Saving Snowflakes

Ryan and April Cannon had one child and wanted more. Their second baby girl was born with a rare genetic disorder and died shortly after birth. They did not want to pass along the disorder, so what could they do? They could adopt, but then they’d miss out on the joy of pregnancy and childbirth.

That’s when they learned about Snowflakes Embryo Adoption, a special program of Nightlight Christian Adoptions Agency.

Another couple had earlier donated their embryos through Snowflakes, hoping that a caring Christian couple would adopt their unborn children (embryos). Amanda Fletcher, a mother who had embryos leftover from unsuccessful fertility treatments, explained, “We wanted a family that was active and involved in their church and had a close family.” Both couples found everything they were looking for when they were matched through Snowflakes.

When most people think about adoption, they picture a young couple joyfully bringing home a baby or older child and bonding together as a new family. And for about 120,000 children each year, this describes the blessing of adoption. But it’s now possible to adopt even younger children—those in early stages of life currently being stored in clinics and laboratories across the United States.

As the popularity of fertility treatments has grown, so has the number of people turning to in vitro fertilization. While using such a procedure is controversial within many circles, Christians should not overlook the estimated 700,000 embryos now in frozen storage. These embryos are image bearers of their Creator. Yet their future is in limbo, as they wait for a chance to continue life rather than to remain frozen or be destroyed.

Christians must prayerfully provide biblical answers to the tough questions surrounding these issues. But adopting embryos is consistent with the Bible’s command to love and save lives.

Rescuing lives from the freezer is one reason Nightlight Christian Adoptions Agency began its embryo adoption program. The ministry chose the term snowflake to describe the program because “just like embryos in storage, snowflakes are frozen, unique gifts from God,” says program director Kimberly Tyson. “We believe that life begins at fertilization, and my ministry is to help families give these embryos a chance at life.”

So far the Snowflakes Adoption Program has worked with over 2,000 families to save lives. As of the beginning of this year, 470 babies had been born into new, loving homes.

Email info@snowflakes.org, or go to snowflakes.org for more information.

Outside Our Bubble

Most of us live in a small world—family, work, church, and school—seldom venturing outside our little bubble.

But the great commission is a global commission. And God has a purpose that extends all over the globe. We should take heart that, all over the world, our Savior is using His people within their own bubbles to address the universal challenges that face mankind and the church.

Meet Joseph Tan. He lives in Malaysia, a predominately Muslim nation, but he grew up in a Buddhist family. In his home, ancestor worship was part of everyday life. Joseph remembers one day talking to the idols at the family altar and waiting for an answer. He heard only silence.

Joseph Tan equips Christian leaders in Malaysia to answer the tough questions of life.

That took him on a quest that led to Christ and the truth about his origins and purpose. Now he wants everyone in his nation to hear the same message. He knows firsthand the power of Genesis.

Most Malaysians are brought up with religious tradition. So they believe there is a God but question His relevance to them. “Young people are beginning to question their religious tradition,” Tan says, “and are creating their own image of who God is.”

To counter this, Malaysians need to understand from Scripture who God really is and how He relates to them. Joseph equips Christian leaders to defend God’s Word and show their congregations how to answer the tough questions of life.

An engineer by training, Tan spends his days as a consultant, but during evenings and weekends he teaches wherever he can. A major step came in 2011, when he led the first all-Asian creation conference to teach delegates from 17 countries the value of Genesis 1–11 in their ministry. It was a tipping point for the creation movement in Asia.

Joseph knows that believers in Malaysia need to “return to the basics—that set of timeless truths that provide the basis for right thinking and right behavior.” Joseph also says, “The creation message is the foundation by which we understand the world around us and acknowledge the authority of the Creator and His Word.”

The basic needs in Malaysia are the same as those in every nation. God will use any humble servant, who loves His Word from beginning to end, to share in His mighty work around the world. Make the most of your bubble!

Hands-On Science

Science at your fingertips is what Camp Infinity is all about. And a biblical perspective makes this camp unique. STEM-loving students (lovers of science, tech, engineering, and math) learn how much fun it is to study science through the lens of Scripture, the source of all truth. Sessions are tailored to almost every age, including family camps. Over the past three years, nearly 350 campers have walked away saying, “Camp Infinity helped me learn how to protect my faith.”

campinfinity.com

Let’s Talk . . .

Answers isn’t intended merely to excite the mind but to get people talking. Creation matters. Here are some important questions in this issue to discuss with family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.

It All Adds Up Why do some Christians insist the earth is 6,000 years old? The Bible is vague, isn’t it? In reality, the Bible gives explicit numbers from Adam to Jesus. The question is our faith in God’s Word. If we can’t trust its simple math, how can we trust its claims that Jesus rose from the dead?

Is the Battle for Stem Cells Over? Stem cells are back in the news. It turns out that embryonic stem cells have failed to live up to their therapeutic hype. In contrast, it may soon be possible to use adult stem cells instead—without taking human life. That’s exciting news for pro-lifers, who advocated this approach all along.

Convergent Evolution or Common Designer? Nature is full of similar designs. Even evolutionists recognize that these designs belong to unrelated creatures! They trumpet this as evidence of evolution’s power to produce amazing designs more than once. Creationists see a better explanation: the fingerprint of a single Designer.

Racial Reconciliation That Matters Recent events have proven that the dream of a “post-racial” America is an illusion. Nobody wants this violence and injustice, but what can we do? Christians have the only viable solution. It begins with a proper understanding of the problem, found in Genesis. We have a grace problem, not a race problem.