Urban Goes Country

I just returned from a conference in Dallas. I'm not too fond of conferences usually, but I am fond of my friend Tina and I always look forward to spending time with her. So when she asked me to go the Christian Alliance for Orphans Conference with her I jumped at the chance.

I did not expect to be as impacted as I was. What impacted me most was to see so many churches and so many christians who were partnering together to help the cause of the fatherless in so many unique and creative and purposeful ways.

Today I read this blog post by a gal in my church who has a creative mind and a beautiful heart. What a beautiful way to honor a very special group of mothers this Mothers Day!

Some other things people are doing:
1. A dentist in Dallas runs videos about the orphan crisis and how one can help.
2. A church in California treats symptoms of malaria and HIV to parents in Africa so their children will not be left orphaned.
3. Our church is taking groups to volunteer at the children's shelter every week to provide role models for at-risk children.
4. Our friends are starting the first ever Boys and Girls Club of Africa to provide shelter, food and education to kids.
5. A church in Texas with 200 members has adopted more than 70 children as a community out of the foster cares system.
6. A group of people raise money for adoption grants.
7. A church group has adopted 17 high schools and sends over 400 volunteers to mentor at-risk children in their community.
8. My former roommate and her husband are living in Kenya and have opened two homes with houseparents to 27 orphans.
9. Counselors at Crisis Pregnancy Centers tell young women their baby's life is worth saving, and so is theirs.
10. People are becoming foster parents.

I'd love to hear other ideas! Please share....