It's a GLOBAL Orphan Crisis

I've been trying to write this post for a couple weeks now. Each time I sit down, I fail to find adequate words to express my feelings. As a parent who has adopted internationally and fostered here in the US, I have seen with my own eyes a small piece of reality. There is an overwhelming number of children who are living in deplorable conditions, are unsure when they will see their next meal, and might not remember when the last one was either. They don't receive adequate medical care, or have clean water to drink. There isn't running water to bathe in, cook with, or brush their teeth. The clothes on their backs are all they have.

This problem does not only exist elsewhere, it is happening in our own backyards. It is a GLOBAL crisis. As Americans we hail ourselves a great nation, the land of opportunity, but we have forgotten about compassion and community. We turn a blind eye to the squalor and poverty that exists HERE. You see I have seen first hand families scrambling to keep a roof over their heads, living in conditions you and I couldn't dream of. I've seen these families ripped apart when their efforts fail. There are families living in tents, under bridges, shelters, and cars. We all know it exists, but WHY, why aren't we doing more?

The Bible says, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:18 and that "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

So what are we doing to look after the orphans? What can you do to help, you ask. Well, the answer is simple - DO SOMETHING! We aren't all called to adopt or foster. The mission field for each of us is as different as we are. I can't answer what doing means for you, but to me the answer is clear, do something!