Loving Others - Project 7 - Ways to Help Orphans Other Than Adoption

Orphans- Ways to help them other than adoption:

There are children that need an advocate.  For one reason or another they are left without loving parents to fight for them.  There are many ways that they can be helped.  One way includes adoption, but there are so many other things that can be done on their behalf.  I posted about adoption a while back and some people wanted to help, but just did not feel called or able to adopt.  Here are some other avenues to consider.  There are things here your whole family (including little children) can be involved in. 

1.        Pray – I have a little paper that says “adoption” taped above my washer.  I see it regularly and am prompted to pray for children awaiting adoption or even in the foster care system who are not in line for adoption at this point. Another idea would be to find a specific person online that needs adoption.  Print out their picture or make it a background on a smart phone or computer screen.  Pray for them every day.  Also, organize prayer groups to pray for orphans.  Pray for your heart too that God gives you a passion and avenue to stand for these orphans.  Pray for families in the process of adopting.  It’s often long, frustrating, and time-consuming. 

2.       Give to an organization - Give money to a foster care/ orphan organization. You can look at the list of local Houston adoption agencies bellow for ideas.  Other places to contribute that are not local may include Show Hope https://showhope.org/give-hope/donate/ and Texas Baptist Children’s Home https://www.childrenatheartministries.org/TBCH-Give-Online. TBCH has a wish list page if you wanted to purchase something specifically that they need.  Compassion International  http://www.compassion.com/

3.       Give to a family you know - Help a family you know cover the cost of adoption.   

4.       Serve - Help families that foster children or have adopted.  Offer a meal when a new child arrives. Bring some board games and play games at a foster home one evening a month.  Watch the children for free one evening so the parents can have a date night together.  Throw a shower for families getting new children even if the children are older.  Become a mentor for a child in foster care. 

5.       Foster – Become a foster parent or an emergency foster parent

6.       Start an orphan ministry in your church - HopeforOrphans.org has an 8 step program to help you  launch a program at your church.   http://www.hopefororphans.org/Display.asp?Page=launchministry

7.       Go on a mission trip - Buckner international sends people all over the world to bring shoes and socks to orphans. You could go on a mission trip or start a drive to collect supplies. http://www.shoesfororphansouls.org/index.shtml http://hopefororphans.org/Display.asp?Page=getinvolved1

8.        Organize a drive to collect items - Orphan Outreach provides backpacks and school supplies to orphans.  http://www.missionbackpack.org/

9.       Share the cause with others - Bethany Christian Services offers a free email that tells of children who need a family.  They suggest posting this email in Sunday School classes. You could also utilize social media to share these stories.  Make you’re your prayer requests at Bible study.  I knew of someone once who carried a picture of an orphan in her purse.  She did not adopt him, but asked many others if God was calling them to.  Sure enough, one person she asked later became that child’s mommy. (I wish I could remember where I heard that story so I could give them credit.)  http://www.bethany.org/main/champions-children

10.   Be their voice - Become a CASA – Court Appointed Special Advocates – According to the webpage,  “Volunteers get to know the child by talking with everyone in that child's life: parents and relatives, foster parents, teachers, medical professionals, attorneys, social workers and others. They use the information they gather to inform judges and others of what the child needs and what will be the best permanent home for them.” You have to participate in 30 hours of training and be willing to stay with the case until it is over (about a year and a half) http://www.casaforchildren.org/site/c.mtJSJ7MPIsE/b.5301309/k.9D58/Volunteering.htm

There are other options to help this organization that are less intensive.  They range from hanging CASA posters to helping with the webpage to organizing events.  http://www.casaforchildren.org/site/c.mtJSJ7MPIsE/b.5307647/k.5D85/Other_Volunteer_Opportunities.htm

 

 

Adoption agencies in Houston (not an exhaustive list)

Arrow – www.arrow.org

Buckner – www.beafamily.org

Homes4Good – http://homes4good.org

Safe Haven – www.safehavencommunityservices.org

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services – www.dfps.state.tx.us

Spauldin for Children – www.spauldingforchildren.org

Gladney Center for Adoption – www.adoptionsbygladney.com (services all of Texas based in Fort Worth)

 

Want more info on adoption? Sept 13-14 there will be conference at Houston’s First Baptist Church See www.showhope.org/connect for more information. Early Bird registration is available through July 12 and offers a discounted rate.