// Together for Adoption

Upcoming Webinar Series:

Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert, authors of When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself, will present a free, three-part webinar lecture series on the appropriate relief and development response to the Haiti earthquake disaster. To learn more about this webinar series and to register, go here. This webinar series looks excellent.

[HT: Bernie Alimonti, Director of Special Projects for the Chalmers Center]

Francis Chan wrote this children’s story to illustrate what God ordained the church to be in the world. Since God has called the church to care for orphans, I think “The Big Red Tractor” also applies to the current orphan care movement that is growing within the church.

The Big Red Tractor from Jacob Lewis on Vimeo.

Click on either image below to read the entirety of the article (PDF).

Jedd Medefind, President of Christian Alliance for Orphans, interviewed me on Twitter today about the Haiti Orphan Relief Team (HORT). You can read the full transcript here.

On January 4th I listed what I’m asking God to do in the church in 2010 for the sake of the orphan. Since the orphan crisis is a global crisis and Christ’s Church is a global Church, I thought it would be helpful to do a series of prayer-posts that focus on the orphan crisis in different countries throughout the world. While the earthquake in Haiti has increased needed awareness of Haiti’s orphan crisis, we must be careful not to forget the needs of orphans elsewhere. Lord willing, this series of posts will help remind us that there are children all over the world who need our prayers, advocacy, and care.

10 Prayers for the Sake of China’s Orphans in 2010
by Wendy Cosby

[Wendy serves as the program director for Show Hope and oversees the adoption assistance, church ministry and short-term mission trips programs.]

Gracious God, we pray:

…that you would show yourself to be both Father and Defender to orphans in China – for those currently finding shelter within the orphanages as well as those living on their own. Protect them, care for them and secure justice for them. May they cling to you as their refuge.

The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Thy wings. Psalm 36:7b

…that the inherent value of these children would be deeply established in the hearts of those living most closely at hand with them. We pray the overseers of the orphanages, as well as all care providers, would have a supernatural love and tender heart for the least of these entrusted to their care.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14

…that the caregivers of these children would have opportunities to learn more about best practices for those in their protection. Give them hearts to advocate on behalf of these little ones and seek their best interest always.

Make me know Thy ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me. Psalm 25:4-5a

…particularly for the adoption of older children and those with special medical or mental needs. These children are often marginalized, even within the orphan community worldwide. We ask for adoptive families to be raised up, both in China and abroad, who would be blessed and able to care for orphans with special needs.

I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, who call you by your name, I Am the God of Israel. Isaiah 45:3

…that any unnecessary obstructions would be removed from the adoption process: bureaucratic barriers, financial barriers, or cultural ones. We pray that every child who remains waiting would one day be able to know the love of a forever family, and that you guide their placements into faith-filled families in China and abroad.

God sets the lonely in families. Psalm 68:6a

…for the many families who are in the adoption process from China. Lord, we ask that you strengthen their hearts, and help them to be content in your love for them and the child they are adopting. Give them a peace that surpasses all understanding as they wait and trust in your sovereign timing.

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! Psalm 27:14

…for a viable support network for those orphans aging out of the system; that they would be provided the transitional opportunities and services needed to gracefully move into adulthood. We pray that you would raise up servants from faith communities in China to become advocates for the least of these who still need love and guidance.

For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

…that there would be a spirit of unity and mutual support among those serving in China. We pray that their love for each other, and the orphans whom they serve in your name, would be as salt and light to all those around them.

Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven. Matthew 5:16

…that your people would move forward in wisdom and strength as they pursue meaningful and creative ways to fulfill your call on their lives this very day. Raise up other workers for the harvest who will join in this work to be your hands and feet in China.

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 2 Corinthians 2:15

…that you would strengthen the marriages, homes, families, and faith of your servants in China, all to the glory of your name. We pray for continued favor for the work of their hands as you multiply their efforts for your glory.

Therefore my brethren, who I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. Philippians 4:1

Churches all across the country are embracing the ministry of orphan care and the miracle of adoption. God continues to raise up churches that are committed to James 1:27 ministry from a gospel-driven perspective. When it’s the gospel that’s driving a church-centered movement like this, that’s a recipe for long-term, life-changing engagement for the good of orphaned and vulnerable children all over the world.

Grace Covenant Church of Austin, Texas, is one of those many churches whose orphan care and adoption ministry is driven by the gospel. Jason Kovacs and I have the wonderful privilege of participating in Grace Church’s February 20th adoption conference. What excites me most about this conference is the number of churches in Austin that are behind it. God is growing a strong orphan care and adoption movement in Austin through its churches, and this conference is evidence of that growth.

