Q: Why the name Adullam House?
A: Through prayer, God showed Pete and Angie something from the story of David's life. In 1 Samuel 22 you'll see David, afraid and running for his life from King Saul.
As a young man, by faith in the living God, David had defeated Goliath, Israel's greatest foe at the time.(1 Sam. 17:50) In doing this he won the favor of the Israelite people.(1 Sam. 18:5,7,14) This enraged King Saul to the point that he tried on many occasions to take young David's life.(1 Sam. 18:11,19:10...) With nowhere to go he found refuge in a cave called Adullam, which translated means "hiding place".
In verse 2 of chapter 22 men began to gather themselves with him there, men who were in debt, distressed, discontented – the outcasts. These men, out of love and loyalty to David, made him their captain and soon became the most valiant and greatest fighting army that was ever known in that time.
Pete and Angie believed that God would send young children, the "unseen victims of crime", who would almost certainly be destined for a life without hope to find refuge and safety in the care of "Adullam", with Christ as the Captain, just as those men found refuge with David at the cave of Adullam. And like the men of old who found refuge in the cave and became the 'mightiest fighting army' this world had ever seen, we believe that God will take many of the little lives entrusted to our care and make of them great trophies of grace. Beauty for ashes! The testimony of God in the earth rather than the stigma of outcast.
Q: How are children placed at Adullam House?
A: The children that reside at Adullam House are placed with us by request of the mother, or legal guardian.
Q: How do mothers find Adullam House?
A: Sometimes by word of mouth, but we have literature in the chapel of the only women's prison in Alabama - Julia Tutwiler's Prison - located just a few miles from Adullam House.
Q: How is Adullam House funded?
A: We are funded by donations and all proceeds from the Adullam House Thrift Store. We do not receive any financial assistance from the government, state or federal. The financial needs are enormous, and we greatly appreciate the generosity of people who help support us - financially, in caregiving, in construction, and in the many, many other needs that are a daily part of running the Adullam House.
Q: Can the children be adopted?
A: We are not an adoption agency, and cannot operate as such.
Q: How long can the children stay at Adullam House?
A: Essentially, a child could be with us from birth to adulthood. The children are part of our family. Our children do not 'age out'. God has placed them in our lives and He will guide us when we have to make decisions concerning their future, just as it is in any other "normal" family situation.
Q: How many children are in your care?
A: We average 30 children at any given time.