster care and adoption through these sessions, we were also asked to look deeply into ourselves and our family beliefs to find out what values and morals we would pass on to children who might join our family through adoption or foster care. We looked at our family’s strengths and needs. Upon completion of the course, we had taken a long, hard look at ourselves individually and as a couple and family, and we knew the work we had accomplished in MAPP would assist us in the years ahead as we became parents.

We came to learn that one of the strengths that we possess is a strong understanding of the value of having positive connections to biological family in forming a strong identity as an adopted child. We believe that our children must know who they are and where they came from. Of course, we monitor and filter through the information that we give our children, but we believe that they deserve to know.

This strength of our family was actually the reason we were chosen to meet our first son. His biological grandmother was 71 years old raising a 2 year old little boy. She was told by everyone involved in her case-planning that she had to have someone who would support her and care for him if anything should happen to her. Our instructor for MAPP just happened to be this family’s social worker and, because she knew of our belief in the importance of biological family connections, she asked if we would be interested in meeting this woman and her grandson. We agreed, and within four months of beginning our relationship with her, she asked if we would be his parents so that she could just be “Grandma” without having to be his permanent primary caregiver. This took place in 1998.

Since that time, we have maintained a relationship with “Grandma” who has subsequently become “Grandma” to every one of our adopted children over the past 10 years. We have visited almost monthly throughout that time, sometimes slightly less often. She has become a part of our lives and a part of our family. We have been very open with her. She supports our parenting her grandson and affirms our role as his parents even while she is visiting with us. We have been blessed to have this connection to our son’s family, for the very fact that he has a tangible connection to his identity as a member of her family and his adoption as a member of ours.

Not all of our children have been as blessed. We have attempted relationships at varying levels with members of their biological families. Some family members are involved in our children’s lives by chance once or twice every few months. Other family members are not involved at all in our children’s lives after a brief time of involvement early after their adoptions.

Now we also have the privilege of working with biological family members in a foster care situation. Our experiences through adoption have increasingly opened our eyes to the value in these relationships. We are proud to know family members of our foster children who are involved and interested and working for the best interest of these children. We are happy to be a resource for these families, and it is our prayer that we can in some way influence them by showing them our faith as well.

We believe in working with these family members in whatever way possible to bring wholeness and valuable relationships to our children’s lives, foster or adopted. In some situations, these relationships are easy. In some, they are not. We have had great joys in knowing these family members. We have also had some heartache along the way when a family member chooses to act in a way that we do not approve of, placing great strain on the relationships.

In the end, we know that our children will have the blessing of knowing that we not only see them as OUR children but that we recognize their biological parents and family members as a part of their lives as well. God brought them into this world through these families, and we would be wrong to disregard them completely. Even in our own family, we know that it is not always possible to have a positive, safe, healthy connection with a child’s biological family. In those situations, it is best to still find ways of sharing the child’s story with him. It is also helpful to ensure the children that you value the fact that these families gave them life and what an amazing gift that is. As always, in situations where we are at a loss for what to do, we pray. Pray that God will allow you the wisdom and discernment in helping your child’s identity be healthy by giving them a good understanding of who they are, where they came from, and the great plans God has for them.

written by Missy 5/9/08

Loving Them From Afar

2008-05-02T19:19:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest challenges we have faced as adoptive parents, and one of the biggest heartaches as well, is that of a child’s choice to leave our home. We have always considered home to be our safe place, a refuge, a place of protection from the outside world. When one of our children decides to break free from that protection prematurely, we are faced with loss and grief in much the same manner that our children faced loss and grief in their earlier lives.

The challenge then has to be met with a struggle to maintain some sort of relationship with that child. We have made attempts to do this through actively involving ourselves in our child’s care outside our home, in the form of visitation, therapy sessions, medical care, and case planning. We have proactively advocated for our child’s best interests, spending hours on the telephone or in meetings to ensure that the best care options are provided to our child. We endured countless changes in the other parties responsible for our child’s care, when agencies stepped in after his runaway attempts and so forth. Worker upon worker, we have built the support we felt that our child needed in order to keep everyone informed and aware of his behavior tendencies which have so easily fooled people at times.

