Skip to main content

Adoption Benefit Concert


A local church is teaming up with a local family to help bring a brother and sister home to Maryland from Ethiopia.
Local residents Todd and Erin Vogtman are a couple with a lot of love to give. Married for thirteen years, they met in college when both were studying to be teachers. In addition to now being a primary school teacher, Todd is a talented singer and guitarist. Erin, a gifted artist, spent years as a public school teacher as well and now home schools their four biological children.
Many see this family with four kids already and wonder at their interest in adoption—especially international adoption. But for Todd and Erin, it isn’t a matter of simply wanting more children, it’s a matter of wanting to improve the lives of children who otherwise would have nothing. “We believe that those who have much, hold much responsibility to give. And just living in this country puts us as some of the most privileged people in the world,” Erin says on her blog, One Sought Me. “Parenting is such a fun adventure full of laughing and learning. We know firsthand how fast time flies when watching kids grow and how precious our time is as parents to our interesting and unique kiddos.”
Though the Vogtmans have immense respect for those who work in the foster care system of our country, they could not escape the realization that even those who have the least in America are so often richer than the majority of the people in third world countries. And while every orphan is in need of love and protection, those born in underprivileged nations have virtually no chance for betterment aside from what comes in from other nations. These are children who could very well starve and die before reaching adulthood if no one feels the call to step in. Todd, Erin, and their kids felt that call.
But the Vogtmans discovered as they began research into international adoption that it’s a difficult path, especially when a family already has four biological children. Their choices on where they could apply soon dwindled down to a few, and they eventually settled on Ethiopia. They have at this point been approved for adoption and hope to have their new brother and sister with them by the end of 2013.
Adoption, however, is a costly calling, and so area businesses and churches are teaming up with the Vogtmans on their loving mission and sharing in the task of fund-raising. And what better way than to draw on the talents the family already has? With that thought in mind, Full Gospel SDB Church, located on Hazen Rd, invited Todd to perform at their monthly Saturday Night Alive program. Admission is free, but a freewill offering will be taken up, all proceeds to go to the Vogtman adoption.
The benefit concert will be held on Saturday, 30 March, at 6:00 p.m. at Full Gospel SDBC at 14407 Hazen Rd NE, Cumberland (near the intersection of 220 and Bedford Rd), as part of the Easter weekend celebration. There will be refreshments afterward and donations taken up during the event. Todd will be performing, with his kids joining him for a few songs, making this an event for the whole family. All welcome. For more information on the concert, visit www.FullGospelSDB.org and to learn more about the Vogtman’s adoption, visit their blog, www.OneSoughtMe.blogspot.com.

by Roseanna White 

Comments

  1. Whohooo!! Take pictures!! hope it goes well!
    PS- I love the picture up top. Did you make that on photoshop??? ;-)
    Listening to the radio right now waiting to hear your radio spot about adoption!
    Kelly

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Airplane Tray Table Cover for Travel!

In my part of the world, the popular sport of choice for this season is sewing.  Sewing?  Yes, well, it's a winter sport for me with its challenges, obstacles, and skills to be improved upon!  Not to mention that it hasn't been above 10 degrees Fahrenheit for near a month and with wind chills at -25 to -40 tonight, one just has to stay inside in the comfy cozy walls of home! Out comes the sewing machine and projects left behind from seasons past.  This time, I decided to tackle a new project that will be put to good use in the future: an Airplane Tray Table Cover for future traveling!  Thinking of sunny Ethiopia just brightens the mood from the winter blues too! After searching the web, and viewing images of other "airplane tray table covers" (search it, you'll find them), I decided to create my own.  This is pic is of my first attempt.  Overall, it turned out fine and I am happy with the end result.  To give you an idea, this would slip over the airplane tra

Details, Details, and What Can We Do?

It's a girl!  Thank you for the excitement and prayers of joy for us as we announced our next adoption! We have kept our finger on the pulse in the adoption world since bringing home our son, and all I can contribute finding out about this adoption is by the direction of God the Father.  He "places the lonely in families!" - Psalm 68:6  I know that everyone is anxious to know more details, trust me, I know it's part of the excitement to hear the scoop! What I can say is that she is 7 years old and very petite.  She has brown eyes, brown curly hair, and beautiful brown skin.  Her smile is contagious and her eyes show that she is spunky inside of that tiny frame.  She loves to laugh and eat pie! What I can't say is all of her story.  It's very complicated, emotionally complex, broken. And at her age of understanding all that is going on around her, well, it's her story and we want to respect that privacy for her.  While this is a time of joy and cele

Miserly Moms Recipes

After posting some ideas about tips for the family budget, I had many positive responses and am encouraged that many of you will be putting forth an effort to set a food budget and stay within that budget.  Take a visit here to view the previous post. Miserly Moms by Jonni McCoy is an excellent resource for money saving tips, menus, recipes, and family organization.  After looking it up on Amazon, apparently my copy is the "collectable" edition...oh geez, that makes me feel old.  There is a newer edition that Jonni has available in a Kindle version for $7.99 .  Note: Kindles weren't invented yet when I was starting out as a SAHM (Stay At Home Mom)  Ha.ha.laugh.   Here are some highlights from the book (the one made of paper) :   1. Don't Confuse Frugality with Depriving Yourself  2. Remove Little Wasters of Your Money 3. Don't Buy Everything at the Same Store 4. Make Your Own Whenever Possible 5. Eliminate Convenience Foods 6. Cut Back on Meats