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When I saw how hard, heart disea hit the family tree when I married my wife and her cat.

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Next On Q. Hundreds of children in Pennsylvania waiting to be adopted.

The longer they're in there, the less chances they feel that they may not have a family.

See how a local agency called Project Stars, working to place these children in permanent homes with a special matching event.

Also tonight, rising TV ministry star Joel Osteen in Pittsburgh.

The first thing that we saw when we came through that tunnel was so beautiful and so clean and and the people have been overboard just being nice.

And we'll celebrate spring with a visit to the spring flower show at Phipps, On Q. Starts right now.

And welcome to On Q. I'm Michael Bartley.

Most people hoping to adopt a child or looking for a baby to welcome into their home.

But there are many other children, no longer babies, but still desperately in need of parents right here in Pennsylvania.

There are waiting for families waiting to go home.

And for those older children who are never adopted, the future can be very uncertain.

One local agency, though, Project Star at the Children's Institute in Pittsburgh, organizes an annual event to try and match prospective parents and children.

It's an event that has focused on growing families through adoption.

Helping these children find their way home.

Just listen to these statistics about children.

Right now in the United States, a half a million children are in foster care.

More than 116,000 of those children are waiting to be adopted.

And in Pennsylvania alone, 900 children are waiting for families.

On these walls, the photographs of some of those children, their images have been hung, hopefully to catch the eye of parents looking to adopt.

These are some of the kids that will be here for the matching event.

They will not be here physically.

John Douglas is with Project Star, a foster care and adoption program at the Children's Institute of Pittsburgh.

John's job is to help waiting children find families.

So to speed up that process, John started an adoption awareness and matching event.

It consists of agencies like Project Star, as well as counties, children, youth and families, agencies attend.

And we, get these agencies all together in the room and we invite families, families who are waiting to adopt a child or families who have an interest about adoption in general when they come on the matching night, the match game night, they don't meet the child right there.

No.

They see portraits, pictures of the children they have information, general information on fliers.

But they get a chance to talk to the workers.

The workers are the children's voices.

These are the workers that work with these children day in and day out, and is going to be able to give you a very strong sense of where these children are coming from and what type of families they need.

I work in Cumberland County.

20 social service agencies from all over Pennsylvania are represented at the match event.

We're looking for, a daughter with tables set up and pamphlets and hand.

Representatives from social agencies show photos, share biographies and answer questions about any of their waiting children.

I want parents, please introduce yourself.

How many children that you have adopted and you can, and maybe why you decide to adopt an older youth.

The event also features a parent and teen panel.

They shared stories to an audience of waiting families on the joys and trials of adopting older kids.

I like the challenge and I like to talk to these kids and I've been where they are.

I've been in that place and let me tell you, it hurts.

Unfortunately.

These kids compete with younger kids and babies that are seem to be at the top of the list.

Isn't that right?

Yes.

The longer they're in there, the less chances they feel that they may not have a family.

The kids that don't end up having a family at the age of 18, they tend that they will age out of the system.

When I mean age out of the system, they're cut from all ties of the county or where they're getting their support from, and they're pretty much left by themselves.

And there's a lot of stuff out there.

That's what happens to these kids.

You know, and it's not good.

From becoming parents at a young age, being victimized, being incarcerated, being homeless.

It's not good.

So that's why I advocate for these children, especially the older ones, because they need it as much as the young kids do.

Am I tickling you?

Are you sure?

Are you sure?

I didn't know that.

Sometimes we utter.

Fantastic bits of it.

Overwhelms.

Karey McIntyre is a single mother who has fostered 179 children in the past 20 years.

Excuse me.

I'm doing it again.

Can you wait just a minute?

This is about your sister.

Come on.

This is exciting.

She has permanently adopted seven of those foster kids.

All boys.

Four of them are still at home.

Okay, put your stuff upstairs and then bring your file down.

Okay.

And Karey says she takes kids into her home for just one reason.

I was a foster child.

I was 18 months old.

I was placed in a foster home, and she died when I was three.

But because of her, I am the woman.

I am today.

Because she loved me when I wasn't lovable.

I'll tell you, I was hell on wheels.

I was in pain.

I was hurt and nobody knew how to fix it.

And now Karey fixed it for other children, offering a safe home.

Lots of love to help get them through their past physical and emotional pain.

They need someone strong enough that they can trust.

Most of these kids have parented their parents.

Their parents have been in drugs, been into alcohol, been into mental illness.

I mean, the saddest situations.

