Christian Alliance for Orphans
“In much of the American church today there is a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of fulfillment, and I believe this is due in large part to how many of us have missed a major ingredient of Biblical Christianity: caring for the Least—the orphans, widows, poor, sick and oppressed. That is where God said He would be and where we would experience Him.”
-Kerry Hasenbalg
When the Chapmans and the Hasenbalgs began SH, one of the major opportunities they recognized was that they could be leaders in bringing the message of adoption and caring for orphans to the church. In 2004, SH joined with 30 other Christian adoption and orphan care organizations to explore how we can work as one unified body of believers to make a difference in the lives of orphans around the world. At this inaugural Adoption and Orphan Care Summit, SH was one of the eight organizations elected to take on a leadership role in determining the future of this effort.
The annual Summits have grown immensely, and in 2008, these organizations came together to create the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) as an official 501(c)3 non-profit, with SH continuing in its leadership role as a founding board member. The alliance was formed to reach the broader Christian community about the needs of orphans and the opportunity for adoption, foster care and orphan ministry worldwide, so that every orphan will experience God's unfailing love and know Jesus as Savior.
- Summit attendance has increased to over 300 people in 2007, and over 600 people in 2008
- SH has contributed both behind-the-scenes leadership as well as front-and-center leadership as SCC, Emily Chapman, Scott Hasenbalg, Kerry Hasenbalg, Geoff Moore, and Wendy Cosby have all presented at various Summits on behalf of SH
- Standards and criteria have been put in place to ensure that CAFO members are held to a higher standard of accountability
- CAFO membership already includes over 40 organizations and 20 churches
Christian Alliance for Orphans