If you’re looking for a church-hosted adoption conference to attend this month, let me recommend Grace Church’s “A Future and A Hope Conference.” Julie Kouri has done an excellent job putting this conference together.

Jan Flinte, a friend of our family, wrote about her experience in Jacmel, Haiti last week:

Yesterday Leann and I headed over to the large refugee camp that’s now a part of our community. As difficult as it was to see, it was a good visit. We talked and played with a lot of different kids. It was kind of surreal. In so many ways it was business as usual. The kids were still just kids. They were laughing and joking and playing. Some were making kites, some were using sticks to build model houses, some were playing clapping hand games. Almost all of them wanted their pictures taken.

But when I took a step back—it made my heart grieve all the more because I knew the reality of the situation. Amongst the happy children there were desperate parents. Two specific parents who were hopeless enough to offer me two of their children then and there because they just weren’t sure how they were going to move on.

There was this other mother there. She was the mother of a very small six month old baby. Her baby was sick. Very sick. The baby had her face winced in pain the whole time I was there, but she could not cry louder than just a tiny, tiny whimper. She was obviously dehydrated. I asked the mother what kind of symptoms she’d been having and she said the baby has been throwing up and having diarrhea for several days. I asked if she’d taken the baby to the medical tent located in the center of the camp. She said that she hadn’t because there were always so many people there. She didn’t want to wait in line. I begged her to take the baby the next day. I told her if she didn’t want to wait in line she should get there very early. She said she could go, “demen si dye vle” (tomorrow if God wills). I plan to check on her tomorrow. I can’t stop thinking about her.

There ware an estimated 6,000 homeless people living in this camp. SIX THOUSAND! In a city of about 35,000 that’s a staggering amount. Where do you go from here?

God save Haiti. You’re the only One who can.

If you are interested in raising awareness and relief dollars for those who are suffering in tent cities like the one in Jacmel, consider hosting a Cité Lespwa in your city. We would love to see churches all over the country hosting one of these events.

As part of our Church-Centered Haiti Orphan Care Initiative, we are working very closely with The Haiti Orphan Relief Team (HORT).

HORT is a cooperative effort of disaster response experts and U.S. based ministries that have unified to respond to the orphan crisis in Haiti. The team will deploy to Haiti for a two week period, beginning February 14, 2010, with the specific mission of supporting the churches of Haiti to care for orphaned children. This will be accomplished by pairing U.S. churches with Haitian churches, to provide ongoing resources and support. HORT will collaborate with and train Haitian partners to sustain this effort beyond the deployment period.

If you would like to donate a tax deductible gift to fund the cost of this strategic deployment, you may donate online here or send a check to:

Haiti Orphan Relief Team
PO Box 413
Castle Rock, CO 80104

If the people of Haiti had to sleep on the ground, so would she.

Britney Winn, a 2009 graduate of Centenary College of Louisiana, was in Haiti serving at an orphanage when the earthquake hit.  After being evacuated the next weekend and sleeping 12 hours in the shelter and comfort of her own home, Britney woke with the plight of Haiti’s orphans weighing heavily upon her. She was determined to do something more for them. So, Britney decided to establish a tent city: if Haiti’s children had to sleep on the ground, so would she.

So, on Wednesday afternoon, January 2oth, Britney and others (mostly college students and young adults from the area) set up Cité Lespwa (Creole for “City of Hope”) on the campus of Centenary College. Their goal was to raise awareness and $1 million for Haiti’s orphans. Britney blogged about their experience here.

The Shreveport Times published two stories about Cité Lespwa:

Shreveport tent city to raise money for Haiti relief
Tent city short of $1M goal but could go national

We are pleased to announce that Together for Adoption will be partnering with Britney Winn with the goal of seeing Cité Lespwa duplicated all across the country. Our plan is to host the next tent city in Greenville, South Carolina the first Friday-Saturday (12 noon to 12 noon) in March, with other cities signing up for successive Friday-Saturday dates. We hope to see Cité Lespwas hosted by cities throughout the country well into the spring and summer months.

Every dollar raised through Cité Lespwa will go to support Haiti’s orphans through our Church-Centered Haitian Orphan Initiative. Details are forthcoming.

If your church would like information about hosting a Cité Lespwa in your city, please contact Jon Evans (Community Manger for Cité Lespwa): Jon.Evans@TogetherforAdoption.org.

