DEEP WATERS

I recently heard some great news from Alicen Bennett, an Arkansas Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) caseworker and DCFS liaison to The CALL *. This past January, 28 foster homes opened in Arkansas, meaning in that month alone 28 new families became available to take foster children into their care. A blessing, considering all the hoops that these families must go through -- background checks, medical exams, home studies and training classes. On the same day I heard that great news, however, I also heard some bad news. While 28 foster homes opened in January, 48 homes closed. Do you understand what that means? While 28 foster families have just opened their homes to foster children that desperately need those stable home environments, 48  foster families have closed their homes to those same children that desperately need them. Here's one more statistic: In 2012, 500 homes opened across the state of Arkansas. Sadly, in 2012, 480 homes close...

Why do children pay for the idiocy of adults? Today Russian President Vladimir Putin  signed a law  that bans adoptions of Russian children by U.S. citizens. This ban was reportedly developed in retaliation for a US law punishing Russians accused of violating human rights. As the mama of an eleven-year-old boy adopted from Russia  in 2003, my heart breaks for the children that will never be adopted due to this new law.  According to UNICEF  there are approximately 740,000 children without parental care in Russia. "Alternatives to the institutionalization of children are essential, including permanent foster care, domestic adoption and inter-country adoption," said Anthony Lake, Executive Director of UNICEF. "All children deserve an environment that promotes their protection and well-being . Russian children -- indeed all children -- need to be in protective and loving families ..." Amen, Director Lake. Why has it become so hard for adults to get ...

Today is Orphan Sunday, and at Mosaic Church , we'll spend the entire morning highlighting the needs of orphans in our country and around the world. The statistics are staggering: there are more than 150 million orphans in the world. In the United States alone, 100,000 children are languishing in the foster care system, while waiting to be adopted. Many are older children. Some have physical or mental disabilities. Most have deep emotional scars. Few are in their situations because of their own fault. Almost all have been grossly neglected or abused by the adults in their lives -- the very people they have trusted to feed, clothe and care for them. This problem can seem so overwhelming, you might be asking, "What can I do?" There are several things YOU  can do for orphans around the world. 1. Pray for orphans in this country and around the world Psalm 68:5 calls God "a father to the fatherless." If He is their true Father -- and ours too -- we mu...