Sponsoring a child in Albania

I was looking at Bethany Christian Services' website today and came across this article about sponsoring a child in Albania.  Bethany is a Christian adoption and foster care organization.  I just now saw that they also allow you to sponsor a child.  I clicked on Albania just to see what it's about and this is the article.  I encourage you to check out their website to see if you would be willing to sponsor an international child or even look into foster care or adoption.  Here is Bethany's website... http://www.bethany.org/

Albania Sponsorship Facts


Being the hands and feet of Christ to children and to pregnant women at risk of human trafficking
Sponsor a child living in a Transitional Group Home

Bethany began its Albanian Sponsorship program in 1998. Children involved in the program live in Transitional Group Homes (TGHs) built in 1994 and 2000 by Bethany and Bethany supporters. The TGHs are located in Tirana, the capital city of Albania.

Although Bethany built the TGHs, they are owned and run in partnership with the Albanian government. Bethany Albania's home office is located in the TGHs, promoting direct involvement in childcare and program consultation. American volunteers live in the TGHs, applying their professional skills to further enhance child care and provision. Direct childcare is provided by Albanian government staff.



Each child living in the TGHs is waiting for his/her forever family. For some, this comes through domestic or intercountry adoption. Others are reunited with their biological families or are placed with extended family members. Unfortunately, when such options are not possible, some children will "age out" of the TGHs when they are 4 years old and will move to a home for older children.



Bethany is actively involved in a foster care pilot project through a partnership with the Albanian government and UNICEF. Our dream is for the children living in the TGHs and other institutional care locations to be matched with loving foster families. When this occurs, your International Sponsorship support will "move" with the child, helping the foster family meet his/her needs.



Sponsor a woman in Bethany's Shepherding Home Program

In the fall of 2005, we introduced the Shepherding Home Program (SHP) as part of Bethany's Albanian Sponsorship program. The pregnant women and their children involved in this program are primary targets of human trafficking, a danger that is sweeping through Albania at an alarming rate.



The SHP is designed to provide shelter, protection, and counseling to women as they live with local Shepherding Home families through the duration of their pregnancy. Our objective is to help these women avoid trafficking, abandonment, abuse, mistreatment, and abortion, while they work toward a life of hope and independence.



Thank you for considering sponsorship in Albania.

Party at the vineyard

So last night was the vineyard party, which was yummy, a little too much and fun by the way :) I chatted with two women, both are pregnant, one is 11 weeks and the other is 13 weeks. Both of their husbands work in Justin's group at work. One girl's husband has already mentioned to Justin about me taking care of their baby when he/she is born and last night the other lady comes over and says..."So I have this all planned out. Nicole you are going to start an in home day care for everyone in our group!!" Lol luckily they are the only two who are pregnant and the group is pretty small. But I kinda think she was serious. She's planning on working also after her baby is born. Can you see me having Micah plus 2 newborn babies in my house?? I can't say it wouldn't be fun/exhausting but um kinda scary?? Too bad Sarah or Adrian don't live closer we could start one together.