A story of adoption and children with special needs to highlight the work of Sparrow's Vine

SEELEY LAKE – "His story had me on an emotional roller coaster. One minute you're laughing and the next crying," recalled Sparrow's Vine Executive Director Tera Wold after listening to Dan Kulp at a Care Net Missoula event in March of 2017. "It left me feeling that the world is beautiful and there are beautiful people out there who were put directly on this earth to help others. After the show, I just KNEW I needed to get him to my audience in Seeley."

With the financial support of Seeley Lake residents Duane and Debbie Anderson, Comedian, Actor, Author and Pastor Dan Kulp will be the guest speaker at Sparrow's Vine's annual banquet "Wonderfully Made" Oct. 4. While Kulp uses comedy to tell the story God has given him, "I tell that story to tell Sparrow's Vine's story. By the end, the staff and volunteers are all the heroes of the story."

Kulp grew up in a large family. After the birth of his brother Matthew in 1971, Kulp's parents Norm and Carol adopted three more children with Down syndrome becoming a family with nine children.

Their family was featured by PBS and in Newsweek Magazine. The National Enquirer did a two-page spread about the Kulps.

"This was the only world I ever really knew and so it all seemed perfectly natural," wrote Kulp in an email. "On the other hand [the media] attention just reinforced that idea in my head that we had a special family. I knew from the legacy left for me by my parents that I wanted to adopt one day."

While Kulp always wanted to adopt, he credits his wife Elizabeth as the driving force behind the action.

"She worked in orphanages in rural China and saw some horrendous things while there," wrote Kulp. "It wrecked her heart. She came home on a mission to get one child out."

That first child was Simon. Simon was abandoned the day he was born in the woods in the province of Hebei, China. He was left in the middle of winter, Dec. 28, 2004, because of his physical deformities: a clubfoot, an imperforate anus and an extra thumb on his right hand.

"To a culture that finds imperfection shameful or embarrassing, these traits would be reason enough for a parent to get rid of him," wrote Kulp in his book "Confounding the Wise." "Thank God they failed. In fact, I believe God is completely responsible for my son's survival."

Simon was found by a man named Mr. Han. He brought the newborn home where he and his wife warmed him and cared for him until they could take him to a nearby police station. The Kulp's were matched with Simon two years later and have been told that he is the first child with Down syndrome to be adopted out of China to the United States.

"Out of all the parents in the world God could have chosen for Simon, He chose us," wrote Kulp in the introduction to his book. "I'm utterly blown away by the story God has given me to live. He was preparing me from the time I was a child for the family I have today."

Simon was not the only child the Kulps were blessed with. They have adopted two more children from outside the United States and now have two of their own.

"Adoption is a choice," Kulp wrote in the additional Chapter 21 of his book. "God tells us to take care of orphans. He makes that mandate very clear in Scripture. So you choose to either adopt or you don't."

Kulp wrote that God led them overseas to adopt. First there is a long waiting list to adopt in the United States and adopting a child from another country gives another family the opportunity in this country. And second, there are services offered for orphans in the United States where in other countries being an orphan is a death sentence.

"We are big fans of both foreign and domestic adoptions because we believe all children should have a mom and a dad," wrote Kulp. "I believe God is big enough and powerful enough to take care of children both here and abroad and he calls different people to different ways of accomplishing His goals."

Kulp also points to the Bible where it instructs people to "take care of widows and orphans in their distress."

"God never says to make sure they are American orphans," wrote Kulp. "Both my children and my siblings have given me a clearer picture of God. Their patience, kindness, gentleness and love are a reflection of the heart of the Creator and have helped to draw me closer to Christ."

Humor has always been a large part of Kulp's life and he loves to make others laugh. He uses his God given talents for comedy and acting to inspire others. While Kulp never had any intention of becoming a pastor and is not ordained, he served for six years at a small church in his community. He preached his last sermon for the congregation this past Father's Day.

"I will never say never to God, but for now I believe God had me pastor for a specific time and a specific purpose and now that time is up," wrote Kulp.

Kulp shares his humor and his story around the country and has appeared twice on Good Morning America.

Kulp wrote, "I'm honored to be coming to your area and can't wait to bring some laughter and inspiration as I partner with Sparrow's Vine in their life saving work!"

The 10th anniversary banquet starts at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4 at Mission Bible Fellowship and will be catered by Moose River. The theme "Wonderfully Made" is based on Psalm 139:14, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Sparrow's Vine Founder Helen Gossard will be the honorary guest. For more information or to purchase tickets contact Wold at 406-677-1900 or email sparrowsvine@blackfoot.net