Britney Winn is serving as National Coordinator for Cité Lespwa. We’re thrilled to have her join the Together for Adoption team.

Become a Facebook Fan of Cité Lespwa.

When Christians see the word adoption in Scripture, they tend to think primarily, if not exclusively, about God’s work to bring us into his family. While child-placement is an essential facet of Scripture’s teaching on adoption, it certainly is not the only facet.

Scripture’s multifaceted presentation of adoption has serious implications for how the church addresses the current orphan crisis in Haiti over the coming months and years. If our understanding of adoption is limited to God’s work of child-placement, it’s highly likely that our proposed solutions will be terribly inadequate.

For example, there is so much talk about adopting Haiti’s orphans right now that it almost appears as if we see adoption as the primary solution to Haiti’s orphan crisis. This is not to say that I’m not very encouraged by the desire of so many Christians to bring Haitian orphans into their homes. This desire alone is a beautiful reflection of the child-placement aspect of God’s work of adoption. So, I am very encouraged by all this talk about adopting Haitian children. Christians need to be talking this way. But we must be clear: adoption is not the answer to Haiti’s orphan crisis—not even close.

There is another facet of Scripture’s presentation of adoption that should inform how we approach the orphan crisis in Haiti. One of the places where God’s work of adoption shows up is in a section of Scripture that confronts us with the way things are this side of the Fall. According to Romans 8, life in this post-Fall world is characterized by human suffering, often horrific suffering (v. 18), like the suffering children endure when their parents are killed in an earthquake.

In Scripture, adoption is about more than just child-placement. It’s also about the elimination of suffering and the renewal of creation.

Romans 8:19 says that “creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God,” which, according to verse 23, is our “adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” When God brings our adoption to its consummation, “creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (v. 21).

God’s work of adoption is moving history toward the renewal of all creation, which includes the renewal of human society. When that day comes and God visits us with redemption, there will no longer be any malnourished children. No longer will there be any children wandering the streets in search of food, shelter, and protection. When God reveals his children, human society will flourish in every conceivable way.

If the renewal of human society is where God is moving history through his work of adoption, certainly his people, who groan inwardly as they wait eagerly for their future redemption, will work to give those who are currently suffering a foretaste of that renewal, especially if those who are suffering are children in crisis.

I’m convinced that God’s future adoptive work to deliver us from “the sufferings of this present time” is what, in part, sits behind the mandate “to visit orphans and widows in their affliction” (James 1:27). God has called us to visit orphans in their affliction in a way that reflects how he will one day visit us in ours. I believe it is this facet of God’s work of adoption that should inform how the church addresses the current orphan crisis in Haiti. Our efforts in Haiti should primarily focus on providing humanitarian relief and support for Haiti’s orphans in ways that contribute to the long-term flourishing of Haitian society.

What’s adoption have to do with Haiti’s orphan crisis? It has everything to do with it—just not in the way we might initially think it does.
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Recommended reading for more on this subject:

• Chapter 4 (“The Cosmic Significance of Adoption”) in Our Adoption in Christ: What It Means for Us and for Orphans
• When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor. . . and Ourselves by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert

I just discovered the trailer to the documentary “Strange Things.” If the trailer is representative of the documentary, the film will provide a moving inside look at what life was like for Haiti’s pre-quake orphans. Let me encourage you to watch the trailer and then pray for Haiti’s orphans once it’s over.

From the website:

There is a name for street kids in Haiti, “Sanguine,” which means “Soulless” in Creole. These children represent Haiti’s future. “Bagay Dwol” tells their story.

When one asks a child on the streets of Haiti “What’s up?”, they say “Bagay Dwol,” which means “Strange Things” in Creole. It is this perspective that makes the staggering amount of homeless children in Haiti resilient, although they are almost forgotten by their own government and internationally. “Strange Things” is an honest portrait of Haiti through the eyes of “street boys,” and after the wake of recent political turbulence.

The film takes place in the Northern city of Cap-Haitian where the land is lush and where the history runs deep. It is a landscape of contrasts, and the site where Haiti won its independence in 1804.

Shot on both Super-16mm film and digital video, “Strange Things” documents a Haiti that is virtually unknown. Portraits of various homeless children who make their lives on the streets are seen within this film. Two main characters, Luckenson, 17, and Denick, 14 are seen struggling with their existence within the infrastructure of Haiti and hope to get off the streets, go to school and become a “decent human being.” Other homeless children show us their experience to help explain why and how over 300,000 of Haiti’s children are left to survive poverty on their own.

