Orphan Ministry of CCM Star Chapman Changes Name
The orphan ministry of acclaimed CCM artist Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth, has changed its name from Shaohannah's Hope to Show Hope, according to an announcement last week.
"Show Hope is not just a name, but rather it represents a philosophy of ministry that truly challenges all of us to respond by demonstrating our belief in what God mandates of us in Scripture in caring for the orphan," explained the ministry's executive director, Scott Hasenbalg.
Since its founding as Shaohannah's Hope in 2003, the non-profit organization has been dedicated to mobilizing individuals and communities to care for orphans and reducing the financial barriers to adoption.
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The ministry initially began out of the Chapmans' desire to see more children find their way into forever families, many of which are willing to adopt but are unable to because of the financial costs of adoption.
According to UNICEF, there are more than 130 million orphans and fatherless children in the world who have lost one or both parents. And in America alone, there are a half-million children in foster care, and approximately 120,000 of these children are waiting to be adopted.
"It's my deep conviction that caring for these children is not the job of governments or institutions; instead, it is the job of families, people and communities," Steven Curtis Chapman had written late last year in an op-ed that appeared in the Tennessean newspaper. "And even more than it being our job, it is a privilege and blessing that is ours to experience and receive."
Chapman, himself, had adopted three of his daughters from China, starting with 9-year-old Shaohannah Hope, the orphan ministry's namesake whom the Chapmans adopted in 2000. Sadly, however, the youngest of the three, Maria Sue, died last year in a tragic accident.
Despite the "tragic and excruciating loss" of Maria, Chapman said he and his family couldn't imagine what they would have missed if they had not taken the journey.
"Pain? Yes," Chapman shared half a year after the accident, "sometimes almost unbearable … but so much more. Simply put, our experience of the miracle of adoption and being involved in the lives of orphans has made our lives infinitely more rich and full."
With this in heart, Show Hope ministry plans to continue its lifelong mission to show hope by caring for orphans around the world through engaging the church, raising awareness about the worldwide plight of orphans, and helping Christian families reduce the financial barrier to adoption.
Along with the new name, the ministry has also launched a newly designed website showcasing the ministry's new logo as well as information on how to help make a difference in the life of an orphan. Visitors to the site, showhope.org, can learn how to make monetary donations to the ministry, how to get involved to help in the life of an orphan, how to apply for an adoption grant, as well as view the resources page offering inspirational tools for individuals and church communities alike.
Since its inception, the Show Hope TM ministry has helped over 2,000 orphans from 40 countries, including the United States, into forever homes.
