Hello, friends! I am Joshua Richardson, the new President of A Home for Jolee. My wife and I are so excited about this work and the great good it does for the Kingdom! When Robin first approached me about working with AHFJ I was honored. This foundation has changed so many lives, and I feel blessed to be given the opportunity to continue the work she began. Our family’s adoption journey began on January 11, 2014. Little did we know, two days later our daughter was born halfway around the world. It would take us another three years to get her home. During that time, we experienced much heartache as we struggled with finances, failed matches, and changes in international laws. But we also experienced much joy in seeing firsthand the love of the Church as so many helped us bring our little girl home. That is what A Home for Jolee is about – helping Christians care for the fatherless. I am excited about the future of this foundation! We at AHFJ want to help the brotherhood know just how important adoption is; how vital it is for children to have God-loving, God-fearing, and God-honoring parents. We want to help show the world how adoption is a picture of the Gospel. It is my hope that adoption will become such an intricate part of Christianity that the world will think of the Church of Christ as “the ones who care for the fatherless”. What a wonderful thing for which to be known! One of my goals for AHFJ is to go beyond financial assistance for Christians who are adopting. Before Robin left the board she had begun the greatly needed work of educating, not only on the need to care for the fatherless, but how to care for them. We are expanding our coaching and education teams to offer even more resources for the mothers and fathers who open their hearts to these little ones. Many adopted children come from very hard places. We want parents who are struggling to be able to turn to Christians for help. As Brittany and I have traveled through our adoption journey, we (like everyone, I guess) have been offered advice and help from the world. But I’ve always been hesitant to invite the world into my home and ask them to show me how this institution designed by God should best operate under these special circumstances. AHFJ wants to offer the support adoptive families need – not just financially, but also emotionally and spiritually. In addition, A Home for Jolee desires to equip other Christians to support adoptive families. I understand that though many will never adopt a child, they want to be there for those who do. We want to help churches and individual Christians be knowledgeable about what their brothers and sisters are going through so they can come alongside them on this rewarding and difficult journey. All too often when adoptive parents are in the trenches they either will not tell people what they need or, more regularly, don’t even know what to ask for. I am hoping that AHFJ can help churches support and encourage their fellow Christians so that no one walks this journey alone. The heart of our foundation remains the same. “A Christian family who has the heart for adoption, should not have to bear the financial burden alone.” We are here to make that a reality. We want to help families pay for the enormous costs associated with adoption. To do that, we need you. I pray that both individuals and congregations will see the great need for adoption and this foundation, and consider adding A Home for Jolee to their monthly support budgets. This will enable us to help many more families in their adoption journey! Robin's tireless efforts, love for the fatherless, and heart for adoption have been a blessing to so many. I am excited about what God has in store for this foundation and how He will use it to His glory and honor! Let us pray God’s glory and honor in all things! In His Service, Joshua Richardson
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Joshua is the preacher for the St. Croix Valley Church of Christ in Star Prairie, WI. He graduated from the Memphis School of Preaching in 2008 and married Brittany in 2011. They now have six children, including their daughter whom they brought home from Bulgaria in 2017. Joshua is excited to serve as President for A Home for Jolee beginning June 1, 2019 and is dedicated to helping Christian families care for the fatherless.
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