The ministry that our family is a part of {www.wiphan.org} ministers to 450 orphans and 100+ widows in Ndola, Zambia. These orphans will not be adopted–or at least not how we think of adoption. The closest thing they will ever know to having a family might even be their sponsored family back on this side of the world. These are the children that need us to remember them…every single day…
Some of them won’t ever even know what it’s like to be sponsored by a family. The friends they meet in the compounds who are also orphans will become their family–and they will fend for themselves together…as a little pack trying to make it through each day to find food, shelter and survival.
It’s so easy…to get consumed with the dailies…and actually forget. Days, weeks and even months can go by…yet–across the world…millions of these precious children wake up every morning…many skip meals not by their own choice…just as sweet–just as precious–just as innocent as the children that wake up safely in our homes each morning. In God’s eyes–the children in our home and these children should be cared for and provided for no differently…
They have the same needs.
They have the same wants.
And I am called to care for them–but so often…I forget.
I know as believers we are called to go. To go love them. To give. To do whatever we can to care for these who do not have parents to look after them. The majority of orphans will never be adopted–and while adoption IS transforming orphans to sons and daughters–once orphans are adopted–they are NO LONGER orphans (praise Jesus!) Regardless of how we grow our families–regardless if we have miraculously been a part of transforming a child’s status from orphan to son or daughter–we are still called to continuously care for orphans.
This is TRUE religion.
I, on the other hand, feel like I’ve been all over the place. But the Lord never wants us to live in guilt. Instead–I confess my distraction–and commit to follow Him.
I feel like in the last year, I’ve been sending Rico Suave out to love orphans while I’ve been holding down our fort. I know some would tell me that I’m being a “sender” because I’m sending my husband–but my heart feels like I’m also supposed to be the hands and feet in some way. I can get so distracted caring for my children…that in all honestly–I just forget. I forget how we were created to care–and how it’s just how we are supposed to LIVE. How I have to SLOW DOWN and really SEEK HIM in order to do it right and well.
Something happens inside of us when we are a part of this TRUE religion. Something changes in the way we do life…the things we worry about change…how we spend our time and who we spend it with changes…we are conformed–we are changed. I need to remember these most precious ones for not only their sake–but for the sake of my personal well-being and good as well. We really need them as much as they need us. Wait…maybe we need them more. Because when you visit them–you see their JOY is pure–is full and so real…because so many of them are seeking Him and trusting Him for daily bread. I really think one of the reasons He calls us to love orphans is because He also loves us so much.
How He loves us to teach us how to live! Caring for others–and changing our lives for the sake of others…
Loving her will change you…
Caring for him will change you…
Visiting them and showing these children how much they are loved…will also change you…
We have 450 kids in our program—and we would love to have all 450 of them sponsored. BUT we have just a little over 100 sponsored–and we won’t interview more until we have those already interviewed and waiting sponsored. One way to care for these orphans in their distress is to consider sponsoring one for just $39 a month and sending letters/pictures/stickers/etc your child’s way when we have a travel group going over. You can EVEN go over on a trip one day and MEET your child…hug them and love on them (a sweet experience you will never forget). We partner with BrightPoint to help us find sponsors and work with monthly donations so we can focus on the ministry aspect of Wiphan. You can see the kids still needing to be sponsored BY CLICKING HERE.
If you would like to get involved with what Wiphan is doing in Zambia–please visit the website here: www.wiphan.org
There are so many other amazing organizations too that minister to orphans all over the world…even organizations that ministers to orphans right here. We just happened to get involved with Ndola because we heard about the need at a time in our lives when we were not actively involved in orphan care–and we jumped on board…and how we have fallen in love with these people! Rico Suave has been more involved than I have been in the last couple of years as this mom has taken on homeschool and chasing toddlers…but now that my youngest is 3–I feel like I’m coming up for air, and my heart wants to get to a place that I remember MORE and actively care for orphans and widows in their distress–whether I live here or there.
If you are a part of an orphan organization in some way–could you please list the link to the website in the comments section of this blog entry to give anyone who might read today’s entry more ideas of ways to love orphans in their distress?? If you are creatively serving in your home town–would you take a moment to share ideas to give moms like me new ideas and inspiration in things we might can do right where we are to love orphans and widows?
I so needed to write this FOR ME tonight. Excited for what is ahead…
by admin
Thank you for this beautiful reminder. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Can I ask … why will these children not be adopted? (I ask because my hubby and I are still trying to land on a country so we can move forward with an adoption.) Again, thank you.
