"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." (James 1:27 ESV)
Today, there are 153,000,000 orphans worldwide. There are 120,000 orphans in the US with another 400,000 children who are in the US foster care system. 6,000 children are in the Alabama foster care system. 350 children are in the Madison County foster care system.
This is a local and global issue and WE are CALLED to HELP.
This is a very real and pressing matter. In 2012, there were 408,425 children in the US foster care system. 50% of the girls the system were pregnant by 19. 50% of these children were incarcerated as young adults within two years of "aging out" of foster care. 74% of prison inmates were once in the foster care system. 80% of death row inmates were once in foster care.
If this is what foster kids are hearing today, how much hope are they getting? Where is the church? Why are there still 153,000,000 kids left without a loving family?
In our society, we see a picture of a beaten dog or neglected cat on TV and it breaks our hearts. It causes us to take action, whether that be donating money or service or even adoption. But, when there is a picture or story about a beaten and neglected child, it's suddenly too real for us.
I am not saying that everyone is called to foster or adopt a child. It is a calling from The Lord. But, we are still called to help them. We are still called to love them. We are still called to give them a hope.
At Royal Family Kids Camp, I can say that we are focused on loving the foster kids who we are with. We encourage them and build them up. We give them fun and safety. We show them that they are cared for and loved, not only by us, but by their Heavenly Father. We point them to Him, who is our solid foundation and eternal hope.
In John 14:18, Jesus said "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." We are called the sons and daughters of the Most High God. He will never leave us or forsake us. What if the church could exemplify this to all of the orphans in the world today? It would be a miraculous transformation.
