5 Years Worth of Reminders
Today marks my 5th year anniversary of working with America World Adoption! Like with any anniversary, birthday or annual special event, I become somewhat nostalgic and like to look back over the years, seeing where I’ve been and where God has led me. As I reflected on my past five years with America World, many reasons came to mind as to why I love working for an adoption agency, advocating on behalf of orphaned children. Among the plethora of reasons, one seemed to stand out above the rest this year.
In his book, The Hole in Our Gospel, president of World Vision United States, Richard Stearns, writes about the stark reality of 26,500 children around the world dying each day due to preventable causes related to their poverty. He goes on to write that these staggering numbers don’t affect us as they ought. The reason? We are wired in such a way that we don’t associate ourselves, on a personal level, with those being affected. We don’t see people (and specifically children) as God sees them. Stearns writes, “God surely grieves and weeps, because every one of these children is His child – not somebody else’s…Children are not statistics to God.”
At Christian Alliance for Orphans’ (CAFO) Summit VI, theologian, John Piper stated, “It is so clear in the Bible that all through it, orphans…have a very high place in God's agenda of mercy.”
I am so grateful that I have been given the opportunity over the past several years to be constantly reminded, again and again, day in and day out, of how God sees orphans, and in light of that, how I should be viewing and loving orphans – not as somebody else’s kids, but as God's children and my responsibility. I count it such a privilege to work in an environment where my heart can be broken and re-broken (as I am so quick to forget) by the faces and names of children who were at one time without a home or hope.
In the flyleaf of his Bible, World Vision’s founder, Bob Pierce wrote this prayer: “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.” I quote this often. To myself. To my friends and family. To people I work with. I want this to be my prayer. I want this to be others’ prayer. I want this to be your prayer. I want everyone to echo the heart of the Father in caring for orphans. I want everyone’s hearts to be broken by the fatherless. I want everyone to participate in God’s plan to care for and protect the orphans of the world. I am jealous that everyone experiences 5 years worth of reminders to care about and for orphans as our Lord does.
Don’t know where to begin caring for vulnerable children? America World’s Orphan’s Ticket Home campaign has several initiatives that seek to provide for, protect and serve orphans around the world. It would be such an honor and privilege to work alongside you, serving God’s children!
In Him,
Jason West
Director of Development