Beautiful post. Thanks, Andrea. We are actively involved in Lifesong’s work in Ethiopia. Here is the link to our website, where you can read more and sponsor a child: http://www.adamituluproject.com/
One of my sweet friends started a non-profit sponsorship program to benefit two orphanages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after realizing the need during their own adoption process. As you said, many of these children will never be adopted, but their basic needs of things like food, education, and medical care are things we can so sacrifice small things for and change their lives. If God is speaking to anyone about the DRC, this is a great organization to help orphans there. They still have many who need to he sponsored and due to the war in DRC, there are new orphans being brought to the orphanages every day. You can learn more about Mercy’s Mission at http://www.mercysmission.org.
precious reminder of our precious Savior’s heart for His children! Living 1:27 is a ministry to the children and families involved in GA’s foster care system. There are 7500 kids just in Georgia’s system! Great first steps for those with a heart are prayer team, group home visits (boys & girls), respite care (watching kids for foster families for a night or wkend). Visit http://www.living127.com for more information.
Great post–and I actually chuckled when you mentioned coming up for air now your child is 3, because mine is about to turn 2 and I’m nowhere near air! 🙂 I identify with that because I’m looking forward to being “me” again, without trying to rush through these years. We’ve been called to focus in our hometown and state. So while technically most of these kids are not “orphans” in our typical understanding of the word, they often are in other senses of the word and often spirtually just as in need. We are excited to be a part of a state-wide church vision toward making every single foster child placed in a Christ-centered home, along with support in those families’ personal churches, so that not a single one remains in a group home or the hallways and offices of social workers. It is the job of the church body to provide for the widows and orphans in their distress–not the state. Check out my state’s website at http://nochildwaiting.org/. Find out if the churches in your states are doing the same thing–I know my state isn’t the only one. Our numbers are epidemic: pushing 13,000 in foster care this month. There’s so many ways to meet God’s commands in this area–perhaps this is also someone else’s calling too, so I wanted to share. I believe in the importance of ALL the different methods–overseas, local, emergency, long-term, short-term, etc–because just as God created us all differently, He created different ways to serve Him and glorify Him. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing your heart for Africa–it has been wonderfully challenging and spiritually humbling for me! Sorry to ramble so!
Amanda,
Just wanted to reply to your question! There are OVER 2 million orphans in Zambia alone (19% of children under 18 are orphans!)–yet last year only 16 (yes–just SIXTEEN) were adopted out of the country. Orphanages in Zambia do not currently work with adoption agencies–so these 16 families who have adopted from there went there on their own, adopted independently and endured the unknown–as Zambia says you can adopt from them but there is a 3 month foster period where they require parents to live in country with their child. Although both parents are not required to live there for a 3 month period–it can be hard for any family to do this…and the 3 month period isn’t a promise by the government to be in and out…it could be much longer (and on the other hand it could be shorter). With over 2 million orphans–there are also not orphanages in Zambia to house them–so the majority of these kids live on the street. Unless organizations like Wiphan, Lifesong and others like them come along to educate, love and provide shelter for them–they are really on their own. This is the story of many countries in Africa–most will never know a family…and the majority will never even be blessed enough to have space in an orphanage to protect them either…
Hey! Love this post and love your heart….it echoes a lot of what I’ve been feeling and thinking. It’s hard to know what to do when you are in the trenches of motherhood, raising little ones.
I just wanted to share that my husband and I stepped out in faith to start an orphan sponsorship program for street kids in Kinshasa, Congo. We have teamed up with missionaries there who provide for the children’s shelter, food, clothing, care, etc and we have made a way possible for people here in the states to provide for these children to help meet their basic needs. We offer options to sponsor them on a monthly basis or to sponsor them to help pay for their education on a yearly basis. If anyone is interested in more info you can check it out at http://mercysreach.blogspot.com/ The ministry is called Mercy’s Reach.
Thanks for letting me share. We are passionate about providing for these kids!
hey! thanks for sharing. i work with orphans in Kenya and it sounds like we have similar adoption rules as Zambia… so few children are internationally adopted here. The Americans I know who have tried have been involved in the process for 2-3 years and are still living in Kenya, waiting. I work for Project 82 Kenya and we just opened a baby rescue center and pray pray pray for God to raise up Kenyans to care for their country’s orphans in their homes. The church is strong here, but there are still full-to-the-brim children’s homes all over the place… approx. 3 million orphans. our ministry keeps older orphans as well, but we try our best to keep the homes small and as family-like as possible. still, finding caregivers to commit their lives to orphans is a hard task. changing moms every year is heart-breaking for the kids. i wish so much for these kids to have families… believing that God wants the same and will provide it! thanks for loving orphans 🙂
http://www.project82kenya.com