All of these efforts were done in attempt to salvage some form of a relationship with him and to cling to our role as his parents. The struggle has been long and hard. At various points along the way, our child has chosen to completely disconnect himself from us, claiming that we are no longer his family and he has had no desire to have any contact with us at all. Thankfully, all of our efforts to maintain a relationship with him have allowed us to get to the point where, today, and for the last year and a half, our child has consistently been more emotionally connected to us. We are “his family” and we are no longer the enemy in his life. It is still not the kind of emotional connection that we pray he will someday have with us, but it is a step in the right direction.

The greatest piece of advice we have ever received as we faced these challenges with our child was the message that we needed to “learn to love him from afar.” When children stray outside of the protection and safety of the home for whatever reason and regardless of circumstances, we have to learn to love them in spite of the distance between us, physically and emotionally. At his closest, our child has been less than five minutes from home in a youth shelter, but at farthest, and his current place of residence, he is over three hours away. At some points in the years we have been separated from him, we have maintained frequent visits in person. At other points, especially with the greater distances, we have gone months without seeing him in person.

We do not have it all figured out. We often feel as if we are not doing enough for our child. We have more recently faced the separation of yet another child from our home by her premature decision to move out “on her own.” We have felt the sting of rejection and the uncertainty of our ability to make a difference in ANY child’s life as a result of these two situations. However, we know that God brings people together, He creates families. He has a specific plan for each and every one of us, including our children who may not even be looking for His plan yet. We have little to cling to without this promise (Jeremiah 29:11) and the many other promises in God’s word.

We will continue to love our children from afar, expressing our love, carrying on with our family life and traditions, and providing the foundation that our children so desperately crave and fight against all at the same time. It is always our prayer that they will return home. Returning home physically will not always be possible, but it is our desire to see our children return home emotionally, to become emotionally well and healthy and to be successful and productive members of society and of this family. Realistically, there is always the possibility that this might not happen. Even in that possibility, we know that God does not leave anything untouched. We will still love our children from afar.

New Weekly Articles

2008-04-17T18:53:00.001-07:00

This is the first of a number of weekly articles that we have felt led to share with the readers of our blog and foster and adoptive families. It is our prayer that through this aspect of Project Belong’s ministry, families will be strengthened and hearts will be touched by what God leads us to write. Please visit the blog every Friday to find a new article shared from our hearts to yours. May God be glorified through our family, through the ministry of Project Belong, and through these articles.

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The Necessity of Support and the Lifeline of Faith

When we began our journey into the world of foster care and adoption eleven years ago, we could never have been prepared for all that we have faced. We saw adoption as a wonderful way of building our family and the hand of God was upon every step of that construction. We firmly believe that He is not done with our family even still. The construction is not finished.

Two years ago, we watched in awe when God allowed us the blessing of building our own home. We saw the land being prepared, the foundation being poured, and the walls going up. We photographed every step of the process and planned to scrapbook those memories for the future. If the builders hadn’t built the foundation of our home correctly, it could never provide the support for the rest of the house to stand firmly upon.

That’s how it is with the need for support in our adoptions. Not financial support or anything of the sort, but a support on a deeper level, the support of those who should be there for us. Loving support of those closest to us in this world should be a strong and firm foundation for our family to be built upon.

That, however, is not always the case. Not everyone understands why we chose to adopt. Not everyone understands that it wasn’t necessarily out of our struggles with infertility that we came to the decision of pursuing adoption, though those struggles did come and did mingle themselves with other struggles we faced. People have difficulty understanding how we discipline our children and how our children’s behavior is different from children who have not had similar past experiences. We have faced questioning time and again of our ability to care for our children’s needs because they are “higher maintenance” than a “normal” child. Each time God brings a new child across our paths, either for adoption or, more recently, foster care, we have faced questioning about whether we can handle that much more stress or whether we can financially provide for more children. These experiences come at us from every side, from family members, well-meaning friends, church family and even from strangers.

