Can You Imagine ? ? ?

It was just a few days ago that I came across the following paragraph while doing some reading in preparation for our hosting adventure this summer.  It moved me.  Please read carefully…

“Imagine that you are eleven years old, that you live in an orphanage in Latvia, where there is food to eat and clothing to wear. But, there is NO mama to kiss you goodnight and NO papa to carry you on his shoulders. There is NO promise of a future for you. There is NO hope.

Then, imagine that one day you are selected by a group of kind American missionaries to visit their country, where you will stay four weeks in the home of a real family, with a mama and a papa, and perhaps brothers and sisters. You will ride in a real airplane, and once there, you will surely be happy, because you have been chosen, for the first time in your life, for something that is good and fun and special.

                 

Such is the goal of New Horizons for Children, an International Orphan Hosting Ministry that organizes two hosting events per year: one at Christmas, and one in the summer. According to founder LeAnn Dakake, NHFC gives children hope for their lives, because of the opportunity to travel to America, to experience unconditional love and “to learn that they do have a Father, the same Father in Heaven that we all have who loves us dearly and is always with us.”

Without intervention, upon leaving the orphanage, 60% of the girls will end up in prostitution, 70% of the boys will be on the streets or in jail, and 15% will commit suicide within the first 2 years on their own.  Through the efforts of NHFC, some 2000 orphans from Latvia, Russia, and Ukraine have traveled to America. Although it is not an adoption program, Dakake is pleased that 65% of the children who are hosted do find their forever families.

Imagine that.”

I came across the article again this morning, and again, I was moved; perhaps because I had been mulling over in my mind what I had read a few days ago and this just confirmed it again.  Perhaps, it is the realization that comes with reading the statistics.  Perhaps, it is because God is doing a work on this heart of mine, helping me to take my eyes off of myself and helping me to see the world a bit more closely through His eyes.

Did you know that Eastern European orphans reach “adulthood” at the age of 15 or 16?  At that time, they “graduate” from their life in an orphanage to life on their own.  For the great majority of these kids, they will know no one outside of the orphanage and will have no support system to help them on their way.  That is why the statistics are so daunting.

Without our help, a typical Russian orphan faces a bleak future: drugs, alcohol, prison, prostitution, suicide, violent death.  We often refer to the the Russian orphanage system as the world’s most cruel “surprise party”.  For many years, until an orphan reaches age 15 or 16, the orphanage provides shelter, food, clothing,  and structure for the child.  In this environment, the orphan becomes very dependent for all of his or her needs.  They learn almost nothing about responsibility.  Then, suddenly the orphan “graduates” and is sent into the world with no family and no support structure to help them.  They are “free” and often use their freedom to launch into all of the wrong things that the world offers them.
         

The quotation above is taken from http://www.bigfamilyministry.org/.

This is not only the case of Eastern European orphans, but for orphans in much of the world.  Just as many American teens are experiencing the many highlights of their teen years, these orphans of the world are stepping out on their own with little chance of a positive future and oftentimes no hope at all in their lives.    

I am so thankful that God is giving us the opportunity this summer to impact the future of two of the world’s orphans.  When I consider the open door we have before us, I am almost speechless, somewhat overwhelmed, and totally expectant of God’s blessing as we step out and follow him.  Please pray with us that God will prepare our hearts as we receive Gundars and Elina into our home.  Please pray, also, that God will be preparing their hearts as well.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper  you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future .          Jeremiah 29:11

Be Blessed,

Carol

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