Where is the HOPE?

One of the things we often communicate in our meetings is the fact that America is NOT the hope for orphaned children around the world. We say this, because unfortunately, so many believe it is. They think if we can somehow get these precious children to the USA their lives will be so much better.. when in fact, this may NOT be the case!

The hard cold fact is that America is suffering from a rapid increase in moral decay and dysfunctional relationships. Can you believe that the US now leads the nations around the world in marital breakup.. with 50% of our marriages ending in divorce? Our national leaders cannot even decide what defines a “family” as we are flooded with more diverse relationships and lifestyles. America has all but turned a blind eye to the termination of pregnancy through abortion with numbers now approaching 50 million innocent babies.

Flipping through the tv channels last night I could not pause on anything for more than a moment without overt invitations appealing to greed, power, and sex. Christianity is viewed as a hypocritical joke and the History channel is doing a full on attack to undermine it.
Violent crime has risen almost 500% since my children were born.. The US is now the leading industrialized nation around the globe in murder and rape. Drugs, alcohol, and violence are common place in our schools, our families, and our communities.

Suicide is now the leading cause of death in the US among those in their teens and 20’s.. is there not something incredibly sad about that? Our schools have to be trained in lock down procedures because violence has become so common place. When I was a kid the big disciple issues at school were talking too loud and chewing gum. Drop out rates in our high schools are now over 60% in major cities and national SAT scores continue a two decade decline.

Two weeks ago I was in China and it stuck out to me how modern and beautiful their cities look.. they are investing our dollars well. The infrastructure in America is in decline.. our roads, rails, and airports look third world by comparison. Our cities are less safe than almost every international country we work in.

No, America is NOT the hope for the orphaned!

So please tell me that there is good news.. There’s Tremendous News!!
..Christ in you is the hope of glory and the hope for the orphaned!! As the world grows darker there has been an exciting and unmistakable paradigm shift among Christians. Never have so many, who claim to be followers of Christ, taken their role as “light” in a dark world so seriously. No where is this more clearly seen than in relationship to orphans. The number of Christians engaged in adoption and orphan care is dramatically on the rise. Churches are taking their role seriously and launching orphan care and adoption ministries at an astounding rate. Mission trips have become less about painting a church building oversees and more about caring for precious orphans in distress.

Something HUGE is happening! Something that just now people are waking up to.. and its taking place in communities all over our nation. Christians are becoming more purposeful with their lives. They aren’t buying the “bigger is better” philosophy any longer. So many Christians are engaging in a passion that is nearest to the heart of God.. caring for the “least of these”, the fatherless, the defenseless, the orphan. I see it everywhere I go. Christians are adopting children into their own families and they are also facilitating for orphan adoptions and foster care for children in their country of origin. The Lord is smiling!

Blessings,

Dave Wood
International Director