So I take the ones that nobody wants, and those are the ones that turn out to be fantastic, wonderful, wonderful people.

And I have been blessed.

I mean, my children are awesome.

And it's just it is so wonderful to be honored.

And now Karey is being honored again.

Another waiting child is joining her family.

In 2007.

Karey attended Project Stars Growing Families through adoption event and a match was found.

I need them to be wanting to be adopted.

I want them to understand that they have to get along with pets.

They have to get along with other children.

There's not a lot of money, but I'm the richest woman in the world.

And one found that I could think of.

Stuck to the end.

And, it was a single mother, and she actually, was there throughout the whole night.

And five minutes before the event, ended.

She ended up talking to one of the county workers there.

And, with that five minutes left, out of that 6 to 9 slot, there was a match made at 8:55 p.m.. Wow.

With five minutes left, five minutes left.

And was that a boy or girl?

It was a boy.

An older youth, two, 15 years old.

So what were some of the struggles that before became a warning?

Getting older children adopted is one of Project Star's primary reasons for holding this event.

Because once these young adults age out of the system, as they say, there's support is gone.

And once gone, 25% will experience homelessness.

Almost half will drop out of high school, and males more likely than females, will end up doing jail time.

When we look at the pictures of these kids who are here tonight for the matching event, what do you ultimately want for them?

Ultimately, I want them to have a perfect family, a family that will love them, what they deserve, be committed to them and ultimately never give up on them.

It's too early to give you any statistics to how many matches were made at this year's event.

It was held just in March.

But Project Star hopes to surpass last year's count of nine matches.

So for more information about Project Star and adopting an older child, anything you want to know about this story Log on to our website wqed.org/OnQ.

Now, one of the most recognizable faces in American religion today, with a viewing audience of hundreds of millions.

Joel Osteen is probably the most watched televangelist in the nation.

I got an opportunity to talk to Osteen about his mission and his ministry when he visited our area last month.

And let me tell you, nothing made his followers here in Pittsburgh happier than seeing Pastor Joel come to town.

You know, I'm surrounded everywhere.

I believe that not one of us are going to go home the same way that we came in.

He has one of the fastest growing television ministries in America today.

I was reading about a 15 year old boy.

I watched him on television, probably for about the last five years.

So I watch Joel every week.

I like his inspirational speeches.

We watch Joel on TV every Sunday, have for a couple of years, and we just thought it would be really nice to come and see him.

Each one of us is going to go out of here with the thousands of other people in western Pennsylvania and beyond.

Thought the same when they found out 45 year old Houston pastor Joel Osteen was coming to town.

We love his positive messages.

Very inspirational.

In many ways, he reminds me of myself.

I'm very much an optimist.

And so you may be here tonight.

He gives more on the emphasis on peace and hope, which is the most important thing for the world right now.

He's very uplifting.

And I went to a show last night, and I really loved it.

Father, we thank you for the opportunity to be with our friends in Pittsburgh tonight.

Osteen's rapid popularity might be considered somewhat of a phenomenon, considering he's only been ministering for the past nine years.

In that time, though, he's done a lot, first taking over the 6000 member Lakewood Church started by his late father, John.

Almost immediately, membership began to swell, and in 2005, the church moved to its current location.

The 16,000 seat Compaq Center in Houston.

Something extremely special.

Ephesians 210 says you are God's masterpiece.

Today, his weekly television program is seen in nearly 200 million American households and more than 100 nations worldwide.

Because you're not where you'd hope to be in life, pastor, you come to Pittsburgh, to the Mellon Arena.

Two nights in a row.

You're a phenomenon.

And why is that?

You know, I don't know if I know the exact answer.

I just think a lot of it is, is people are responding to a message of hope.

I believe there's a lot of negative things in the world today.

And, you know, we present a message that God is on your side.

So I just think that's resonated with people all over the world.

What I thought would be my darkest hour.

God, turn that around to thrust me into my finest hour.

You said generally you don't be around negative people.

Being positive and being happy is a choice.

But isn't that easier said than done?

It really is.

But I do think I like I like to get people thinking about, you know, who you are associating with.

Is it adding to your life?

And again, I'd like to clarify, because I know some people are married to people that they'd consider negative, or you work around people, you don't have a choice.

But I think that there's a lot of times that we are choosing people that are holding us back.

You have a desire to accomplish a dream, a desire to get well, a desire to break into my own life.

There's been times where I think, you know what?

It's time for me to move on.