When times are hard or we are going through a struggle with one (or more) of our children, we often question why we don’t have anyone around who understands or why we don’t feel normal. My husband continually reminds me that we are not normal and our family is not normal. He reminds me that we can never expect people to understand us perfectly, because there is only ONE who understands everything and sees it all clearly. That ONE is our Lifeline, our Heavenly Father, our God. When a struggle feels so big that it will overwhelm us, we have a Lifeline to cling to. When human support in the form of our family members and friends may fail us, God is still there. We have to remember that our God began this work in our lives, in our family, and He promises to carry it on to completion (Philippians 1:6). He is faithful and has proven Himself faithful over the years time and time again. We stand upon the promises of God’s Word, knowing that He has a plan for each and every one of us, plans to prosper us and not harm us (Jeremiah 29:11). It is His Word and His promises that strengthen our relationship with our Lifeline, and when the support that we so desperately crave is not there in the people who surround our lives we know where to turn. Turning to God Himself, time and time again, has carried us through difficult years and will through many more.

We pray that through this ministry we can be a support to families. Project Belong is here to offer support to those who are caring for foster or adoptive children. We can offer support, advocacy, prayer and more, yet when all is said and done, as adoptive and foster parents, we need more than a support network of people. We need a Lifeline of faith in an all-knowing, all-powerful God who will never fail us.

Written by Missy Hoffman 4/16/08

Ministry Update

2008-04-07T12:20:00.001-07:00

We have recently emailed our first volume of ministry updates for Project Belong. If you read the blog and are not receiving the ministry updates via email, please email us at info@projectbelong.org and we will gladly add you to the list!

We have spent the last few weeks preparing Volume 1 of the ministry update, making contacts with people locally, and planning for this weekend's upcoming event, a benefit concert/dessert smorgasbord co-sponsored by St. Francis Community Services and Project Belong, to be held Sunday, April 13, at 2pm, at our home church, Westside Baptist Church. (For more information see the link on our website.) The concert will raise funds for local foster children to go to a summer camp for foster children in our state. We are anticipating a great turn-out for the event, and we are looking forward to sharing the news about Project Belong with people at this event. We'd love to have you join us if you are in the area on Sunday afternoon!

Please pray with us that this event will open doors for the ministry of Project Belong to be shared in additional churches in our community and area. Only God knows the direction this ministry will go and whose lives will be touched by our family's story and the needs we will share wherever we go. We are in awe of how God has moved so far and excited about where it will go.

Before we close, we will once again ask if you would like to be a part of the Project Belong Prayer Team. We are compiling our list and will be sending out the first Prayer Guide soon. Please email us at info@projectbelong.org and request to be added to the Prayer Team list.

Thank you for your prayers and support for Project Belong!
God Bless,
The Hoffman's

Praises for a Great Ministry Kickoff Event

2008-03-17T12:09:00.000-07:00

We are rejoicing and praising God today for the wonderful time of fellowship and fun with over 40 people attending the Project Belong Kickoff Potluck Luncheon yesterday! Families from our church, agency partners, and the official association for foster and adoptive families in the state of Kansas, KFAPA, were all represented! To those who attended and those who sent their wishes but could not attend, we want to thank you! We will have some photos and video from the event soon!

During the Kickoff, we shared our own adoption and foster care story as well as the vision that God has given us for Project Belong. We also shared information on upcoming events that Project Belong will take part in and suggestions for getting involved with the ministry. A lot of that information is posted on the website at ProjectBelong.org. Please take the chance to watch the Project Belong Promo Video that was part of the event, now posted on YouTube and here for your convenience.

Join us by becoming a member of the Project Belong Prayer Team. It's as simple as dropping an email to us at info@projectbelong.org where we will add you to a list for a regular prayer update for the ministry.

More news to come on the upcoming events for Project Belong!

May God bless you this Easter week with a fresh reminder of His Love and Grace in your life!

Project Belong Kickoff Luncheon

2008-02-29T07:20:00.000-08:00

Through lots of prayer, planning, and talking it over with our church's pastoral staff, the concept of Project Belong continues to take shape and grow!

We're pleased to announce the inaugural event for Project Belong, a gathering of families in our church and others interested in what Project Belong is all about. A time of food, fun, and fellowship where we will share the heart of the ministry of Project Belong. Join us for an old-fashioned potluck to celebrate families and children and a NEW and exciting ministry!

