There are over 140 Million orphans in the world today, and God has a special place in His heart for each one of them.  Cornerstone is joining God in this joyful and heartbreaking work through our ministry called “Living Hope-2-Orphans” or just “Living H2O”.

Living H2O “Channels” – Many ways to participate and serve 

Some of us like to paddle a kayak on calm waters.  Some want to surf the big tubes.  Some like scuba diving.  And some like to wade in the shallows.  Living H2O has a place for everyone - there are opportunities for all of us to serve in many different ways.  Please look over the “channels” of Living H2O below to find out what God is doing at and through Cornerstone... and where you might fit in: 

Wrap Around Support – Personal Flotation Devices

“Help!  I need help staying afloat!” 

Families with adopted or foster kids can get very tired or overwhelmed with the extra demands that are required when raising an extra child. 

We need people to come along-side of these families and provide some buoyancy.  This can be in the form of  baby-sitting, grocery shopping, or just being a friend that listens. 

Interested?  Contact Nicole Baller.

Quick Reaction Team – The Life Preservers

“Help!  I’m drowning!” 

There are times when foster parents get called in the middle of the night and must react quickly to a crisis situation.  Or they get a child and don’t have the right size diapers or clothes.  Or have a situation in their house that needs immediate assistance. 

We need people who love to react quickly and meet a need.  This often involves prior preparation so that supplies are on hand, or people are on call.  If this sounds like you, you could provide HUGE help at a critical time. 

Interested?  Contact Steve & Lisa Brandt.

Global Orphan Care

There are millions of orphans in other countries that are living in dire circumstances. Living H2O is creating partnerships with orphanages and churches overseas in order to pursue permanent solutions for the orphans there.  Our work will include short term mission trips, sponsoring and communicating with orphans, and coordinating capital projects at the orphanages.  If you have a heart for “the least of these” overseas, you will want to find out what Living H2O is doing in this channel. 

Local Orphan Care & Foster Parenting 

In our own Southern Maryland, there are many orphans that need to see the face of Jesus in a real and tangible way.  Foster Care and Foster Care support programs are a great way to be God’s hands and feet in our own community.  Foster Care may seem very intimidating – Living H2O will help you learn the requirements and joys of Foster Care so that you can move forward with confidence.  Living H2O is also exploring Foster Care support programs, including helping “at risk” kids and their families before foster care is required, or helping the thousands of kids who are “graduating” from the foster care system with no family for the rest of their lives. 

Interested?  Contact Dave and Tracie Perrin.

Adoption – Domestic and International

“Adoption is greater than the universe.”  John Piper points to Ephesians 1:4-6, describing how God chose us before creation to be adopted into His family. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgNXQ2CazUg&feature=player_embedded#!

God has a special place in his heart for adoption.  Do you?  Are you just interested?  Do you have questions?  Are you concerned about the financial expense?  If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, God may be leading you to join Him through adoption of an orphan. 

Living H2O will help you through the entire process – getting started, the “paper pregnancy”, traveling to pick up your new child, and after you get home and work through the joys and hardships.  We will help you personally, financially, emotionally, and spiritually with the many different types of resources necessary, from one-on-one time, to providing educational materials and bible studies. 

Publicity

Do you have skills with cutting edge technologies, including video production or web design?  Do you have a heart to let the world know about the plight of the orphan?  The Publicity channel’s goal is to inform everyone of upcoming events and provide information about Living H2O and orphans around the world.  This will be done using an H2O website and other electronic media (email, Facebook, etc.), as well as posters, bulletin boards, announcements, skits, videos, and more.  If you want to engage your creative juices, join the Living H2O publicity team. 

Interested?  Contact Steve and Lisa Brandt or Dave and Tracie Perrin. 

Education   

Do you have a heart for getting the right information to those interested in orphan care, adoption, or foster care?  Do you have experience or information that you want to share with others?  A big part of Living H2O will be providing critical information to people as they need it – whether they are just poking their toe in, or whether they are neck deep in adoption and need help. 

Interested?  Contact Steve and Lisa Brandt or Dave and Tracie Perrin. 

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 “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."                                                             - John 7:38

 “For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
      he will lead them to springs of living water.
   And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."        - Revelation 7:17 

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

"Sir," the woman said, "... Where can you get this living water? ..."

 Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."                     - John 4:10-14