Orphans in Barahona
Regular readers know about our ministry to orphans. This post is an urgent request for two kinds of help. And the bottom line is, everyone can help with one need or the other. Some will be able to engage on both fronts. So let me start with James.
Orphans & James
The James I’m referencing is the Book of James. Most of you will recognize his instructions to the church regarding widows and orphans:
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress,and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
But what does visit mean? The Greek word we see as visit is tranliterated as episkeptomai. And it means: To look upon…
- …or after, to inspect, examine with the eyes
- …in order to help or to benefit
- …to look after, have care for, provide for: of God
So it obviously means more than just going to visit someone. If we combine those three thoughts we understand our role is to represent God (#3) to orphans and widows by seeing and meeting the needs they have for life.
Orphans: Need #1
Jodie and his family
The first need is one everyone can do. You can almost anticipate it. But it needs to be overtly mentioned. Those at the orphanage need your prayers. This post contains links to past posts about the orphanage. Those posts will remind you of some of the boys who reside there. And you will also be reminded of Jodie and his family. He is working as the new director.
This post is in response to a message Jodie sent me today. The needs are real and time is short. So please do not forget to pray for Jodie and the young men under his care. Nothing else has the power and potential of prayer. Please engage because God truly can do more than we can ask or imagine. Our responsibility is to ask!
Orphans: Need #2
The financial need is also one you can anticipate. Even so, it is a reality for today. We have done a great deal of work to put systems in place for people to provide monthly support for each orphan. It will work the same way as the ads you see on TV from well-known groups who raise monthly support for orphanages around the world. For the boys in Barahona, that system will help but it is just now on the verge of coming online.
Let me be clear. The need is to feed the boys. We are not talking about buying extras but necessities. That was the request from Jodie.
What To Do & How To Do It
Everyone can pray. And please plan to do that more than today when you read this post. After that you can:
- Make an online donation of any amount – tag it ‘Barahona Orphanage’
- Share this info at your church and/or send this post to friends
Clarification Points: Using the donation link above will take you to the ROW donations page. The default tag on that page is Evangelism – which is my ministry budget. Leave that designation in place. You will have another opprotunity to make a note about your donation. Your ‘note’ is the place to specify ‘Barahona Orphanage.’ If you prefer, you can be donate directly through this website. However, using the ROW system is better.
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