I was first introduced to A World Without Orphans at the Christian
Alliance For Orphans (CAFO) 2016 Summit in Orlando. (Orphans First is a member
organization of CAFO.) Since we, like other likeminded organizations, strive
hard to get children into families, this film really caught my eye. And my
heart!
In fact, I would go as far as to say that producers
Dianne Becker and Brittany DeVries together with Steve Saint from ITEC have captured
God’s heart and shown a glimpse of it through this heart-touching film.
Experience and statistics prove that
children thrive best in families. For those of us who have kids or grandkids,
we can’t imagine what it would be like if they didn’t have us. Right? The key,
therefore, is to find families for orphans and foster children. And the best
place to find them is within the church community which can also provide a
concrete support system for those who take children in. (We’re talking about spiritual,
emotional and physical support—not just a paycheck.)
In Africa, for example—and I know this
firsthand—most children have at least an extended family relative who could
take them in if there was a solid support system to help them. Where there is
no extended family, there may be neighbors who genuinely care for the children.
And when the local church wraps around them to provide physical, spiritual and
emotional support, there is a recipe for success. (Not that it is easy. Life
with kids is always messy. But it can be done and, as depicted in A World Without Orphans, children can
live wholesome, happy lives.)
A World
Without Orphans is both inspiring and challenging.
It calls us to consider the biblical mandate to take care of orphans and to
seriously probe our hearts as to what we can do to make this happen. Not
everyone can take an orphan into their home, but everyone can do something to
help someone do this—beginning with prayer.
I believe in the message this film
propagates. Our Orphans First children’s homes in India are “homes” not
institutions—and they function as Christ-centered families. I’ve seen the
difference in the lives of our kids as they grow up and know they are loved by
house-parents and the local church. Many have gone on to serve Jesus and have
families of their own. In Mexico, we support some extended families who have
taken in children whose parents have been killed through bad drug-deals. In
Siberia, through our local church partners, we try to bring children in to
foster homes. Local churches and their families provide hope and stability to
orphans.
Imagine what
could happen if every church showed a screening of A World Without Orphans. It could become a reality. If you would
like to host a screening at your church, contact A World Without Orphans via their Facebook page.
Please be sure to "like" and follow them on Facebook to create more
buzz and to receive notices of upcoming grassroots or festival screenings. You
will also find great articles of interest related to the cause.
Check out the
trailer here.
If your church
has an orphan ministry, this is a great place to hold a grassroots screening to
start a conversation and spark interest within the congregation. (If your
church does not have an orphan ministry and you sense God wants you to start
one, find all the materials and help you need here: https://cafo.org.
The movie can also
be purchased and downloaded here at www.christiancinema.com.
And keep checking the website. There will soon be subtitled versions available
in both Spanish and French.
This article
will also appear in Assist News Service.
As a P.S. to this article, let us not stop praying for Lexi who was ripped from the loving family she had thrived in for some 4 years. Let us pray for God to bring Lexi home.
Janey DeMeo M.A.
Copyright © July 2016
http://janey-demeo.blogspot.com
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