The young adult team at Maria’s Big House of Hope is experiencing a time of growth as they care for orphans.
By: Ashley Longardner
We arrived at Maria’s Big House of Hope earlier this week, and being here has completely overwhelmed me. Every thought I previously had about orphans and orphan care has been challenged. I have found that I am completely guilty of having no place in my life for these beautiful children.
In the church, we often hear, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress…” (James 1:27) One of the things I couldn’t stop thinking of once I got here was, why is there no real concerted effort inside the church to care for the fatherless? And what am I doing to tangibly care for those without forever families? “But don’t just listen to God’s Word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the Word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what your heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” (James 1:22-25)
Orphan care is easily forgotten because we are so easily distracted from the needs of this group of 140 million individual children. But the God of all creation describes Himself as “Father to the fatherless, defender of widows.” (Psalm 68:5)
David, Oliver and Asher
There are so many children waiting for forever families. Do you have room at your table? Do you have the finances to start a fund inside your church to help sponsor families that have been called to adopt? Do you support an orphan care ministry like Show Hope? Don’t wait for someone else to take the first step…take a step in faith toward what God is calling YOU to do.