Associated Press:

The smallest survivors of Haiti’s catastrophic earthquake are growing into one of the biggest problems in its aftermath.

Many of the countless thousands of children scattered among Port-au-Prince’s makeshift camps of homeless have nobody to care for them, aid workers say, leaving them without protection against disease, child predators and other risks.

“They are extremely vulnerable,” said Kate Conradt, a spokeswoman for the aid group Save the Children.

She said U.N. experts estimate there may be 1 million youngsters who lost at least one parent in the Jan. 12 quake or are separated from their families.

Read the entirety of this sobering article. May the gospel continue to mobilize the church for long-term engagement in Haiti. God is providing U.S. churches with the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Haitian believers for the sake of Haiti’s orphaned and vulnerable children.

Plans for our Church-Centered Haitian Orphan Care Initiative are coming together. We hope to have a couple of updates soon. Please continue to pray, give, advocate, and prepare.

[Thanks to Pastor Terry Gibson for making me aware of this article]

Adoption agencies all over the country have been inundated with people calling in to inquire about adopting Haitian orphans. As I’ve noted before, the complexities of Haiti’s orphan crisis are enormous, especially when we add the question of adoption to the mix. In light of these complexities, I think it’s safe to say that it will be quite some time before Haiti is even able to open its doors to adoption again. Even before Haiti’s earthquake, the adoption process was anywhere from 2-3 years, and a difficult one at that.

Given the current situation in Haiti, here is my question to those who are interested in adopting a child from Haiti: “How long are you willing to wait to give a Haitian orphan a home?” My concern is that our compassion for Haiti’s orphans, our desire to give them a home, won’t have the necessary patience (endurance) to see it through. What Haiti’s orphans need once adoption opens back up is Christians who have gospel-endurance.

When God predestined us to adoption, there was no such thing as a watch or a second hand. As a matter of fact, God hadn’t even created the world yet! Once God did create the world, though, his work of adoption didn’t actually break into human history until after he sent his Son. When it came to adopting us into his family, God was extremely patient.

The day will come when the adoption process will open back up in Haiti; and when it does, what Haiti’s orphans will need is Christians who imitate the patience of their Father in heaven. How many of us who are now interested in adopting a child from Haiti will still be interested when the adoption process finally opens back up? I don’t know.

What I do know, though, is that if our desire to adopt a child from Haiti is fueled by the gospel, there will be more of us who are willing to wait than there would be if it’s not. How do I know this? Because the gospel produces gospel-patience.

So, here’s my encouragement to everyone who is interested in adopting a child from Haiti. First, continue giving to organizations that are providing immediate relief to Haiti’s orphans. Food, water, safety, and protection are still Haiti’s orphans’ most pressing needs.

Second, keep feeding your compassion for Haiti’s orphans with the gospel. If we are to imitate the adoptive-patience of God, it will be because of the gospel.

On January 4th I listed what I’m asking God to do in the church in 2010 for the sake of the orphan. Since the orphan crisis is a global crisis and Christ’s Church is a global Church, I thought it would be helpful to do a series of prayer-posts that focus on the orphan crisis in different countries throughout the world. While the earthquake in Haiti has increased needed awareness of Haiti’s orphan crisis, we must be careful not to forget the needs of orphans elsewhere. Lord willing, this series of posts will help remind us that there are children all over the world who need our prayers, advocacy, and care.

10 Prayers for the Sake of At-Risk and Orphaned Children in Mongolia for 2010
by Bernie and Renee Anderson

(Bernie and Renee Anderson, with their two children, Jonathan and Cori, are working with the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. You can contact Bernie and Renee’ through their website: Remember Mongolia.)

Facts about Mongolia. Mongolia is a harsh and extreme place, climate being the first indicator. As I type this from the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, it’s blowing snow and -10F. That’s about thirty degrees warmer than what it’s been other mornings this week. Perhaps it’s a result of the climate, perhaps it’s just the nature of the culture here, but Mongolian society tends to be a tad on the harsh side, as well. Leftover Soviet systems, Buddhistic stoicism and, most crucially, the drought of the Gospel has left its mark on a Mongolian culture. This affects how important social issues (and Biblical issues like orphan care) are dealt with in this country.

It’s assumed that kids without parents, or children with disabilities, must have done something wrong in a previous life, thus they are required to suffer in this one. If they suffer well, perhaps their next life will be better for them. Just maybe.

