It was the faith of Leslie and David Bullington that inspired the couple to adopt a son and revive a ministry.

They're members of Warren Baptist Church, where Reaching Hands Adoption Ministry was founded to provide education and financial aid to adoptive parents.

The program was started three years ago, but became dormant in less than a year, completing just one seminar before its founder moved.

The Bullingtons took over last fall as they finalized an adoption for an Ethiopian boy, now 5 months old.

The couple organized a fundraiser in November that brought in more than $20,000, which will be distributed in grants to offset the cost of adoptions. Three families already have received grants.

Information on the grants will be presented Saturday in a free seminar at the church. Grants of up to several thousand dollars are available to any local Christian family. Adoption agencies and parents who have adopted will also be present.

"We want to make the process seem like less of an overwhelming thing," Mr. Bullington said. "It's easy to get overwhelmed, but if you know 10 people who have done it, it's not nearly as intimidating anymore."

The Bullingtons' son will be named Davis, although he'll keep his Ethiopian middle name, Berhanu, meaning "light." He'll join the couple and their daughter, Faith, 3, this summer.

"God uses adoption as a picture for what he's done through Christ. It's important for all Christians to think about, because this is so close to the heart of God," Mrs. Bullington said.

For two years, the couple prayed with friends at church and built a support group that could understand the gifts and challenges of adoption. The ministry, they said, will provide that structure and support for those who are considering adoption.

"Eventually," Mr. Bullington said, "we want to reach out to those kids so they know someone growing up who was adopted too."

Reaching Hands is again fulfilling a need locally and abroad, said the Rev. Roger Henderson, missions and mobilization pastor.

"It's pretty simple. God says to care for the widows and the orphans," he said. "They've taken that idea and run with it."