Butterflies flitted in cages, fountains splashed, and the room was filled with the scent of spring...and of possibility...
Last night Mike and I had the honor of hearing from some true heroes of the faith at the annual Show Hope dinner. Show Hope (formerly Shaohannah's Hope) is an organization started by Steven and Mary Beth Chapman several years ago to help meet the needs of orphans, both by providing assistance to adoptive families, and by resourcing those who care for children who have not yet found their "forever family".
The evening began with the beautiful faces and voices of The Children of the World Choir. "Children of the World is a special group of orphaned and disadvantaged children from several different countries around the world. They travel the U.S. for 10 months putting a voice and face to the desperate needs of children whose lives have been devastated by civil war, famine, poverty, unclean water, and preventable diseases." These ebullient, radiant little ones wiggled their way right into my heart.
He told us that, from the beginning, Satan had understood that the best way to break God's heart was to attack His children. And, the sooner the better. He asserted that even the womb can be a dangerous place as poverty or convenience provoke mothers to end a life almost before it begins. And yet, God assures us that he has plans for us even in the womb (Psalm 139), plans to give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29). He then shared this powerful verse from Psalm 8: "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger."
Whose responsibility is the orphan? "You can't say, 'This is just not my thing.' If you are a follower of Jesus, this IS your thing!" If children are dear to the Father's heart, and if they have the power to silence the avenger, then it is our responsibility and our privilege to care for them. And to care FOR them, as Stafford pointed out, is different than just caring ABOUT them. He encouraged those who have brought children into their families, and those who are working tirelessly to care FOR the fatherless to not grow weary. And he ended with this compelling thought:
"When Jesus comes for us and He wipes every tear from our eye, I hope He also has to wipe the sweat from our brow. Because I hope we were working with all our might to care for those who are so dear to Him right up until we were wonderfully and gloriously interrupted by Heaven!"
The theme for the evening, "Spring is Coming", was drawn from Steven's new album, Beauty Will Rise. All the songs were written out of the family's walk through the devastating loss of little Maria. It is the story of beauty from ashes...the story of hope. Just before Steven closed the evening with the song, Scott Hasenbalg, executive director, shared this lovely quote that was so appropriate to the moment, "Love is a springtime plant that perfumes everything with its hope, even the ruins to which it clings."
Today is Orphan Sunday. Today is the perfect time for each of us to ask how God might have us be part of caring FOR the fatherless. Perhaps it is bringing resources, encouragement and hope to a little one where he or she is by sponsoring a child through Compassion or World Vision. Perhaps it is by supporting Show Hope and helping children find their forever families. Or, just maybe, there is a little one waiting to be part of your family. Each of us owe it to ourselves, and to God, to ask the question...
"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."~Proverbs 13:12
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