The Orphan, the Widow & Me

by J.T. Olson

After being orphaned as a child alongside his four siblings, JT Olson went on to start a faith-based non-profit serving orphans and widows. Olson's childhood tragedy gave him an overwhelming understanding of the need to find loving homes for the world's orphaned and vulnerable children. Both Hands follows his powerful journey towards spiritual restoration by recounting significant moments in his life, including his family's life-altering decision to adopt a little girl from China. Read his compelling transformation of pain into passion, the joy found through adoption and the value of every life.

182 pages, Hardcover

Published February 7, 2017

Reviews

[Shanereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Orphan is a wonderful book, and beautifully written.

This book/ memoir had me and tears and I can not wait to support the nonprofit, Both Hands, that has come from it!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Reminder of How God Uses His Faithful Followers
For almost six years I've been telling every adoptive family I know to consider doing a Both Hands project. Now the man behind the organization tells the tragic yet beautiful story of how God used his hardships, perseverance and faith to weave a beautiful new story. This book is a powerful reminder of the impact one person can make when they have enough faith to face their fears, listen to God's call and use their talents and experiences to change the world.

[Nell Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. The author was honest, thorough, but not boring. A story that turned out to be a real testimony for a lost soul that found his true path in life.

[Linda L Isler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! JT's heart pours out from every word, his gift of storytelling made me laugh out loud at times. He tells the story of how he and his four siblings were orphaned when they were young and wondered, "Who will take care of us now?" He describes the difficulty of having his life changed overnight, leaving behind his Iowa farm to live in a Milwaukee suburb. I love how he paints stories from his life, how he took a tragic circumstance in his life and let it inspire him to make a difference in the lives of so many others. You can almost hear his slight southern twang bouncing off the pages. Later, after building a successful career in business, he makes the difficult choice to leave the corporate world to start a ministry to help both widows and orphans. His act of simple obedience has reverberated into profound gains as hundreds of widows have been served and over 700 orphans brought home to their families. Inside this book is one man's inspiring story, his family's willingness to sacrifice to adopt a little girl and adapt as they start a nonprofit, the strength of his supporting wife, and touching stories of widows and adopting families. Don't miss this inspiring book!