Feels Like Home; Part 1
Feels Like Home; Part 1
Motel advertisements aside, the true home-like feeling one gets is only possible with the love of family. Unfortunately, millions of children worldwide are homeless today with no food, no shelter, and no hope. And with so much attention on the war in Ukraine, many agencies and non-profits are scrambling to inject resources into the area to rescue and care for displaced children ravaged by the brutality of war. It is a noble act of humanity and Godly compassion.
But one doesn’t have to travel across an ocean or to another continent to realize such hardships. If you live in South Mississippi, you will not be hard-pressed to find a war against children in or near your community. Unfortunately, a child taken from their home happens almost daily in the lower counties of Mississippi because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
The problem is not at the forefront of political discourse because it rarely garners votes. Resolving the issue does not improve the cost of living, stymie inflation, or lower the price of gas. But it does create a severe strain on our human condition and should be a major focus of our communities, our churches, and our local officials.
Bringing These Children Home
The answer to this problem is not solely financial. Only the love of Jesus Christ will deliver these kids to a home that will care for them and give them a chance at a future. A future that does not include addiction, teen pregnancy, homelessness, or prison. James 1:27 exhorts us to look after orphans and widows in their distress to ensure we are not corrupted by the world.
This self-sacrifice for others requires more than calling Child Protective Services when you see evidence of children not receiving humane care. Every one of us must get involved in our local communities to salvage our most untapped resource—children who suffer or have suffered from the very ones who should show them the most love.
Much is needed in Harrison, Hancock, and Jackson counties to bring these kids to a place that feels like home. It begins with an emergency care facility where boys and girls taken from a bad situation have a place to go. Then it requires selfless couples to provide a nuclear family that showers love and compassion and directs them toward a future that adds value to our community.
How Can I Get Involved?
Here is a question that is asked but rarely effectively answered. How do I answer the biblical call to orphan care?
God will not hide his will if you have a genuine concern for these children. Practical ways to serve the most vulnerable children are available for men and women with a heart for orphan care. Here’s one we will shed light on with this post.
Get Your Church Connected to Orphans and Widows
You don’t have to look far in your community to find Christian non-profits designed to bring relief to these kids. Their mission is to connect you with these foster care kids or orphan children to build relationships, create home-like environments, and advocate for children’s adoption into God-loving homes.
A great example of this practice is Michael Memorial Baptist Church in Gulfport. Moved by the Holy Spirit, Pastor Tony Karnes challenged his congregation to get involved in the adoption effort in Harrison County. They responded with Rescue 100, a collaboration with the state’s Child Protective Services, the municipal courts, and denominations from across the state to streamline training and licensing processes to provide loving homes for children in the foster care system.
There’s More
Stay tuned for future posts to learn how you can get involved with children who find themselves in a bad situation with no place to go.
To learn how to get involved with kids who need your help, contact us today at Legacy Acres. A child’s life could depend on it.
Will Marler is the executive director of
Legacy Acres, a Christian non-profit that exists to provide emergency shelter to abused abandoned, and neglected children with no place to go.
