Just a month ago I was speaking in churches about Russia. As I spoke I would share about my time working in orphanages and I would share two statistics. "One out of every five children in Russia today are raised in an orphanage." "Only one out of every 10 Russian orphans will become a functioning member of society, the rest are lost to drugs, crime, prostitution, and suicide." Of course after I shared these statistics I was always asked the same questions "Why?" and "How can I help?" However, one time I was asked a new question: "How does that compare to the United States?" I wasn't expecting that question and it baffled me. I didn't have the answer. Now I do.
Within one year of aging out of foster system 2 out of every three kids end up homeless, incarcerated, or dead. 50% of foster care girls are pregnant by the age of 19. 50% are incarcerated within 2 years. 60% are homeless and vulnerable to exploitation. 75% of prison inmates were formerly in foster care. 80% on death row were formerly in foster care.
People, the statistics are barely better in the US than they are in Russia. We like to stand on our pedestal and pretend like we have it all figured out here. We don't raise kids in orphanages, we raise them in "loving homes." We have advocates and lawyers for our children. We believe they are given the potential to succeed. Please here me, I am not saying that all foster parents are bad nor am I saying that social workers aren't doing their best. What I am saying is that it is our responsibility as believers to care for orphans.
12 times the Bible asks us to care for and defend the fatherless. Are we doing our job? Did you know that you can be an advocate for a child in foster care. You can get to know them and stand up for them in court. You can be the one to defend what is best for them in front of a judge. Did you know that 100%, yes that is correct, 100% of children mentored in Big Brothers Big Sisters avoid the juvenile justice system. 98% of them graduate highschool and of those 70% are the first to do so in their entire family. God asks us to care for a reason.
You can make a difference in the life of one child. In doing so you are impacting their entire family line by breaking a curse. I challenge you to look inside yourself and ask God; "what can I do?" Margret Mead said "Never doubt that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have."
It's not just about giving money and caring for orphans in foreign countries. It's time for us to open our eyes to the needs right here. It's time to care.
Within one year of aging out of foster system 2 out of every three kids end up homeless, incarcerated, or dead. 50% of foster care girls are pregnant by the age of 19. 50% are incarcerated within 2 years. 60% are homeless and vulnerable to exploitation. 75% of prison inmates were formerly in foster care. 80% on death row were formerly in foster care.
People, the statistics are barely better in the US than they are in Russia. We like to stand on our pedestal and pretend like we have it all figured out here. We don't raise kids in orphanages, we raise them in "loving homes." We have advocates and lawyers for our children. We believe they are given the potential to succeed. Please here me, I am not saying that all foster parents are bad nor am I saying that social workers aren't doing their best. What I am saying is that it is our responsibility as believers to care for orphans.
12 times the Bible asks us to care for and defend the fatherless. Are we doing our job? Did you know that you can be an advocate for a child in foster care. You can get to know them and stand up for them in court. You can be the one to defend what is best for them in front of a judge. Did you know that 100%, yes that is correct, 100% of children mentored in Big Brothers Big Sisters avoid the juvenile justice system. 98% of them graduate highschool and of those 70% are the first to do so in their entire family. God asks us to care for a reason.
You can make a difference in the life of one child. In doing so you are impacting their entire family line by breaking a curse. I challenge you to look inside yourself and ask God; "what can I do?" Margret Mead said "Never doubt that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have."
It's not just about giving money and caring for orphans in foreign countries. It's time for us to open our eyes to the needs right here. It's time to care.
2 comments:
This has to not only break our hearts and drive us to our knees but spur us to action. We do have a responsibility before God for these children.
Thank you for sharing this! Very convicting!!
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