The Battlefield of Orphan Care

Honestly, I never thought of orphan care as a battlefield before I went to Peru. It was something that made me feel good. It made me feel like I was something special because I was caring for those who were the "least of the least". Sure, it had a special place in my heart, but it never had the importance that it does now.

Orphan care is a battlefield.

There is a raging war going on for the lives of God's most precious children right now. In World War II, considered one of the world's greatest atrocities, a total of 6 million Jewish men, women, and children died.

In just one year, 10.2 million children will die from preventable causes. And that is not a historical fact, something that happened in the past that we can feel sorry about. This is happening now.

If that doesn't merit a war, I don't know what does. Now, going back to World War II, how would you feel about people who just stood aside? People who felt sorry for the Jews, but did nothing to help them. You would see them as repulsive, disgusting. How dare they stand by while an innocent people is unjustly suffering?

How is that any different than the 147 million orphans that are suffering today?

Orphan care is a war. We have to fight for what we know is right. We have to grind our teeth and go into battle, suffering pain, loss, sadness, emotional turmoil, all because we know what we're fighting for is the right thing.

People wonder why orphan advocates are so persistent in getting others involved. Now do you see? It's hard to bear the fact that while we're out there in the trenches, trying to win the battle, you're just sitting in your comfortable chairs miles away. You know we can't win the battle without more help, but you're unwilling to join because -

Because what? You fear for yourself? You fear that you'll be hurt, injured, that you won't come back?

That's part of the battle. That's part of the risk we take for God's children.

Orphan care is a battlefield. And once you enlist, there's no going back. You've been changed. Your heart has been ripped out of your body and placed in the hands of millions of hurting children. And you can't sit back and do nothing while they cry out for help.

I am a soldier. In fact, I'm one of those reckless soldiers who will run into the middle of the battlefield, through whizzing bullets to get something that's been lost.

Are you?