You Can Help Orphans
By Leah Good
You are skilled, trained, and gifted. Are you willing to use those
resources for orphaned and vulnerable children?
~The Global Orphan Crisis, pg
275
These words grabbed my attention as I worked my way through The Global Orphan Crisis. You see, I
recently started a website called Teen’s Interceding for Orphans
(TIO). TIO operates on the premise that teens want to help orphans but
often don’t know how.
Caring for orphaned and vulnerable children doesn’t seem to
fit with our stage in life. We don’t have lots of money to donate, and we don’t
usually have the ability to travel overseas to get involved in the hands on
stuff.
Despite these roadblocks, we still have to face the fact
that God calls us to help the orphaned and fatherless of our world. The Bible
doesn’t say, “Wait until you’re old enough to make a difference and then help.”
It just tells us to help. There’s no escaping it.
Which brings me back to the quote from The Global Orphan Crisis. God has given each of us special talents
and gifts. You are skilled, trained, and gifted in some area, no matter how old
you are. God has not left you without the resources to follow His calling.
So take a moment to step back from the overwhelming scope of
organizations asking for money and volunteers and evaluate how God has equipped
you.
Maybe you’ve been told you’re good at writing. You can use
that talent to write encouraging notes to missionaries working with orphans. Or
maybe you could find an orphanage willing to let you correspond with some of
the kids.
Do you enjoy art? Draw or paint pictures to raise awareness
for orphans in general or for a particular organization. Donate your work to a
children’s home to brighten the walls. Or create a fundraiser by selling your
work.
If you’re good at web design you could volunteer to help
adopting families create an adoption blog or fundraising sight. If you like graphic
design you could create blog headers, buttons and more. If you’re crafty, hosts
of organizations accept handmade blankets, hats, scarves, mittens, and toys.
I could keep going, but you get the idea.
The idea of getting involved in something as big as 153
million orphaned children is overwhelming. I know. For years I thought I was
too young to do anything besides learn about the subject.
But I wasn’t too young, I only lacked the right
encouragement, the right tools, and the right perspective.
Whether you already have a heart for orphans or never gave
it much thought till now, hit your Bible and find out what God says about our
responsibility, and then get moving!
If you need more ideas (or have ideas to share!) come over
and visit Teens Interceding for
Orphans. And don’t worry if you’re not quite a teen or left your teens
behind a few years ago. The needs and opportunities aren’t exclusive!
Editors note: Leah's site is based on 1 Timothy 4:12, which is very close to the heart of GGFG -
"Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."
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