The results of this kind of devilish thinking leave orphaned children and children with disabilities on the fringes of society, often thrown away like leftovers. Many of these kids are left to fend for themselves, begging in the city streets and living underneath those very same streets next to the heating pipes during the brutally cold winters. At a young age they start drinking, smoking and petty thievery. It’s a sad plight. Since living here, we’ve been able to befriend a few of these kids, but there are hundreds of others.

The need is great and the harvest is white.

I urge T4A readers to pray for the children of Mongolia in 2010. Particularly those who are orphaned, disabled and at-risk. Here are ten ways you can pray for these children in 2010. Please join us in praying that:

1. 10 Mongolian churches will be convicted by the Holy Spirit to act on behalf of children with disabilities in Mongolia with the compassion of Jesus. Result: There will be 10 different Mongolian ministry teams of 20-30 believers working with physically and mentally disabled children and with their families (when there is a family to work with), and that through this real Gospel-change will penetrate society regarding the plight of the disabled.

2. 10 more Mongolian churches will begin working in partnership with the public and private orphanage system to show compassion, care and the Love of Christ to the children who dwell there. Result: Orphan care in Mongolia will become an issue in the church as it ought to be, and believers here will take this to be their Biblical responsibility.

3. 10 different Christian organizations will partner with Mongolian churches to begin Biblically addressing the serious issues of alcoholism and abuse in families. Many of the kids who are “orphans” are not true orphans in that they have left or were thrown out of difficult family situations. The culprit behind this is often alcohol. Result: God’s Kingdom will come with Gospel power and break the stronghold of alcoholism in Mongolia, and through this families will be healed and children restored to their fathers.

4. 10 churches in UB would come together on the issue of children living on the streets. This is a problem that has existed since the fall of socialism and there are few, if any, who will take responsibility to care for these children. Result: The Kingdom of Jesus will come through the proclamation and demonstration of the Gospel to these children and that Mongolian society will see and be amazed at the grace of God toward these kids.

5. 2010 will be a year that will see the development of Biblically solid, Christ-centered discipleship material in the Mongolian language which will assist in equipping Mongolian believers to walk in what James 1:27 calls ‘true religion that is true and undefiled before God’: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. Result: Believers and churches will be transformed by the Gospel, and the needs of “the least of these” will be attended to with Christ’s care and compassion.

6. The Mongolian government officials will put the needs of children first and clear the way for a simple and uncomplicated foreign adoption process. Result: God’s Kingdom will to come to the Mongolian government, and there will be no toleration of bribes or corruption and many Mongolian orphans will be able to join Christ-exalting Christian families.

7. As the church is awakened to the responsibility of caring for the needs of the helpless, new church-based adoption agencies with high standards of quality and care will be developed in Mongolia. Result: Improved and simplified adoption processes and improved orphanage standards throughout the country.

8. My friend Monkhoo (pictured to the right) would develop a deep relationship with Christ this year. He is a 10 year boy who lives in the entrance door of an apartment building near our student center. Monkhoo visits the center every day and our staff members have befriended him and cared for him. He often will come to our weekly Bible study and other center events. Pray that he is truly awakened to Christ and the Gospel. Result: Many of Monkhoo’s friends will also come to know Christ and God’s kingdom will come to the community of street children in Ulaanbaatar.

9. At each of the three branches of our leadership and pastoral training program, 10 additional young men will be enrolled and trained to teach the Word of God in the church. Result: 30 men fully trained to wage war on the deception of Karma and other teachings which lead people here to believe that orphans (and others who are suffering) are in such a predicament as a result of something from a past life. Truth will reign. Jesus will be supreme.

10. In 2010, we will find 10 additional US churches who will commit to partner with us with strategic prayer and resources to work toward the vision of a fully equipped Mongolian church, ready to assist Mongolian people in need with the hope of the Gospel and the practical compassion of Jesus. This would include orphans, widows, the disabled and the most helpless in society. Result: God’s kingdom will come to Mongolia and Jesus: His name, His cross, His resurrection and His glorious return will be famous in this land. “…Your name and renown are the desire of our souls” (Isaiah 26:8).

The goal of the Church-Centered Haitian Orphan Care Initiative is to mobilize the U.S. church to be the hands and feet of the Haitian church to care for its orphaned and vulnerable children. As we continue to assess the situation in Haiti and explore opportunities of strategic partnerships that will most effectively serve Haiti’s children, we’re encouraging everyone to serve Haiti’s orphans by praying, giving, advocating, and preparing. In order to assist you in serving in these ways, I’ll be blogging about each one of them over the next many weeks.

Pray.

