Christian Music Online

Steven Curtis Chapman Christian music

December 11, 2005 – 12:46 pm

Christian music artist gives voice to orphans
Steven Curtis Chapman’s support group helps families wishing to adopt.

Steven Curtis Chapman practices what he preaches.

One of the most successful artists of his genre has become a leading spokesman for adoption. With his new Christmas album and 21-city tour with MercyMe, he’s using his celebrity to further the cause. The CD, All I Really Want for Christmas, and the tour, which ends Dec. 20, will raise money for Shaohannah’s Hope, the nonprofit adoption support group he started with his wife, Mary Beth.

It’s named for his 6-year-old daughter, one of three Chinese children the Chapmans have adopted over the last five years.

“I kind of feel like everything we do now moves in that direction,” Chapman, a five-time Grammy winner, said by phone recently. “We’re at an amazing, wonderful place in life where we can say, man, we’re blessed beyond whatever we imagined or hoped for — the success we’ve had, the career, the album sales and all that. Now we’re just trying to . . . be good stewards of everything God blesses us with.”

The Chapmans have three other children — Emily, 19, Caleb, 15, and Will, 14.

Emily first suggested they adopt a Chinese infant nearly six years ago. It changed their lives forever and influenced others in the Christian music community — including Chapman’s buddy, Geoff Moore — to follow suit.

While he admits that raising a second family in his 40s can be trying — Shaohanna is 6, Stevey Joy is 3 and Maria Sue is 2 — the rewards are far greater than the tribulations, he said.

“We live the reality of three children that weren’t biologically ours. We made the choice to bring them into our family. It’s anything but easy,” he said. “It’s messy, tiring. I’m 42. I’m still carrying babies down from bed who want to be carried, 2-year-olds whose legs don’t work well for ‘em yet.”

The Chapmans see adoption as a way to provide homes for the millions of orphans in the world, whose numbers climb with every natural disaster.

“A lot of the focus publicly now, particularly with this album and tour, is to continue to tell the story of adoption, to really give a voice to the orphans. There are more than 50 million of them in the world who, for the most part, never get to tell their story,” he said. “I’ve got this incredible platform where I can tell their story and keep bringing them, so to speak, in front of people to remind them they’re there.”

Chapman set up Shaohannah’s Hope, shaohannahshope.org, to help families wishing to adopt. More than 500 have been helped so far.

“We get about 100 [applications] a month from people asking for help, who want to adopt, have done the paperwork, have been approved, but at this point in the deal they’re looking at anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 in financial need,” he said.

That’s where the foundation can come in.

“There’s no way we can [help fund everybody], but we can say we can potentially help you in this way, or we can also direct them to places where they can get help, or did you know you can qualify for a $10,000 tax credit?” Chapman added.

The Chapmans have spent time assisting orphanages in other parts of the world. They spent two weeks at an orphanage in Uganda last summer and gave financial assistance to “a lady caring for 35 AIDS orphans.” They have visited China several times and have built strong ties with people in the government and adoption community there.

“They’ve opened their doors to us. Any time we want to come and hang out, stay there, work there, we can,” he said.

Doug Pullen | Religion News Service

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