Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Back to School

The Bible Orphan Ministry has started a new project. For the next couple weeks, they are praying to raise money to buy much needed school items for 760 orphans in the many orphanages they visit.

Many people may not know that the children in orphanages have school at the orphanage where they live. The orphanages have a hard time providing for the needs of so many children.

They do not have basic things like pens, pencils and notebooks. With so many children it's difficult to raise enough money to just spend a few dollars on each child.

Please help if you can. Please keep the Bible Orphan Ministry team and the orphans they minister to, in your prayers.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Children are a Blessing

When I see the faces of all the children without love and without families, I can't help but wonder...why? Why are there not enough families for these children? What is the foundational reason.

I think that part of it stems from the fact that many people don't remember that children are a blessing. Oh sure, we all have children we know and love and see them as blessings. But do we know that all children are a blessing...a gift from God? Are we truly open to that blessing? Or do we want to be blessed in small amounts, and in the ways and times that we determine best?

Sometimes when I'm feeling discouraged, I think, "Who will take these special children? Most people only want a couple of their own healthy children."  Even most Christians want 2 or 3 and then they're "done".

For the orphans to be set in families, our hearts must be expanded. The church must begin to see children as the blessing that the Bible says they are. They are life, created in the image of God, and He is the Author of that life. If we open our hearts to receive that blessing, we will be blessed and He will use that blessing to shape us into the people He wants us to be.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Liliana has been Found

Liliana is on Reece's Rainbow's My Family Found Me page! She has a family committed to rescue her.

Let's pray for Liliana, her new family, and the rest of the children in her orphanage. Let's pray for everyone involved in the adoption process in her country, and pray that it will be possible for these precious children to be adopted into families of their own.


Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Liliana

Yesterday I shared about my friend, Susanna's little girl, Katerina.

Her condition is shocking and heartbreaking. Even more heartbreaking is that Katerina is not the only child in such a shocking condition. There are more children like Katerina.

There is another little girl in the same place who is listed on Reece's Rainbow. This is Liliana.



This picture of her was taken today. She is 11 years old. She weighs 10 pounds. That is absolutely unfathomable. How can it even be possible?

Liliana doesn't have anyone coming for her.

This precious child, created in the image of God, so desperately needs someone to rescue her. 


We need to pray.



Monday, August 15, 2011

A Story of Redemption

This morning I am short on words.

My dear friend, Susanna is in Eastern Europe meeting her new daughter, Katerina.

Katerina is a tiny nine year girl...the size of a baby. When you look at her, you know it is a miracle she has survived long enough to see her mama come for her. She didn't give up and someone has finally come to rescue her.

Her story is a miracle. It is a story of redemption.

We need to keep them in prayer.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Molly

This little girl has such a sparkle. So beautiful.



 She is listed as Molly on Reece's Rainbow. She was shaken as a baby and suffered brain damage. She cannot sit up by herself. She doesn't have full use of her hands. But look at her face. Her smile. She is already five years old. If she isn't rescued soon, she will be transferred from her baby house to a place where she will be left in a bed day in and day out and seen as completely useless. She won't receive therapy. She won't have opportunities to learn and reach her full potential. She won't be loved.

It is almost too much to bear to think of how quickly that sparkle will fade if she is left in a bed in an institution.

You can read more about her and see several more pictures of her on Andrea's blog. Andrea is a missionary who spent time with her and got to know and love her. She describes Molly as "pure joy". 

Let's pray for this little one. That the Lord will watch over her and guard her body, mind and heart. Let's pray together that her family will find her and rescue her so that her little sparkle can shine all the more brightly as she learns what it means to be loved.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Help for Orphans at Camp

The Bible Orphan Ministry has a new project to raise money for orphans at summer camp.

When the ministry team visited this camp several weeks ago they found desperately bored and lonely children spending their summer months in a dismal place which is more like a prison camp than a children's summer camp.

Because it's summer the children don't have the structure of school classes to fill out the day, but there is nothing to fill that space. There isn't a library to borrow books from, or computers to spend time on. No sports equipment or games. There aren't camp counselors to provide guidance and activities.

The Bible Orphan Ministry visited last month and gave them a bright day to remember.. They provided some wholesome entertainment sharing Bible stories, a puppet show and some lessons. They presented the gospel and 25 children prayed and asked Jesus to save them! They counseled the children on what it means to be a Christian and left them some gospel tracts.



Next week they want to go back and visit again. I'm sure it will mean so much to the children. If they can raise the funds, they would like to bring some things to help the children get through the last month of summer. Perhaps some soccer balls and games, anything new will give them something to keep busy. Their days must get so long.

The children have food at camp, but they are still often hungry. They don't get fresh fruit or treats. The team would like to also bring fruit and some sweets to them. It will show the love of Christ in a way that is real to these hungry bored children.

Their goal is to raise $280 this week. You can donate through the chip-in on their blog.

Let's join together in prayer for these children and reach out and help in a practical way too.