Orphan Sunday 2011

The month of October was Down Syndrome Awareness month. This month, November, is Adoption Awareness month. It's also Orphan awareness month, which of course goes hand in hand with Adoption Awareness month. And today - is Orphan Sunday. Churches world wide are joining in to spread the word about the millions of fatherless children. After watching Courageous, you realize how important it is for children to have a father. But not only these precious children not have a father to protect them and be an example for them, they don't have a mother to kiss their owies, tuck them in at night, and cook their meals so they aren't hungry.

It hard to even comprehend the need. I mean 147 MILLION orphans??? You may wonder why I even bother advocating for them or why you should. I obviously can't save them all right? No I can't but if I can save ONE, it makes all the difference.

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, "Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can't save all these starfish. You can't begin to make a difference!"

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied,

"Well, I made a difference to that one!"

The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.

Even if I don't save them, I can love on them and tell them they are loved, they are beautiful, they are valuable. And so can you! Even if I can't bring a child home the family they deserve through adoption, I can encourage others who able to do so. And I can piece the heart of an orphan back together....

(PLEASE DO NOT SKIP THIS VIDEO! It is worth every single second of the 4 minutes. My mom and I were moved to tears after watching it...)

So I ask you today... what will you do to piece together the heart of an orphan?

You may be saying that you can't travel to the other side of the world to go minister in orphanages. Well, maybe not, but there are orphans in America. Foster children. You can foster a child, or go to a shelter and spend a day showing people by your actions how much they are loved. And that they are valued and beautiful. Another way you can start to repair their heart is by supporting someone else so they can piece it together. For example - donating to someones adoption. There is a whole list of Faithful Friday posts on the side of my blog, and only one of two of them have their children home where they belong. There are also many more families which I'm sure you know of that need financial support. Not only do I encourage to put another piece back together int eh heart of an orphan by donating to the family trying to get them home, you can donate to a waiting child. Because their grant will go to help their future family bring them home, and the more money in a grant, the more money in their grant the more financial incentive there is to adopt them.

Another thing you can do to help is come along side of adopting families. Whether it is commenting (encouraging comments are most welcome!) on every single one of their blog posts, to bringing them meals after they are home. It all helps!

The final thing you can do is pray. Even if you can't give, even if you can't bring a child home or love on them, prayer is just as important. A group of people has committed to praying every single day at 1:47 pm for the 147 million orphans around the world. I can't seem to find the link right now, but won't you join us??

If you want, sure, go ahead and skim thru this post, or don't even read it at all (of course, you would have to be reading it to see my permission not to read it... :p) of this post. But let me tell you, if you don't act read thru my posts, let your heart be broken by the video above, and do nothing to help, there are consequences. Like this sweet little face...

I found out today that sweet little Kevin is now resting in his Heavenly Father's Arms. He is with Jesus, playing at his Savior's feet. And while yes, that is the best place to be... he never felt love on this earth. Never knew what it meant to have a mommy or daddy to love him and cuddle him and watch him grow up. Why? Because no one stepped up to bring him home and love him. His heart never got pieced back together. Breaks.my.heart! You will be missed sweet boy! Rest in peace!

At the same time, there ARE people who follow God's calling and we can see the fruits of that on this page. The families who are HOME for good with their precious little ones! Have you helped any of the little ones on that page come home? Are you going to support their families not that they are home?

So I ask you tonight, a simple question - 

What will you do to piece together the Heart of the Orphan?


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