This past month our ministry was at an orphanage, Felix Family villages. This organization places young couples into homes with 10-14 orphans. These children live with these parents the rest of their lives and most of the parents will only raise a single generation and will not get more children. There are two villages, each with ten homes. They have helped almost 200 kids who now, not only have a home but a family.
Molly playing with some of the kids at Family Felix Village. (photo by Abby Steverson)
Boys at the village playing with balloon swords made by Janelle. (photo by Abby Steverson)
As I told friends and family about the ministry, they asked the same question several times, “where did all the orphans come from?” At the beginning of the month, I had no idea. So I asked myself, what had caused so many children to have no parents? What has created such a need here in Romania? Why is there such a need for orphanages all over the world but in America there are almost none? Is America just that great? Where did all the orphans come from in this world? Then I began to hear these kids’ stories and realized they are much like the stories I hear back at home. So, where did all the orphans go back at home? See, around the world, there is a different perspective on what constitutes an orphan.
In America, an orphan typically means a child whose parents have both died. Where we have traveled, orphans include any unwanted children. Parents leave their child either to get a better life in another country or a bigger city or they leave them on a street because they don’t want them or because they cannot afford them. It seems in America, this is a category that is easily ignored. How many children sleep on the streets or on couches of friends because they do not have a family to provide and care for them? How many children are in foster care programs, which can leave the child moving from family to family? I’m reminded of the movie Blindside where Michael Orr moves from family to family. How many kids in America live like this?
I want to clarify; I do not think America ignores the need to care for children. We have foster care, Boys and Girls Club, and Big Brothers Big Sisters which are amazing programs that do wonderful things. I wanted to share my thoughts in order to challenge. How many children are there in your community that needs a family? How many children are not being loved but have not reached the desperation we tend to react to that we could take in and care for? What can you do to help the orphans (or the orphan hearted children around you)? I know that the men who stepped into my life after my dad passed made such a huge difference. Can you be that difference to a child?
All that being said, it was a great month of ministry. I love that over 200 unwanted un-loved children now have families that care for them. We were truly blessed to be a part of it.
Prayer update: We are now in Moldova working for a young pastor out of his home in a remote village. We have a new team (you can read their blogs on the left side of our page). So far, this month has been great; the contacts spend most of their time pampering Molly. Molly had a rough day yesterday but overall is doing well.
