Gerald Clark speaking on Adoption and the Gospel
Larry Gleason
On March 2 the Fellowship heard a very informative presentation on Adoption and the Gospel, A Biblical Foundation for Adoption as Ministry presented by PebbleCreek resident Gerald Clark. Gerald is the author of the book Adoption and the Gospel and he continues to be actively involved in the ministry of adoption. Gerald and his wife spent six years working in an orphanage in the Philippines with Gerald eventually serving as administrator. While they provided much love and attention to the children, they recognized the children weren’t accepting of their love. They eventually realized the children felt they didn’t “belong” because they had no family and many had a hard time accepting God’s love feeling that, “If God loves me, why am I an orphan?” Over time Gerald and his wife came to understand that while love and great care in orphanages is absolutely necessary, the most important thing they could do for the children was to get them adopted, preferably in their own country and culture. This led the Clarks to begin their adoption ministry and they learned there are many families in churches across the world who would like to adopt but they don’t have the financial resources to do so. The Clarks came to realize adoption ministry is most effectively accomplished through local churches. Eventually Gerald and his wife were inspired by the Lord to develop the Home for Good Foundation (www.hfgf.org) to bring orphan children into God‘s family via the ministry of adoption in local Christian churches. The Home for Good Foundation provides a variety of resources to churches wishing to pursue adoption ministry including education on the Biblical foundation of adoption and how to raise funds for their members wishing to adopt a child. Adoption ministry has now spread to more than 70 countries.
Gerald pointed out to the Fellowship members there are many references to orphans and adoption in the Bible. He cited famous scriptural examples of children being adopted including Moses, Queen Esther and the Lord Jesus himself who was adopted by Joseph. And for each of us personally, Galatians 4:5 states the Lord sent Jesus into the world so that we may be adopted as sons of God.
Today there are significant needs for adoption across the world. Unfortunately in many countries when children reach the age where they are released from the orphanage, they become targets of child traffickers who promise them jobs and end up selling the girls as slaves and selling the boys to countries who use them as soldiers in fighting their wars. Gerald encouraged the Fellowship members to support adoption ministries in their local churches. Now that he has moved to Goodyear, his organization, Home for Good Foundation, will be assisting any Christian churches in Maricopa County who desire to develop adoption ministries.
On the morning of April 6 the Men’s Christian Fellowship will be doing an outreach event at St. Mary’s Food Bank in Surprise. Details will be forthcoming in the near future. All men residing in PebbleCreek are welcome to participate in this event.