Shining the Light of Christ into the Heart of Orphans!

I recently read a very moving post by Matthew Nasekos at Story Grace.
I have reposted it here on my blog, because it illustrates what I hoped will be accomplished through the non-profit organization that I am working on. Matthew and his daughter are currently in Ukraine ministering to children in orphanages with another father-daughter team. The daughters, for those of you who don't know, were both adopted from one of the orphanages they visited. You can read their blogs here and here
Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Deep Desire to be Loved and Adopted

The following is from a letter written by someone who visits orphans every day:
"Little boys shoveling snow in the freezing cold with no gloves... screaming teachers... older boys bullying younger ones... kids running wild around the orphanage... or lonely kids wandering the hallways alone... during the last few weeks I have seen all these things and more in the orphanage.

The reality of life in many orphanages is shocking.
It is not a pleasant reality to talk about.
For those of us looking in, it is much easier to pretend that it doesn’t exist.
For the children trapped in the middle, it is easier to think “I am okay, I can make it”.
But no matter how we all look at it, the harsh reality remains the same and it won’t go away until someone steps in to help. That someone is ultimately God because He is the one who loves the children most of all, and I also believe that God wants to use us to help these kids know and understand His love.
In many ways I feel helpless to do anything that will really make a difference for these kids.
I feel that all I have left now is my voice, my words to express to you what I have seen and heard in the orphanages, to speak out for these children, and to communicate their deep desire to be loved and adopted into a family.

In these last few months the urgency of their needs seem to fill my heart even more, I have been quick to share with you about the desperate situation these kids are in.
But as I long to share with you and show you the reality of life here, I have been reminded of an important lesson. . . .the lesson of what must come first, and that is crying out to God for these children. He is the one who can save them. He alone is the one who can work in hearts and lead His people to action on their behalf.
And so, today, I want to thank you for joining me in lifting these precious orphans up to the Father and ask you to continue. He wants them to be loved and protected, safe and cared for.
“The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow.” Psalm 146:9a
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families,” Psalm 68:5-6a
And he calls us to be involved: “Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” Isaiah 1:17
“Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Psalm 82:3"
If you are interested in receiving a prayer calendar for the orphans, contact me.