Orphan Sunday from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.
Sunday, November 8 is Orphan Sunday. I will be showing the attached video to our church congregation and sharing how God has led us to adopt.
Please pray for me this week. I speak fairly often in church and it rarely stresses me out. This time I am a little nervous. I typically share announcements or children's sermons,which are not very personal and are very concrete. This time it will be much more personal and less concrete!
I think it will be easier to share my testimony in a year or so when I can hold Joshua and have proof that my "feelings" are correct. Unfortunately, that is not how I feel God directing me. The more I learn the more I convinced I am that the issue of orphans in our world is not one that we can ignore. God has opened my eyes and heart and expects me to open my mouth!
I realize that not everyone can or should adopt, but here are some suggestions of things that you can do. They are taken from http://www.hopefororphans.org/
- Pray for them - Visit http://www.adoptuskids.org/ or http://www.rainbowkids.com/ print off the picture of a waiting child and pray specifically for him.
- Speak up for them - Share what you know about the needs of children in the foster care/orphan care system.
- Provide for their needs - Give sacrificially to a reputable orphanage. You can find one at http://www.helporphans.org/ or organize a drive at your church/work to collect school supplies, Christmas gifts, shoes, whatever for kids in foster care. Check out http://www.gainusa.com/
- Support those who support them - Mow, babysit, or organize meals for a week for foster parents. Encourage a family adopting an older child by hosting a shower for them.
- Protect them from harm - Become a foster parent or emergency foster parent or a court appointed special advocate.
- Visit them where they are - Go on a mission trip to an orphanage or take dinner to a group home regularly.
- Give sacrificially to them - Contribute generously to an addoptive family to help offset their costs. Visit http://www.shaohannashope.org/ or http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/ or help my friends at http://www.leapoflove.blogspot.com/
- Encourage them to press on - Sponsor a child, support them financially, encourage them through your letters. Check out http://www.visiontrust.org/ or http://www.fh.org/ or become a mentor or tutor to a teenager in a foster care group-home.
- Adopt them into your family - give a child a home through international, domestic, embryo, or foster care adoption. Adopt a young adult who does not have close family, become their family and make sure they have a place to go for holidays and advice.
- Mobilize your church for them - Be a catalyst in your church for starting or sustaining orphan ministry. Visit http://www.hopefororphans.org/
I think that list has something that is possible for everyone. I also realize that not all of us are being called to serve children, but you are being called to serve somewhere. Will you choose to make a difference?
On a MUCH lighter note - I have to confess that I am so proud of myself for finally figuring out how to post a video. Took me a while!
