Where He leads...: Feeding the Orphans

Feeding the Orphans

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As I mentioned in my last blog entry, though I'm back home, I want to continue this blog and continue sharing what God is doing in my life and in the lives of those around me.

Feeding the Orphans is a great place to start!

I have been very encouraged that although I've only been home for a few months, I've already met several people who live here but who are very active in helping children and youth in Africa. The first people I ran across founded Africa ELI. (I will write more about them in a separate entry... you can click here for their website.) But let me start now with Feeding the Orphans...

A few weeks ago at church a friend of mine had a bag I recognized. It looked similar to this one:

I recognized the bag because I bought one just like it in Ghana. And out of the five countries in Africa I've been to, that's the only place I've seen a bag like that. I asked where she got it and she told me about an auction that sold the bag in support of an organization called Feeding the Orphans. Of course I googled "Feeding the Orphans" when I got home that evening. In addition to the bags, they also sell t-shirts, quilts, and other nifty things to support their ministry to orphans in Ghana. I read a little more and I stumbled upon their address... Loudon, TN. I didn't realize that this was a local organization! I instantly sent them a message, told them a little about myself, and how I would love to get together, talk Africa, and find out more about what they're doing. I also bought a shirt for myself that very night! :)

After a few back and forth emails, I finally got together with Kristie and her family last week. Her husband was out of town, but I had the privilege of meeting her 5 children, Sydney, Keenan, Aiden, Samuel, and Helen. Samuel and Helen are Ghanaian children that the O'Learys have recently adopted. They were precious! They reminded me so much of my sweet little Namibian friends. And all of her kids were great kids. If you do a little research on their website, you'll quickly learn that it was actually Sydney, 7 years old at the time, whose heart was broken to care for orphans. I love how they put it on the website, "[Sydney] followed God to begin this ministry, which has become our whole family's passion in life."

The O'Learys

Sydney and some of her friends in Ghana

How many of us, at whatever age we are, can say that we've followed God through a burden He has placed on our heart, and made serving Him in that way our very passion in life? And yet this child, now a few years older, already understands the huge truth that our life is to be lived on purpose... and for others! I believe that God calls all of us to follow Him passionately. He puts certain people and events in our pathway that He wants us to notice, that He wants to change us. I went on my first mission trip at 13 to Peru and I've never been the same. God opened a huge world up before me, broke my heart to the needs of others, and I ultimately chose to follow Him by serving others across this globe.

I love the shirt I bought from Feeding the Orphans. It says, "Love orphans because He first loved us." God has so lavishly poured out His love on my life, and I want nothing more than to share that love with others. God has taken care of my needs, and I want to share the blessings He has given me to help meet the needs of others.

I had such a wonderful time meeting and visiting with Kristie and her family. What a wonderful example they are to all of us! I hope you will go to their website, read their story, check out what all they do in Ghana and eventually in other African countries as well, and buy some fabulous goodies from their store! www.feedingtheorphans.com The O'Learys are not superheros. I'm sure Kristie would admit they are far from it, but it's incredible what you can accomplish with hearts on fire for God and His people. God has a special love for children, and He is going to bless efforts like these to care for the precious little ones who cannot care for themselves. I hope you will pray about how you can join with them in their efforts. And I hope that if nothing else, you can be inspired by the heart of a 7 year old girl who looked out at the world and said, "We can and must do something for these children." After all... faith without works is dead. (James 2:17) What can you do?

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." (James 1:27)