I realized choosing to be happy and and, you know, I call it discipline yourself in your thought life.

It doesn't happen overnight.

But little by little, I do think that we can all get better.

It doesn't happen overnight because I'm thinking, well, we're saying that people suffer from depression and addiction and worry about the price of gas.

What do you tell those?

You know, I tell them that you got to quit focusing on your problems or what you don't have, and you got to believe in this and trust that God's in control of your life, our faith.

And it's that kind of advice that Osteen promotes not only in his weekly TV program, but in his CDs and videos, too.

There you go.

Not to mention his bestselling books.

Okay, ladies and gentlemen, if you have line letter H, please line up line letter H. Here at Joseph Beth Booksellers on the south side.

People waited patiently in line to get a glimpse, a photograph and an autograph of the Houston preacher.

Hi.

You saved my life.

You have no idea.

I see what you're doing.

Okay, now do I so much better.

There was a president being the best of the best.

But in this presidential election year, Austin makes it a point not to politicize his message or his ministry.

I've seen you introduce, President Clinton.

I think it was last week.

Yes.

You've introduced, Republicans.

That's got to play into the popularity of this ministry.

Am I wrong about that?

No, I think you're right on.

We've never been political in that sense, and I really believe that for me.

You know what?

I'm trying to reach a broad public.

And if I just stand for or if I just choose one candidate, it sort of, you know, makes me divisive.

It may be eliminate some of the people that I'm really trying to reach.

And so I love I mean, I'm honored to have presidents and congresspeople and world leaders come to our ministry.

And and we always honor them because I, you know, I admire them for wanting to serve, because that's not an easy thing.

It's.

Osteen travels much of the year, almost always with family members, all of whom appear at some point on stage, including his wife, Pastor Victoria Osteen.

You know, Joel and I've been married 21 years.

In April, it'll be 21 years.

And it has just seem like it's flown by.

If I've done anything Osteen's mother, Dodie.

I think forgiveness is a real key to healing.

His brother, Doctor Paul Osteen.

I'm a physician.

I was trained in general and vascular surgery and practice.

We just made up our mind we're going to do them all together.

So they come with us and they and his two children, Jonathan and Alexander.

One of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 413.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

And the whole family got an enthusiastic reception at the Mellon Arena.

Thank you Jonathan.

That's great.

Thank you guys.

Thank you.

We'll see you in a minute.

What do you think of Pittsburgh now?

Watch it I'm a native of Pittsburgh.

Oh, I love it when we drove in yesterday.

I've never been here.

My brother in law was from Pittsburgh, and, he talks about it so fondly.

And of course, we always watch the Pittsburgh Steelers growing up.

But when we came, the first thing that we saw, we came through that tunnel was, it's so beautiful, it's so clean.

And and the people, they just go over have been overboard.

Just being nice.

Are you surprised that the reception you got here in Pittsburgh?

You know, I'm pleasantly surprised.

I believe that we would, because I knew there were a lot of great people here.

And so I've just been very honored and, you know, feel like it's just family when you're around these people here.

I've had a great time so far.

So did his local fans, who crowded into the arena and stood in long lines at the bookstore to see Osteen in person and affirmed his positive message.

Even though some things in my life turned out unfair.

What is the future of your ministry?

What do we look forward to now?

I don't know, I guess if I had my hopes and my dreams is that we would continue to be able to touch more people.

We want to get the messages in different languages.

The broadcast.

My books are there, but I just we're always looking for new ways to reach people and to make God relevant in our society.

You know, we try to teach things that that help people, you know, in their everyday life.

How can I forgive or how can I be happy that the economy's bad?

How can I make ends meet?

So that's where we try to help people.

Where the rubber meets the rough.

We declare it in the name of Jesus and we receive it by faith.

Can you say Amen and amen?

Pastor Osteen does have his critics, some saying his message is shallow and he doesn't have any formal religious training.

Nonetheless, more than 22,000 people showed up at the Mellon Arena to hear him preach.

To show you how popular this man is.

When tickets went on sale back in December for last Friday's event actually was a couple of weeks ago.

It quickly sold out, so a second night was added.

Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston has perhaps the largest congregation in America, with 38,000 people attending services there each week.

As for his media outreach, Pastor Osteen started the television ministry when his father, John Osteen, was still alive.

But since his death, Joel Osteen has obviously taken the ministry to a whole new level.

To learn more about the Osteen's, log on to our website at wqed.org/OnQ.

