We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

Kona, Hawaii, 2018

 "If you could change one issue in society, what would it be?" This provocative question was posed to the top leaders of the University of Nations. Imagine a society where it is the norm for every Christian family to adopt a child, making it unusual not to. This vision is at the heart of "Chosen and Dearly Loved," an initiative sparked by the personal experience of Mike and Mandy Gallagher.

Mike and Mandy's adoption journey began with Hannah, an American-born Chinese girl with Spina Bifida. This profound experience led them to establish "Chosen and Dearly Loved." They later adopted twins with special needs from Uganda, after the children's original parents were unable to provide for them due to a lack of resources.

"Chosen and Dearly Loved" is a Christian foundation dedicated to addressing both the spiritual and physical needs of orphaned and vulnerable children. The founders are former YWAMers (Youth With A Mission members) who attended the Mega DTS (Discipleship Training School) in 2004-2005. This particular DTS, led by Loren and Darlene Cunningham, was a turning point that combined youth and older participants with a focus on Crossroads/Global Missions. At that time, the directors had two young children and felt a deep compassion for the plight of orphans with special needs.

This foundation is not an adoption agency; rather, it supports families by helping to break down the financial barriers to international adoption. They provide matching grants to parents who have completed a home study, been matched with a child, and are actively fundraising to cover the costs of adoption. Families are connected with orphanages and foster care systems, with the majority of children (80%) coming from China, along with others from Ethiopia and various countries.

The Gallagher's vision is to tackle the crisis of millions of orphans worldwide by ensuring that hundreds of thousands find permanent families. They also aim to support organizations that care for orphans and assist families in keeping their children, particularly those with special needs, to avoid the necessity of adoption by building community support.

In America alone, there are 400,000 children ready to be adopted by Christian families. The Gallaghers believe that the Church, having delegated this role to the government, is now called to step up and respond to God's desire for every child to be loved and cared for. "Chosen and Dearly Loved" has supported 151 families, helping 197 children find homes and providing 170 grants over the past three years.

The top five special needs that these children often face include:

1. Cerebral Palsy
2. Down Syndrome
3. Spina Bifida
4. Limb Deformity
5. Blind/Vision and Deaf/Hearing Issues

Sadly, these conditions make children more likely to be abandoned, yet they are also the ones most likely to be adopted.

For those interested in learning more about adoption grants and family support, contact Catherine Theriault at catherine.t@chosenanddearlyloved.org.

Ana Moody, a family doctor trained at UC Irvine and an attendee of SBS at UofN Kona, shares her testimony related to adoption. Having worked for 12 years with "Shepherds Field Children's Village" in China, Ana and her husband, a pediatrician, provided medical care and facilitated adoptions for many children. Her goal is to author a book and Bible study on the needs of orphans and she is eager to share her experiences with others interested in this calling.

To learn more about "Chosen and Dearly Loved" and the Gallaghers' mission, visit the foundation's website: https://chosenanddearlyloved.org/about/#our-founders-story.