Families in Texas adopt over 70 foster children

Bennett Chapel is a small church in Possum Trot, Texas. But it made national news when families adopted more than 70 foster children from all over Texas. Bishop Martin wrote about it in his book, Small Town, Big Miracle.

It began in 1997, when Bishop Martin's wife Donna was mourning her beloved mother's death, and cried out in anguish to God. The answer she heard in her spirit surprised her: "Think about those that did not have what you had...Give back. Foster and adopt."

Bishop Martin began preaching that message 12 years ago from his pulpit, and families caught the vision and took in foster children. When CBN's Orphan's Promise heard about the adoptions, they provided food, computers, and sponsored an after-school tutoring program that continues today – as well as enlisting experts to help families deal with issues like anger management, sexuality, and self-esteem.

The journey hasn't been easy. Many of the children had suffered heartbreaking abuse, and out of their woundedness came actions such as stealing, lying, biting, destroying property, and more. Bishop Martin says the state admitted it sent some of its toughest cases to them.

But over a decade later, many of them are teen athletes and honor roll students, with hopes and career dreams.

One recent success story is 8-year-old Michael, Bennett Chapel's 73rd adoption. He had been in several homes by age 5, when he came to live with Donna's sister Brenda and husband Jesus Carillo. Michael's mother was a young girl who couldn't raise him, and her family rejected him because he is bi-racial.

Jesus remembers the first time he saw Michael, it "kind of broke my heart...So little, so skinny. Bald head – a little bit dirty." Brenda continues, "He didn't know anything about crawling up in a mother's arms...until he met us. He said, 'Mama, I didn't have nobody to love. Nobody tucked me in at night' Nobody said the Lord's Prayer with him..."

Three years with Brenda and Jesus have changed all of that. Today, Michael is thriving, thanks to their love and perseverance, the help of Orphan's Promise partners, like you– and the vision of a church in Possum Trot.