We had the most incredible opportunity to go to another Children’s Home. This one was called the Home of Faith.
What’s the difference between an orphanage and a children’s home?
An orphanage is a home solely for orphans. Usually they can be adopted (though I think there are sometimes kids who are not allowed). A children’s home is a place for underprivileged children, whether that means orphans or kids with parents still living. These are kids who have no means of getting the basics (like food, clothing and shelter), so the homes feed them, clothe them and send them to school well dressed and ready to succeed.
Children at these homes can’t be adopted, and it seems that often the people who take care of them have little to no financial support (including government stipends or breaks). Kids in these homes go hungry, too, when the money for food runs out.
But they have the sweetest spirits of any kids I know.
We arrived and walked a long, windy, dusty road to a concrete block that served as their church, sang some songs, told them the story of Jericho, and then prayed over them. They all want to grow up to be something great: doctors and pastors, teachers and missionaries, one five year old even wants to be a pilot.
They have nothing, and yet their eyes sparkle with that wonderful childhood mischief and the smiles never leave their faces.
Pray for these kids. Pray that futures are as bright as they’re dreaming. Pray that there’s food on their table (even if it’s just rice), pray that there are people there to love them, pray that the truths they’re learning in Bible class sticks with them the rest of their lives.
Pray also for our kids at home, the ones who have everything and yet find no joy in the world, who cut and binge and starve and kill themselves and one another, all searching for peace and contentment in the wrong places.
[I actually have pictures this time, but my camera’s in a room full of sleeping teammates. There’s seriously just going to be a giant picture update one of these days. ;)]
