Orphans

¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. -John 14:18

It's interesting that this verse is included in this Sunday's Gospel lesson.  Orphans.  We just had a meeting with Tara Garcia from Reach Out Orphanage Ministries on Wednesday.  There are several folks at Holy Cross who want to be able to help build a new orphanage in Honduras.  The goal of this ministry is not just to "house" children until they get old enough to take care of themselves, but to make them productive members of society who want to give back to the world.  It is there goal to educate these children through college so that they can have good careers and encourage other orphaned children.

And then there are all the recently created orphans here in the U.S., in Japan and in Haiti.  So many children whose parents were taken from them in awful disasters.  How will we give them what they need to do more than just merely survive to adulthood? 

All these children as well as orphans everywhere in the world ARE all of our responsibility.  We can provide mere survival and raise adults who merely survive who have children who are taught merely how to survive, or we can raise productive world citizens.  It's to each of us.

There are so many ways to help.  You can go to Honduras to build a Christian orphanage.  If you looked, you could probably find mentoring programs for orphans.  If you have been especially blessed financially, you could sponsor a child's college education.  Perhaps you will have to use your imagination to figure out how your particular gifts and talents can aid orphans.  It might be directly or it might be indirectly.  But every one of us should help. 

After all, Jesus did not leave us orphaned.  he provided us with all the guidance and teaching we need through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  How comforting!  Shouldn't we share that comfort with the orphaned children of the world?

Lord Jesus,
Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to guide us through this life.  Help us to guide the children of the world to becoming all you have created them to be.  Amen.

Joys:  A long weekend ahead; When Kevin comes home from school bragging about what a great day he had; sunny days