A Challenge...

Today on facebook as I was commenting about the need for the church to step up something occurred to me. Why do congregations support missionaries monthly and yet they do not support adoptive families? What is the difference between a missionary and an adoptive family?

A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. A Christian missionary can be defined as "one who is to witness across cultures."

Well that sounds a lot like adoptive parents. Usually part of a religious group. I educate my adopted children, I make sure their needs are met. I take them to get health services they need and perhaps never had.  My children like other APs kids are from all cultures so I would be witnessing across cultures. 

I know churches who support foreign orphanages which is awesome! But think about it, the church supports them in the orphanage but not the family God called to go and bring them home and set the lonely in families...hmmmm....how come?

Could you imagine if a church supported one adoptive family each month through the end of their adoption? They would be supporting a missionary in the US.  Say they give 300.00 and it takes the family one year to bring the child home. That is 3600.00 toward the ransom of a child. That is a lot of money to an adoptive family. In a church of 2000 people that isnt really a big amount of money only 1.80 per person in the church. C'mon! Seriously! 1.80 per person and you can give a family 3600.00 in a year. WORD!!

I imagine that from what I know about blessings and what I know about where your treasure is there your heart is also and what I know about God's love for the least of these, I imagine a very blessed congregation. You think you cant fit it in your very tight budget with all the bills you (the church)have. I feel like it is as important as tithe. 

So here is my challenge to the churches of America. I challenge you to find one adopting family and pledge to give them X amount a month. That amount  that after prayer God shows you to give. I challenge you to continue to give until the children are home.

But that isnt all. Commit to pray for them because you will never see warfare like you see in adoption. Pray for them daily. Talk about them when you are mentioning your giving or missionaries. Maybe ask them to speak one Sunday.

 

This is my challenge to you. Be the change you wish to see in this world. Watch the miracles unfold in your congregation. Tell your church about my proposal. Let me know if you are doing it. All it takes is 1% of christians to help and it will end the orphan crisis. 

"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act." Prov. 24:12

Be blessed