What a warrior mom looks like
I know many warrior moms . . . women who have had to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles as they seek the best for their kids. I know moms who fight for services for their special needs children or advocate for research for childhood illnesses. I know moms who work multiple jobs to make ends meet, and who make great sacrifices to ensure their family’s well-being. I’ve been astounded by the strength of the mothers I have met this week with Help One Now. We have visited with several . . .
That’s what SHE said: #lovehope Ethiopia edition with Jen Hatmaker, Korie Robertson, and Jillian Lauren.
I’m in Ethiopia this week with Help One Now, hearing stories of how their work is preventing the tragedy of poverty orphans. I thought that for this week’s picks, I would share some of the writing of the other women on this trip. I hope you will take the time to click through and read their essays. It’s powerful and heartbreaking, and yet there is redemption. Love Hope | Jillian Lauren Our adoption gave us more than the family we were longing for; it also allowed us to experience our . . .
The difference between an orphan and a daughter
Four years ago, Birkenesh was at the end of her rope. She had five young children and her husband had just died of AIDS. She was HIV positive and her health was declining. She had no means of supporting herself, and her HIV status meant that the community saw her as an outcast. Meals were scarce. Her children were beginning to starve. And she made the difficult decision to place one of her children, her daughter, in an orphanage. This is a tragedy that plays out all too often in impoverished . . .
Davion’s plea for a family (and the 101,000 he represents)
Over the last few weeks, the story of Davion spread like wildfire across social media channels. Davion was a foster youth who had been waiting most of his life for an adoptive family. His desperation led him to visit a local church to plead for someone to adopt him. "I'll take anyone," Davion said. "Old or young, dad or mom, black, white, purple. I don't care. And I would be really appreciative. The best I could be." [source] His story tugged at the nation’s heartstrings, and I saw scores of . . .
How the Christian orphan care movement may be enabling child abandonment
Last week I got to speak at Idea Camp about orphan care. I shared my concerns about the trend of churches opening orphanages in third world countries instead of working at keeping children together with their parents. I suggested that the solution to poverty orphans (children who are placed as a result of poverty instead of the death of a parent) should be to provide resources to the family, instead of requiring the child to move into an orphanage for assistance. I shared my belief that the . . .
Let’s not leave advocating for orphans to adoptive parents
There is a new documentary touring the country right now called STUCK. The film explores the many reasons that orphans in developing countries get stuck living in orphanages. Of course, ideally all children in impoverished countries would be able to grow up with their biological parents. But for some children, this is not an option, and a lifetime in an institution becomes a likely future for them. International adoption is a solution for children who have no other option. It seems . . .
change a life this christmas
Jeannett is no stranger to philanthropy through blogging, Her blog is a regular host of guest posts that are matched with giveaways benefits a charity of choice. Last Christmas, she set her sights on something that could change one person’s life forever – a pretty lofty goal. Many bloggers joined Jeannett in sharing Cliff’s story and last Christmas, $5 at a time, readers made a difference for Cliff and raised almost $9,500 for his adoption. Cliff is now Joshua and . . .
in search of a model for orphan care
From time to time, I will get an email from someone asking me for advice about running a children’s home or an orphanage. While I have a background in psychology and a definitive heart for orphans, I really can’t claim any expertise on best practice. I certainly have opinions, and there is a lot of research available that suggests some of the negative effects of institutional life. But in terms of finding the elusive handbook for doing it well? I don’t know that it’s out . . .
the psychological impacts of abandonment
I’ve been wanting to post my notes from the workshop I did at The Idea Camp, but I’ve struggled with how to present it, because it really was more of a conversation. What I’m sharing below is really just an outline – there was so much more meat in the discussion that took place in that room full of people who cared passionately and deeply about these issues. But here is a general overview of what what discussed in relation to the psychological ramifications for orphaned children: . . .