I strive to live Isaiah 1:17, which gives all of us the responsibility to “seek justice, encourage the oppressed and defend the cause of the fatherless.”
The United Nations estimates that there are 163 million children in the world who have lost a parent, and about 16 million who have lost both. This doesn’t even include millions of street kids, who are impossible to count.
I firmly believe that a true commitment to justice and human rights means that every life is valued, at every stage of life — young and old, rich and poor. And it means that we take action and do something to right the injustices that exist.
I don’t think it’s wrong for the United States to be the richest nation on Earth. That fact gives us the continued opportunity to be the most generous country on the planet, and reach out to help those in need in our interconnected world.
Taking Action
My wife and I adopted our son Spencer, from South Korea in 2007, and our daughter Emma, from Ethiopia, in 2010. We feel incredibly blessed to have our lives so enriched by these two wonderful kids.
Not everyone can do that, but everyone can engage in the cause of orphan care and adoption, in one way or another.
Whether you can become an adoptive parent yourself…contribute financially to the high cost of someone else’s adoption…provide a safe and loving short-term foster home to children in troubled situations…travel to orphanages or shelters overseas and help out for two weeks…or even just keep these children in your prayers, I believe everyone has a stake in orphan care and adoption, and I hope you’ll consider what your role should be in this cause.
Getting Involved
- Lifesong for Orphans is an international orphan care orgranization doing incredible work to build schools providing food, education and job skills to orphans and vulnerable children in countries around the world. I’ve traveled to Africa with them, and have been deeply impressed by the quality of the work they do.
- Show Hope is the orphan care and adoption foundation of Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman and they played a crucial role in helping us bring Spencer home. You can follow them on Twitter at @ShowHopeNow.
- Christian Alliance for Orphans is a great organization dedicated to this cause, and is headed by my friend, Jedd Medefind, formerly Chief of Staff to my State Senator, and then the head of the Office of Faith-based Initiatives in the White House. Follow them on Twitter at @OrphanAlliance.
- I hope you’ll contact me, or just comment on the blog. I so enjoy getting to know people who are engaging in this great cause, and I’d love to hear from you.
