Wait No More: God’s call to the church
Wait No More: God’s call to the church
by Everett Rice
“The Children Nobody Wanted” was penned in 2007 by Randall Murphee, editor of the American Family Association Journal, in honor of Foster Care Month. In his article, Murphee described three families that took a step of faith by opening not only their homes, but also their hearts, to children in foster care. He shared the story of a girl named Sada, who was molested by her mother’s boyfriend and then summarily rejected by her mother when Sada informed the authorities of the abuse.
Joe and Paula Smith, Sada’s foster parents, witnessed the mother’s shocking rejection and Sada’s painful pleas for her mother to stay. At that moment, the Smiths sensed God calling them to adopt Sada.
Murphee wrote of two other families—the Cobbs and Rufenachts—who responded with action to a clear calling that surprised them by its enormity. Don and Sherri Cobb’s comments took readers to the heart of the matter: “if the church were doing what it needs to do, we (society) wouldn’t have these kids without homes.”
The Cobbs said they couldn’t disregard God’s Word in the book of James, that “pure religion is to take care of the widow and the fatherless (parentless).”
The Rev. Charles Loring Brace is considered the father of foster care in America, and is renowned for starting the Orphan Train movement in the late-1800s. Brace witnessed many children living in homeless poverty on the streets of New York City—often abused and without parents—when God called him to act. Leaving the ministry at a local church, he took God’s command to heart and responded with active care for the orphans.
In 1853, Brace established the Children’s Aid Society of New York. He spent the rest of his life responding to God’s call. Despite his death in 1890, the Children’s Aid Society continues to serve the needs of New York’s children. Although Christians and churches first responded to the needs of orphans, we have gradually allowed government to supplant us as the primary instrument to take care of the fatherless.
Today churches are again responding to God’s command to take care of the orphans.
“Wait No More: Finding Families for Waiting Kids” takes place Sept. 19, at Calvary Chapel, Downey. More than 2,000 Christians and dozens of churches will come together from across the state to address the needs of children in foster care in Southern California. Sponsored by Focus on the Family, Wait No More brings together adoption experts, community leaders and government agencies in a cooperative display of service to connect foster care children with potential adoptive families.
According to Fostercaremonth.org, by 2020 there will be approximately 14 million confirmed cases of reported child abuse and neglect, and more than 9 million children will have gone through the foster care system in the United States. In California, there are more than 100,000 children currently in the state foster care system. Regrettably, most children in foster care are not as fortunate as Sada. Many children, who are waiting for a Joe and Paula Smith to open their hearts and home to them, languish in multiple foster homes until they age-out (the age of legal adulthood when they are required to leave the system).
Each year, more than 20,000 youths age-out of the foster care system and tragically, many are ill-prepared for success in the world. While governments have fulfilled the commitment of sustaining these victims, the vast majority of foster children lack a support system that will guide them into a productive future. Resulting homelessness and incarceration are far too common.
The government-run foster care system, though designed with the best of intentions, cannot provide the stability, love and support like that of attentive adoptive parents. According to a 2001 legislative report, Foster Care Fundamentals: An Overview of California’s Foster Care System, “too often foster children experience physical and emotional damage within the system that is intended to protect them.”
The growing number of children in foster care has magnified the need for foster-adoptive families, and there are 15,000 churches in California that could respond. The “system” cannot provide what children need most, loving and godly parents. The Wait No Moreevent will provide Christian couples an opportunity to learn more about the opportunity to serve God by serving “the least of these,” His children.
What: “Wait No More: Finding Families for Waiting Kids”
Partners: Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, Orange County Social Services, Arrow Child and Family Ministries, California Family Council, CASA of Orange County, Hope for Orphans, Koinonia Family Services, Olive Crest, Serenity Infant Care Homes
by Everett Rice
“The Children Nobody Wanted” was penned in 2007 by Randall Murphee, editor of the American Family Association Journal, in honor of Foster Care Month. In his article, Murphee described three families that took a step of faith by opening not only their homes, but also their hearts, to children in foster care. He shared the story of a girl named Sada, who was molested by her mother’s boyfriend and then summarily rejected by her mother when Sada informed the authorities of the abuse.
Joe and Paula Smith, Sada’s foster parents, witnessed the mother’s shocking rejection and Sada’s painful pleas for her mother to stay. At that moment, the Smiths sensed God calling them to adopt Sada.
Murphee wrote of two other families—the Cobbs and Rufenachts—who responded with action to a clear calling that surprised them by its enormity. Don and Sherri Cobb’s comments took readers to the heart of the matter: “if the church were doing what it needs to do, we (society) wouldn’t have these kids without homes.”
The Cobbs said they couldn’t disregard God’s Word in the book of James, that “pure religion is to take care of the widow and the fatherless (parentless).”
The Rev. Charles Loring Brace is considered the father of foster care in America, and is renowned for starting the Orphan Train movement in the late-1800s. Brace witnessed many children living in homeless poverty on the streets of New York City—often abused and without parents—when God called him to act. Leaving the ministry at a local church, he took God’s command to heart and responded with active care for the orphans.
In 1853, Brace established the Children’s Aid Society of New York. He spent the rest of his life responding to God’s call. Despite his death in 1890, the Children’s Aid Society continues to serve the needs of New York’s children. Although Christians and churches first responded to the needs of orphans, we have gradually allowed government to supplant us as the primary instrument to take care of the fatherless.
Today churches are again responding to God’s command to take care of the orphans.
“Wait No More: Finding Families for Waiting Kids” takes place Sept. 19, at Calvary Chapel, Downey. More than 2,000 Christians and dozens of churches will come together from across the state to address the needs of children in foster care in Southern California. Sponsored by Focus on the Family, Wait No More brings together adoption experts, community leaders and government agencies in a cooperative display of service to connect foster care children with potential adoptive families.
According to Fostercaremonth.org, by 2020 there will be approximately 14 million confirmed cases of reported child abuse and neglect, and more than 9 million children will have gone through the foster care system in the United States. In California, there are more than 100,000 children currently in the state foster care system. Regrettably, most children in foster care are not as fortunate as Sada. Many children, who are waiting for a Joe and Paula Smith to open their hearts and home to them, languish in multiple foster homes until they age-out (the age of legal adulthood when they are required to leave the system).
Each year, more than 20,000 youths age-out of the foster care system and tragically, many are ill-prepared for success in the world. While governments have fulfilled the commitment of sustaining these victims, the vast majority of foster children lack a support system that will guide them into a productive future. Resulting homelessness and incarceration are far too common.
The government-run foster care system, though designed with the best of intentions, cannot provide the stability, love and support like that of attentive adoptive parents. According to a 2001 legislative report, Foster Care Fundamentals: An Overview of California’s Foster Care System, “too often foster children experience physical and emotional damage within the system that is intended to protect them.”
The growing number of children in foster care has magnified the need for foster-adoptive families, and there are 15,000 churches in California that could respond. The “system” cannot provide what children need most, loving and godly parents. The Wait No Moreevent will provide Christian couples an opportunity to learn more about the opportunity to serve God by serving “the least of these,” His children.
What: “Wait No More: Finding Families for Waiting Kids”
When: 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 19
Where: Calvary Chapel, Downey, 12808 Woodruff Ave.
Sponsor: Focus on the Family
Partners: Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, Orange County Social Services, Arrow Child and Family Ministries, California Family Council, CASA of Orange County, Hope for Orphans, Koinonia Family Services, Olive Crest, Serenity Infant Care Homes
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