The Three Whos have actually survived their first night with a babysitter who isn't related to them. Better yet, the babysitter survived and is willing to come back!
The occasion? Date night for Mama and Papa Who, consisting of front-row concert tickets and a meet-and-greet with Steven Curtis Chapman afterward.
For anyone who doesn't know, SCC is a popular Christian music singer who has adopted three daughters from China, and he and his wife have set up a foundation to help others bridge the financial gap so they can help children all over find their forever families. His adoption ministry is phenomenal and is a wonderful example of how people can use the gifts they're given to change the world. It's a message that resonates with us even as it moves us to tears. This is the second time we've seen him since we adopted Who I in 2004, and both times I've left the show inspired to find more ways to help bring children and families together.
One thing he said was really sobering: Every 18 seconds, a child somewhere in the world becomes an orphan. They had a counter running during last night's show that brought home the point -- I think it was up past 500 by the end of the evening.
Proceeds from the auction go to the adoption foundation he and his wife established, Shaohannah's Hope. Friends of ours probably could not have brought their daughter home without the help of a grant they received in 2004, so I was eager to share our own adoption story and theirs as thanks for what he does for so many adoptive families. He was really gracious and touched by our family's story, and tickled to see a photo of our friend's daughter. Theirs is one of 1,600 families the foundation has helped so far, and a new family is being helped at each stop on the tour. Last night, an adoptive family received a $4,500 grant.
If you get a chance, check him out. It's time well-spent.
