Crossroads of America Adoption Conference Speaker Camie Schuiteman To Talk About Affording Adoption

23
Aug

Camie Schuiteman, MLJ Adoptions Financial Resource Coordinator, will present “Affording Adoption” at the Crossroads of America Adoption Conference. Camie is a pastor’s wife, mother of five, home educator, and an advocate for orphans everywhere. She has a B.S. from Indiana Wesleyan University, a M.A. from Ball State University, and is a member of the Christian Alliance for Orphans. Camie is an avid speaker on adoption fundraising. She recently spoke at Defend the Cause – An Adoption and Orphan Care Expo presenting to 200 + attendees on how to fund their adoptions.

Camie’s adoption story is similar to that of many families MLJ assists in that her family felt called by God to adopt a child in need of a loving home, despite the difficulties and expense of the process. Believing strongly in the biblical mandate of James 1:27, which states, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” The Schuiteman family knew that it was God’s plan for them to bring a child home through adoption.

Camie successfully raised $50,000 to adopt two children from Vietnam. After witnessing orphanages in under-developed countries and completing her own adoption, Camie became a passionate advocate for children here and around the world that need forever, loving families. “I hope families will not allow the shock and immenseness of adoption cost detour them from ‘going for it.’ My goal is to give encouragement and hope that an adoption journey IS possible for their family. A child’s life depends on it. I am very humbled and blessed to be able to get to know amazing adoptive families and to share what I know. I am simply helping others after so many have helped us.”

Camie will be sharing creative ways to fundraise for adoption, strategies for writing outstanding grant applications and planning your adoption budget. In addition, she will moderate a panel of individuals representing various grant issuing organizations in a discussion of how best to raise funds for an adoption with grants. They will offer tips to make grant applications stand out and offer encouragement to parents looking to start the adoption process. Adoptive families who do not have full funding for their adoption will want to attend this class.

The Crossroads of America Adoption conference will take place in Indianapolis on September 30 and October 1st at the Harrison Art Center. The conference is open to all passionate adoption advocates including adoptive professionals and current and future adoptive parents. Register now at https://mljadoptions.com/ConferenceRegistration.aspx

MLJ Adoptions is a Non-Profit, Hague-Accredited adoption service provider located in Indianapolis, Indiana, working in Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Pacific Isles. We are passionate about serving children in need.