We just can't help it. Sorry. :)
We talked today about different aspects of orphan care. You know by now my heart is burdened for orphans. I love adoption and I fully believe that adoption is Biblically based. After all, God adopted us! But friends, adoption isn't the only answer. Adoption in and of itself won't solve the orphan crisis. Adoption provides a child who's lost his family with a new family. God designed the family structure and I believe He desires for every child to be a part of a family. When that family is missing, it's time to step up and adopt or foster.
According to the Christian Alliance for Orphans, there are 153 million orphans in the world today. But listen! Only 17.8 million of those children are what we call "double orphans" (children who have lost both parents). (These numbers do not include children living in institutions and living on the streets.) This means that 135.2 million children in the world still have a living biological parent.
Friends. I think we are failing a vast majority of those children. We are missing a vital part of orphan care: SAVING FIRST FAMILIES. Preventing that child from hitting "orphan status" to begin with. We should be helping these children before there is a need for adoption.
First families come first. At least, in my mind they should. Whenever possible, we should be doing what we can to KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER. What if, instead of adopting little Annie who has a Mommy who loves her, but cannot find the funds to care for her, we provide those funds? We are still carrying out God's command to care for orphans and widows. And we are allowing that child to remain with her first family. To remain in her culture. To live life with the family God first picked for her.
Obviously this doesn't pan out for every child. Some parents don't want their children. Some parents are physically or mentally incapable of caring for their children. Some parents can't care for their child with major medical needs. That's where adoption and fostering come in. But until that point, we need to be caring for the FAMILY.
How do we do that? I think one of the biggest ways we can help these kids is through child sponsorship. Check out Compassion International for starters! Locally, meet a need when you see one. Encourage the single dad who just needs a kind word. Pay the electric bill for the mom who's working overtime trying to make ends meet. Surround the single parents in your community and provide the encouragement and resources they need to keep their families together.
First families come first. Let's help those first families remain intact.
(Maia lived the first 8 years of her life without a family.)
According to the Christian Alliance for Orphans, there are 153 million orphans in the world today. But listen! Only 17.8 million of those children are what we call "double orphans" (children who have lost both parents). (These numbers do not include children living in institutions and living on the streets.) This means that 135.2 million children in the world still have a living biological parent.
Friends. I think we are failing a vast majority of those children. We are missing a vital part of orphan care: SAVING FIRST FAMILIES. Preventing that child from hitting "orphan status" to begin with. We should be helping these children before there is a need for adoption.
First families come first. At least, in my mind they should. Whenever possible, we should be doing what we can to KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER. What if, instead of adopting little Annie who has a Mommy who loves her, but cannot find the funds to care for her, we provide those funds? We are still carrying out God's command to care for orphans and widows. And we are allowing that child to remain with her first family. To remain in her culture. To live life with the family God first picked for her.
Obviously this doesn't pan out for every child. Some parents don't want their children. Some parents are physically or mentally incapable of caring for their children. Some parents can't care for their child with major medical needs. That's where adoption and fostering come in. But until that point, we need to be caring for the FAMILY.
How do we do that? I think one of the biggest ways we can help these kids is through child sponsorship. Check out Compassion International for starters! Locally, meet a need when you see one. Encourage the single dad who just needs a kind word. Pay the electric bill for the mom who's working overtime trying to make ends meet. Surround the single parents in your community and provide the encouragement and resources they need to keep their families together.
First families come first. Let's help those first families remain intact.
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