The Voiceless Part Three

Orphans.  This is where my heart truly lies the most.  I’m not exactly sure what stirred up the tug once more.  Perhaps looking back on my pictures from Ukraine.  Since I first learned about the plight of orphans, from Eric and Leslie' Ludy’s books, my heart has been broken for them!  Children have always had my heart.  I love children!  That’s all there is to it.  I wouldn’t have worked at a daycare off and on for four years and worked as a nanny for two if I didn’t.  I would not be working a bunch of crazy, loud, beautiful fourth grade girls in AWANA or spend a week at camp with seventy odd children if I didn’t love them.  And that love extends to a point of pain sometimes.  When I hear of children hurting it breaks my heart to pieces. 

When I found out the statistics on orphans I was crushed.  Approximately 148 million children do not have a mommy and a daddy.  These children are not comforted when they wake up with a bad dream (most of them live a bad dream every day).  They have no one to run to for protection from the school bully.  Most don’t even attend school.  Those that are in an orphanage are actually not much better off than those who aren’t (especially socially).

In Ukraine orphans are considered worthless.  No one wants to hire an orphan even if they did go to school  and even university.  It’s the stigma. And it’s not just Ukraine….around the world.

What are we as Christians doing about it? I like what Eric Ludy shared in one of his podcasts a few years ago.  His son, Hudson, was three at the time and his solution was- “if we bring all the orphans in to our family, they won’t be orphans any more.” From the mouths of babes as the saying goes.

So there are roughly 148 million orphans in the world today and about 3 billion people on earth claiming to be Christians.  If just 30% would take one child there would be no orphans. 

I may not be able to do much now is a single twenty-four year old lady living as a daughter at home, but I can be a voice.  I can advocate their rescue and adoption, and I can support those who are doing what they can. Are you doing what you can?

This is also one reason I am so excited about this mission journey through the World Race.  I cannot wait to love on the orphans!