Well, hopefully you've been enjoying this warmer weather this week, and there's no denying the signs of spring crocuses and daffodils popping up in gardens all over Pittsburgh and at one of Pittsburgh's most impressive gardens, an annual tradition that has been going on for decades, it's in full bloom once again.

The spring Flower Show at the Phipps On Q, contributor and Post-Gazette columnist Doug Oster introduces us to a woman behind the show.

It's a chance to see what it takes to create Garden Mania.

It's been a year since visitors to Phipps Conservatory and Botanic Gardens could enjoy one of their quarterly flower shows.

For the past nine months, the conservatory had been filled with the glass works of Dale Chihuly.

But the tradition of the Spring Flower Show is back.

The show was designed by Michele Frey McCann.

She's the exhibit manager and designer here at Phipps.

For Michele, the rooms of the conservatory are a blank canvas and the flowers are her muse.

Working on the designs and the displays coming up with a concept to run through with each of the each of the displays we do four seasonal change outs a year And once we come up with a concept, then it's really designing that, carrying it through to unify and exhibit throughout the conservatory.

This is our spring flower show.

So with that, what we're trying to do is a little bit of a garden, maybe a little bit of a fun theme.

We just came up with a Chihuly exhibit to really bring back the flowers and the color to fits.

When she puts one of these shows together, Michele begins with a theme and then completes detailed drawings of her ideas for each one of the rooms.

I do a lot of sketching for the shows and when I start conceptualizing, sketches just come, usually late at night.

It is a lot of fun you get into this creative process.

Normally I do it at home just because you have the the quietness and once you get on a roll, you can just continue with it.

She tries to incorporate subtle humor in her designs.

The Serpentine Room is transformed into an unconventional chessboard with a king pawn and knight.

But where is the queen?

Well, the way this is laid out, there's lots of different tulips, lots of cool seasons and annuals.

In here we have snapdragons.

Pansies.

But down here we'll be looking at tulip, a beauty queen.

And she is the queen.

It's amazing how many people come in and look at this and say, but where is the Queen?

Oh, I think, their it is.

right now.

That is beautiful shade of oh my gosh, right here.

Wow, that is beautiful.

That is the Queen.

So we have a beauty queen.

Yeah, definitely.

That's so nice.

Wow.

The room looks great.

Great.

Thanks.

The conservatory is packed with over 78,000 different bulbs and hundreds of other blooming plants.

Michelle started working on the designs for the show a year ago, and hopes visitors enjoy the flowers, but also believes they can take some ideas home to be used in their own gardens.

When I look at the plants, it's not specifically just an individual plant, it's what can it do in a room.

So I'm really looking at the design aspect.

It's a color combination.

I mean, we've got some great tulips in the south and the color combination in there is purple, orange and pink.

And I've heard so many people say I would never put those colors together.

You know, something like that can be very dynamic.

Michelle continues to explain how basic design principles can help regular gardeners in the South Conservatory.

She demonstrates planting techniques that can be used in the landscape at home.

Also, you can see how things are clustered in here.

Trying to make more of a statement with a mass planting versus lining something out and incorporating a spring display.

So maybe you do have the bulbs in with some early blooming shrubbery like a forsythia.

Could also be putting it in with some pansies, you know, which are a cool season crop that would take some of this cooler temperature that we have outside.

The spring show means different things to each visitor.

For some, it's a chance to enjoy the fragrance of hyacinths again.

For others, the spring flowers bring a feeling of hope.

Mary Corbett of East Liverpool, Ohio, and a friend were visiting Phipps for the first time.

They were looking for a place that could help them deal with the death of a loved one.

Her mom was like my mom and I thought, you know, and it's you think of springtime and flowers and eternity and it all kind of ties together.

And I thought it will lift our spirits to be here, but it has.

I think of her mom being in heaven and having a whole new life and being whole.

And so that just sort of it's peaceful feeling.

What do you want people to get out of their, tour through the spring show?

Just a happy feeling somewhere to come in, and you can just kind of let go and just enjoy something that's really beautiful.

The spring show continues through this Monday, and Michelle says this is the perfect weekend to see the show, as many of the plants are reaching their peak blooms.

For more information, log on to our website wqed.org/OnQ.

And that's going to do it for us tonight.

Tomorrow night join us for a 7:3 for an On Q special edition.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu's visit to Pittsburgh.

Hear about his vision and peace and tolerance in Pittsburgh and around the world.

Tomorrow night at 7:30.

In the meantime, for all of us here at On Q. I'm Michael Bartley.

Thanks for watching.

Good night.