We live a sin-filled, fallen world. One with many needs. In my mind (and in my opinion), one of the greatest needs in the world is for all children to have both a mommy and a daddy who love them. But, this brings me back to what I first said, we live in a sin-filled fallen world, so unfortunately this isn't always possible.
So, what are we as Christ-followers supposed to do? What does God command us to do? Proverbs 31: 8&9 says "Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy." Job says "Because I delivered the poor who cried out, The fatherless and the one who had no helper...I was a father to the poor, And I searched out the case that I did not know. (Job 29:12, 16) These two verses tell us that it's important to care for the poor and needy. This may mean serving at a soup kitchen or maybe buying groceries for a family in your community who is struggling. Maybe it's buying some food and dropping it off at a homeless shelter. Maybe it's serving at an organization like Big Brothers Big Sisters. But it may mean something even more than that.
In James it says "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27). A passage in Psalms puts it this way "Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy." (Psalms 82:3) Isaiah reiterates this when he says "Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow." (Isaiah 1:17) These verses take the previous verses to the next level. We should not only care for the poor and needy, but we need to defend and seek justice for the fatherless. I think this is where "orphan care" comes in.
I think many people get confused about orphan care. They hear "orphan care" and immediately think "I can't adopt a child, because..." (fill in the blank with whatever excuse you like) when these verses don't necessarily say "adopt". Orphan care is the umbrella and it can encompass many ways to care for the orphan. Some families may be called to adopt, but everyone can care for orphans in some capacity.
Yes, it's great to try and keep an orphan, a child, in their culture and with someone of their ethnicity. And a ministry serving a single mom to ensure her family can stay together is great and I think it's something Jesus would have been engaged in. But there are lots of these ministries and yet there's still millions of orphans, so this is probably not the only solution.
Calling on extended, long-lost family members to care for a child to ensure this orphan is with family isn't necessarily the only answer either. (And bribing them to keep the child so he isn't adopted and taken to a different country, certainly isn't okay either!) As an adoptive mom, I know that you don't have to be "blood" to care for and love a child. So why do many countries almost force other family members to take on another child? These family members may not want the child, may consider her a burden and may never love her like an adoptive family would (who would go to the ends of the earth to bring her home), and yet many organizations want to push this agenda. Again, it's great to find family for the child to live with, but you don't have to share DNA to make a great parent, so I don't think this is the only answer either. (And, at least in the US, many children are abused, kidnapped or killed by "family".)
We can help set up foster or group homes for several orphans (around 5-6) to live with one set of parents in the same house instead of an orphanage, which is better and is more like a family and this will allow them to stay in their country, around people they may know, but several countries already have this structure in place as well (with other countries following suit). I would rather see this, than trying to search out a possible family member. The reason is, these "house parents" receive training and want to care for these orphans, where a long-lost family member may just feel obligated to care for the child and never really accept him.
Another option is child sponsorship. This allows you to select a child from an organization and send a specified amount of money every month to him or her (the money would actually go to another organization in their country and it would be earmarked for him or her and any time the family has a need, they go see the organization for money). Most child sponsorship programs require a $20-40/month commitment. This allows families to stay together and have their necessities paid for. You get a picture and info about the child up front and have the ability to write letters to your child. Again, another great option, and one that I wish more people would consider (and it doesn't matter what age you are - young children willing to make and sell some items or give up their allowance have sponsored a child or an older, retired couple can as well).
So, where does that leave us? We can care for the widow/single mom to ensure her children don't become orphaned, we can see if other family members can be found who are willing to care for the child, set up homes where small groups of children can live and act as a family and even sponsor one or more children, but what else? Even with all of those in place, there is still an estimated 10 million orphans (this estimate encompasses the definition of a "true" orphan - a child without a mom or dad alive to care for them; the number you see most often - "over 160 million" encompasses children without one or both parents who may or may not be able to care for the child).
I think the only other option is international adoption. Families willing to step up to the God-given mandate and bring a child into their home and love and nurture this child for the rest of his or her life. This is an option that can't be ignored. It can't be overlooked. Yes, it's hard and oftentimes messy. It's painful and sometimes it's just no fun. But Christ's sacrifice on the cross was the same and yet He did it because He loves us. He would have loved it if God, His Father, had said, "You know what, it's just not worth it. These people are selfish and they won't appreciate this sacrifice, so forget it. Come back up to heaven and we'll leave them in their filth and shame all alone." But praise the Lord, God didn't say that and Jesus didn't back out once He was on the cross. We needed a Savior and these children need a family!
I find it frustrating that many families, after they've adopted one or two children often begin advocating for a different method of caring for orphans. Almost as if they're trying to talk other families out of adoption because it's not the only option. God love 'em for trying to educate people about other ways to care for orphans, but adoption is not going away. You can't suddenly not be in favor of one of the methods of orphan care. The five methods I talked about are underneath the umbrella of orphan care. All of them. They are each a vital part of this God-given mandate. You remove one of the legs and things will suddenly be out of balance. It would be like removing the roof off of a house - yes, you may still have 4 walls standing, but you've left yourself vulnerable. And that's what orphan care without adoption would be - leaving millions of kids vulnerable.
There have been lots of changes in several countries over the last couples of months regarding adoptions. Unfortunately, many (if not all) of these changes have been negative, with most countries shutting down foreign adoptions completely, leaving thousands (and sometimes millions) of kids without hope. It has been gut-wrenching to read about. There's another country on the verge of shutting down now as well.
So where does this leave those wanting to do something to help orphans? Here are just a few ideas:
1. Pray. I don't think this can be emphasized enough. God still cares and He still sees what is going on with adoption. Make it a priority through the week to go before God on behalf of these children. If you have friends in the midst of an adoption, print off a picture of their child and pray for him or her through the week. Pray for their process. And if they're one whose child is "stuck" now, due to some of these recent changes, be especially diligent in praying.
2. Advocate. Get on the phone or computer and call/email your congressman/woman and let them know you care about these kids and you want them to care, too. Lots of things have been done when a large number of people get ahold of their representatives. Don't underestimate the power of your voice!
3. Get involved. Whether it's sponsoring a child as a family, helping families raise money for their adoption, or take a step of faith and adopt a child. As we begin a new year, ask God to begin to break your heart for what breaks His and watch what He will do. There are many options when it comes to orphan care - the question is not, "what can you do?", but instead, "what will you do?"
Let's make it a goal this year to make a huge dent in the number of orphans in the world this year! Let's all be willing to step up and do our part!
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