2010 Conference Speakers
Our 2010 keynote speaker is National Ambassador & Board Member of Project 1.27 in Colorado. Chris and his wife Sarah are the proud parents of six adopted children. Chris and his wife have adopted through every means possible in the U.S. including international and domestic private agencies, an adoption attorney, through the Colorado foster care system, and an adult adoption. These combined experiences give him a unique understanding of the orphan crisis worldwide. In July 2004, Pastor Robert Gelinas along with Chris and a small group of dedicated adventurers founded Project 1.27. As a board member, Chris consults with 20+ states and has presented the Project 1.27 model in NV, AZ, FL, OH, OR and at the White House. His position allows him to encourage and act as a bridge between government and Christian communities of faith, thus positively impacting the lives of families and orphans both here and ultimately throughout the world.
Sessions:
Keynote Address
David and Kim Johnson suffered through 6 years of infertility prior to having a biological daughter conceived through IUI. After Emily's birth, they tried IUI for another year with no success. They were happy with the choice to only have one child until God placed adoption on their hearts. Dave an Kim are long time members of Lake Pointe Church and have served in the Lake Pointe Church Adoption & Orphan Ministry since 2006. They adopted their daughter Abbey from Russia in 2006 and have recently returned home from Russia where they adopted their son Nathan.
Session:
Adoption 101
Andrew and Tricia Steele are proud parents of four children. They adopted their youngest child, Jessie, from China in 2006. The Steele's have been involved in adoption and orphan ministry for 5 years and have a passion for helping adoptive and foster families in their journeys. Andrew and Tricia currently serve in the Lake Pointe Church Adoption & Orphan Ministries.
Sessions:
Connecting with Your Child Part 1 - Understanding Your Child
Connecting with Your Child Part 2 - Achieving Connectness
Jay and Courtney Jordan have been happily married for 11 years. They are the proud parents of two beautiful children, Callie (6) and Jae Min (1) who was adopted from South Korea in the spring of 2009. After having one biological child and plans to grow their family larger, they began to realize that God’s plan was to grow their family through the miracle of adoption. They have been a part of the Lake Pointe Adoption & Orphan Care Ministry for the past 3 years and are currently serving in the role of International Adoption Coordinators for the ministry.
Sessions:
International Adoption 101
Financing Adoption
Beverley Lewin is a licensed social worker and teacher. Beverley has been involved in child placement through international and domestic adoption for 17 years. She has also taught pre-school for 30 years and has an avid interest in young children and their emotional development. Beverley's pre-placement counsel of adoptive parents have helped many families be prepared with practical advice on helping their children attach successfully.
Session:
Will My Child Attach?
Jeanine Thomas has over 13 years of experience with children's sensory development. Jeanine is the co-owner of Excel Pediatric Therapy in Rockwall Texas and is a SIPT certified Occupational Therapist. Jeanine has worked with many children in hospital, school, and clinical settings.
Session:
Your Child's Senses
Ted and Rebecca Barlow have five children, four of them were adopted from Siberia, Russia. They were among the early adoptive families from that region and are celebrating 10-12 years since their “adoption days” next month. Their girls were all adopted between the ages of 4 and 12. The Barlow’s greatest passions are for adoptive families to have the support that they need, physically, emotionally & spiritually, for preservation of birth family bonds whenever possible, and for those who are still in need of nurturing homes.
Session:
Adopting an Older Child - Panel Discussion
Adopting Children from Haiti
Todd and Veronica Westlake have been happily married for 16 years. Prior to adopting their daughter, they suffered through several unsuccessful infertility treatments including IUI, IVF and Frozen Embryo Transplant. After much prayer, God placed it on their hearts that the creation of a family is not just about biology, but a decision to love others as our Heavenly Father has loved us. Through their experience, they want to encourage others to see beyond the science of becoming a parent to the realization of parenthood through adoption.
Session:
Infertility & Adoption
David & Leslie Brewer married in 1996 and have three wonderful children, two boys and a girl. The first child was the result of successful infertility treatment (IUI), the second child was adopted domestically, and the third child was an unexpected miracle! David & Leslie like to share their adoption story and to mentor and pray for other couples going through the process. The most important thing they learned during their adoption was to trust God's plan even when things looked bleak.
Session:
Domestic Adoption 101
Jason and his wife Trisha have been foster parents since 2001 and have adopted their four (soon to be 5!) children from the foster care system. They have been on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ since they were married 14 years ago and have worked with Hope for Orphans, a ministry of FamilyLife, since 2004. Jason is the author of the book span style="font-style: italic">Launching an Orphans Ministry in Your Church and one of co-hosts of the If You Were Mine DVD Adoption Workshop published by FamilyLife Publishing. He and Trisha are also co-authors of the FamilyLife Homebuilders Bible Study entitled Considering Adoption: A Biblical Perspective.
Session:
Launching an Orphan Ministry in Your Church
Matt Whetzel is the State Director of Ministry Relations for Texas with Arrow Child & Family Ministries and offices in Arlington, Texas. Matt attended Oral Roberts University where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1993. This is his 15th year of involvement in church pastoral & para-church ministry, predominantly serving at risk youth. Matt spent 12 years serving with Teen Mania Ministries. He has lead students on several mission trips in various parts of the world. Matt also worked as a group counselor at a residential foster care facility. Matt and his family attend Mansfield Christian Fellowship, where Matt directs the youth outreach
Session:
Relief Care and Other Ways to Serve
Gary and Charlotte Moreau have been involved in foster care ministry since 1999. They started a weekly ministry called Disciple Live at Buckner and served foster kids ages 6-17. In 2004, God provided an opportunity for their family to foster a 6 month old baby girl from Mexico while her mother finished serving a prison sentence. In 2006, God brought the Moreau family a baby boy in state care who has now become a permanent member of their family along with two other children. Matthew, Lexi, and Justin were foster children who were adopted through the CPS system. The Moreau family has a heart for foster children, foster birth families, and adoption.
Session:
Adopting Children from the Foster Care System
Jessica has been a prosecuting attorney for 12 years and has spent the last 6 years representing Child Protective Services in Hunt County, working exclusively on child abuse and neglect cases. Jessica and her husband have adopted 4 children through CPS. Jessica states, "My family is a rainbow of colors, reflecting the beauty only God can create in a family. The only thing we separate by color in our house is the laundry!" Jessica has a great deal of practical experience and Biblical perspective about foster parenting, raising a multi-racial family, interactions with birth families, and raising special needs children.
Sessions:
Living as a Multi-racial Family
Parenting a Child With Special Needs
Russell Rogers is founder and executive director of SALT Family Ministries, which is dedicated to training and encouraging churches and families to start Foster and Adoption ministries. He is a Texas Governor appointee to the Texas Adoption Review Committee, whose responsibilities include advising on the restructuring of CPS in Texas. He is a spokesman for the Texas DFPS (CPS) Faith-based department. Russell is also Founder and Senior Pastor of Trinity Life Baptist Church in Garland, TX. Russell and his wife Shelly were licensed Foster & Adoptive parents for 10 years, and have 5 children including 3 that were adopted.
Sessions:
Church Foster Care Ministry
Foster Parenting 101