When: Sunday, March 16th, 12:30pm-2:30pm
What: Project Belong Kickoff Potluck Luncheon
Where: Westside Baptist Church Youth Center, 400 West 12th, Hutchinson, KS

Please bring one or more of the following: a main dish or casserole, a salad or vegetable, and/or a dessert

Please RSVP here or phone (620)960-1316.

We welcome foster or adoptive families, anyone interested in foster care or adoption, foster care or adoption professionals, and those who just want to know more!

Mission & Purpose Statement

2008-02-22T17:36:00.000-08:00

This is a bit of a repeat post...although it is now the official mission and purpose statement for Project Belong.

Mission Statement:
Project Belong is a ministry for foster and adoptive families created for the purpose of recruiting, training, and supporting families as they parent children who need a place to truly know that they belong.

It has been said, "It doesn't matter where you come from as long as you discover where you belong." Children in foster care or waiting for adoptive families desperately need to belong. As God's children, we are all given a place to belong in His Kingdom. These children need to be given that chance as well. Through serving God in the ministry of foster care or adoption, Christians can help these children find a place to belong.   

As God's children, we are called to minister to "the least of these" (Matthew 25). We are also called to care for orphans (James 1:27). A goal of this ministry will be to spur the church on to answering this calling from God.  

Located in Hutchinson, Kansas, Project Belong will begin as a local work with the future goal of serving foster and adoptive families across the state of Kansas.

Who we are...

2008-02-18T09:42:00.000-08:00

The idea and concept for the ministry of Project Belong has grown from a journey of adoption that God has taken our own family on over the past 11 years. We are happy to share the story of our experience with adoption and foster care and introduce you to our family.

Back row l to r: Brandon, Corly, Dean, SueAnn, Missy
Front row l to r: Kevan, Skylar, Thomas
Christmas Eve 2007

When we were married in 1996, we had our own plans for having a family. By the end of 1997, it was evident that God had different plans, plans that have ultimately given us an adventure we never would have dreamed possible. The following events ensued:

*We participated in MAPP training for foster care/adoption in the fall of 1997.
*Kevan (born 1995) joined our family in 1998 through adoption from a relative placement.
*Dean (born 1990) and Corlyanna (born 1992) joined our family in 2001 through adoption from a foster placement.
*Skylar (born 2001) joined our family in 2002 through adoption from a foster placement.
*SueAnn (born 1988) and Thomas (born 1991) joined our family in 2007 through adoption from foster placements.
*We became a licensed foster family in January 2008.

...And the journey continues. Clearly, there is much more to the story of our family. We love to share our story and are always open to questions. We believe very strongly that God is not finished with our family yet. There are so many children who still need to know they are loved, who still need to belong.

That is where Project Belong begins. A love for children who need to know they are loved. We have a clear calling in God's Word to care for the needs of others and specifically to care for orphans (James 1:27). The number of Christians in our state far outweighs the number of children in foster care or adoption. If God's people answer this calling, there should never be a shortage of families to care for these children and there should never be a list for children waiting for an adoptive family.

Introducing...

2008-02-17T14:32:00.000-08:00

We are launching a brand new ministry that we believe God has led us to begin. We are proud to introduce...Project Belong, a ministry for foster and adoptive families, for recruiting, training, and assisting families as they parent children who need a place to belong. It has been said, "It doesn't matter where you come from as long as you discover where you belong." Children in foster care or waiting for adoptive families desperately need to belong. As God's children, we are all given a place to belong in His Kingdom. These children need to be given that chance as well. Through serving God in the ministry of foster care or adoption, Christians can help these children find a place to belong.

As God's children, we are called to minister to "the least of these" (Matthew 25). We are also called to care for orphans (James 1:27). A goal of this ministry will be to spur the church on to answering this calling from God.

We are located in Hutchinson, Kansas, and plan to begin the work locally, with the future goal of serving foster and adoptive families across the state of Kansas. We welcome your prayers and your comments as we embark on this adventure that God has set before us.

Watch for our next entry where we will introduce ourselves and explain our journey through adoption over the last 11 years!