When I read articles about about the ongoing crisis in Haiti, I let them inform what I pray about. As you pray about these sobering realities, make sure the gospel shapes how you pray. Pray with great confidence that the God who has come to us in Jesus has not forgotten us or the people of Haiti. Pray knowing that since Jesus did not sit down to reign over all things until after he made purification for sins (Hebrews 1:1-3), he is profoundly for his people, all of them.

From CNN:

Haiti’s orphanages have become targets for people desperate for food, water and medical supplies in the aftermath of the devastating magnitude 7.0 earthquake.

On Wednesday night, Maison de Lumiere, an orphanage caring for 50 orphans, came under attack from a group of 20 armed men, aid workers told the Joint Council on International Children’s Services.

A neighboring orphanage sheltering about 135 children has been robbed several times over the past few days, they said.

“The European Commission says 80,000 people have already been buried in mass graves, an estimated 2 million are homeless, and 250,000 are in need of urgent aid.”

From USA TODAY:

“In today’s world, the twin causes of human slavery — poverty and vulnerability — increase exponentially after natural disasters… Even without the pandemonium unleashed by a 7.0 earthquake, an estimated quarter-million Haitian children are trafficked (into slave labor or the sex trade) within the country each year.”
______________________

“People are desperate. Young girls are ripe for the worst you can imagine.”

From NPR:

“The European Commission says 80,000 people have already been buried in mass graves, an estimated 2 million are homeless, and 250,000 are in need of urgent aid.”
______________________

“There’s a massive backlog of 1,400 aid flights waiting to get into the capital, with only 120 to 140 able to land each day . . . ‘I’m frustrated. I can see that there’s so much goodwill out there to expend to the situation, and yet it can’t be forced down this narrow pipe,’ Weeks said. ‘Somebody needs to expand the pipe, and that’s got to be a political decision.’”
______________________

“Medical workers said clinics already have a nearly two-week backlog of untreated injuries. ‘The next health risk could include outbreaks of diarrhea, respiratory tract infections and other diseases among hundreds of thousands of Haitians living in overcrowded camps with poor or nonexistent sanitation,’ Dr. Greg Elder, deputy operations manager for Doctors Without Borders in Haiti, told The Associated Press.”

*The picture above is from Boston.com’s “The Big Picture” series.

Since the earthquake in Haiti, my inbox has been inundated with emails requesting information about the process for adopting Haitian orphans. It’s been amazing to see God’s people rising up in response to Haiti’s crisis of orphaned and vulnerable children. As we all well know, it is a crisis to which we as Christians must respond, and we are.

We must keep in mind, though, that the complexities of Haiti’s orphan crisis are enormous. If you’re interested in reading an article that will shed light on these complexities, particularly as it relates to the issue of adoption, Jennifer Ludden of NPR has written an excellent and informative article entitled “Haiti’s Quake Orphans Will Stay Put, For Now.”

Let me encourage you to read it.

Click on the image above to learn about Children’s Hunger Fund’s Haiti Emergency Response.

I’m grateful for the media’s coverage of Haiti’s crisis. It confronts me with graphic images of human suffering. Where I live, life is simple and safe. I have more than enough to eat each day and a comfortable place to sleep each night. Compared to most everybody else in the world, my life is very hobbit-like. For the most part, like Tolkien’s hobbits in Middle-earth, I live among peace-loving, comfort-enjoying people.

One of the great dangers of living where I live is that I can easily adopt a hobbit’s way of thinking: “Well, it’s none of our concern what goes on beyond our borders. Keep your nose out of trouble and no trouble will come to you” (hobbit Ted Sandyman to Sam in The Fellowship of the Ring). In the face of that ongoing temptation, the media’s coverage confronts me daily with Haiti’s ongoing crisis, and for that I am grateful.

But the gospel does what media coverage cannot. It doesn’t merely awaken us to humanity’s need; it moves us out to meet it. We move out to meet the needs of others because God first came down to meet ours.

Long after the media coverage fades, after our nation’s attention has turned to other things, the gospel will still be moving us toward Haiti’s need. Therefore, it is critical that we as believers feast upon the gospel every day. It’s the only thing that will make what goes on beyond the borders of our own little Hobbiton our active concern. The gospel does what media coverage cannot: it mobilizes for long-term engagement.

The team at Hope for Orphans launched a blog today. Their first post considers the question of adoption in light of the crisis in Haiti. It’s a very helpful and thoughtful post.

Check out our list of reputable organizations that are providing humanitarian relief in Haiti. Most of them are focused on Haiti’s orphaned and vulnerable children.