Widows and Orphans, Part 2

“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

Yesterday we talked about the ‘widows’ that James mentions, so today we’ll discuss the ‘orphans’ a bit, especially the practical side of how we can get involved. Tomorrow we’ll discuss those outside of orphans and widows who would also be among the most helpless people.

Our country is not normal. We don’t see very many orphans roaming the streets. We don’t see very many orphanages. Most kids who are orphaned (do we even use that word anymore?) land in the whirlwind of foster care, which certainly is not ideal, but it often beats the alternative of an orphanage. We definitely need healthy families to step up and adopt those kids. This Sunday, we had a very powerful testimony about adoption, and I pray that we would have several families who feel led to look into adoption. At the same time, I want to present to you some different thoughts about how we can make a difference in the lives of those who are ‘orphans’ or ‘practical orphans’—whose parents may not want them or may be addicts or some other horrible situation.

1. Help out local pregnancy resource centers (crisis pregnancy centers). At Jeff Street, we support our local pregnancy resource center financially, and also have somewhat regular ‘provision offerings’ for them where we provide diapers, formula, etc. for needy moms and babies. We don’t want to simply stand against abortion, but also to stand for the sanctity of every life—before and after their birth, and for the life of the mother as well. Pregnancy resource centers are constantly in need of volunteers, resources, and especially prayer. Get on their mailing or email lists and invest some time serving and praying.

2. Ask “Who is my neighbor?” It is a good idea to always read Scripture with the understanding that with every passage we should end our study by asking, “How should this change how I love God and my neighbor?” Chances are you know some needy or neglected kids who just need some love. Many of you probably have nieces and nephews whose parents are neglecting their children in some ways. They aren’t technically orphans, but they are children in need of love. Take them to McDonald’s or coach their little league teams. You can make a difference there.

3. Third World Orphans- In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, there are approximately 15 million AIDS orphans (at least one parent has died of AIDS). That’s more than the state of Illinois. There are several trustworthy organizations, such as Compassion International that allows you to sponsor a child, which includes feeding a child, helping with their education, and helping to teach them about Christ. When Kristen (my wife) was growing up, her family sponsored a child. They had a picture of her, and would pray for the child daily, send her occasional gifts, and pay the small monthly cost of sponsorship (often around $1 a day). This is a great way to get your kids involved and to grow their hearts for the least of these. I know it shaped her greatly, and we intend to do something similar with our own kids.

4. Get Creative. I’d love to hear some of your ideas for how you help orphans and other children in need. Please feel free to share your stories of how you have been able to serve these children with us.