Sunday, August 19, 2007

I know, I know, I keep promising to write stories from our past year, and I have not yet done that. I am sorry.

But in the mean time, read one of the best articles I have seen in a while. It is sassy, and it may hurt a bit, but it is completely true (even his figures and stats).

Orphans Vs. American Dream

Excerpts. And I quote:

According to the American Religious Identity Survey, conducted by the City University of New York, there are over 224 million Christians in the United States. So, why are there 115,000 orphans in a country that has over 224 million Christians?


And again:

Let's break this down further. The Washington Times reports that there are about 65 million evangelicals in America. So, again, why are there 115,000 orphans in America's foster care system? Does this mean that there are 65 million people missing huge sections of their Bibles? Would someone please alert Crossway and Zondervan!


Excellent....

Till next time,
Jake

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Does this mean that maybe you and Jess might make me a "grandpa" soon??

(smile)

Indian Lake Papa

Robin said...

You guys don't every share easy stuff do you? :) Thanks! Keep sending the challenges...

I guess that would make me an "aunt" :)

Robin said...

Your blog made me think of a book I picked up from the library yesterday, "Money Possessions and Eternity" by Randy Alcorn. His website - http://epm.org/ and his blog - http://randyalcorn.blogspot.com/

Lots of neat stuff.

Anonymous said...

Are you telling us your planning to adopt soon???!!!

Jake and Jess said...

No, we are not planning to adopt, yet. Especially since neither of us has a full-time job yet.

But it is an important issue worth sharing.

Anonymous said...

What a great issue to bring forth. As you know, I teach in a very poor community that has a lot of children in foster care. One of my students who was 15 and was in foster care had this to say about about his 14 years in the system. "My friends and I knew that if we didn't get adopted by the time we were 5, we would be "unadoptable" and that's what I am. I just want a family to love me and a place to belong."

I think this is what a lot of kids long for and if we can make a small difference in their lives, we should. (However, give us a few years to do this we have our hands full right now.)

Love you and miss you both,
Rene

Anonymous said...

From the age of 25 and for the next 15 years or so, we cared for a total of 32 foster children, all boys, infants to teens. Now we are grandparents to a boy from Siberia and our daughter is waiting for that "phone call" to get "our" third grandchild. A "granddaughter" (we think) from China. We have named her "Sarah" and pray each day for her and all the "Sarahs" that need homes. Thanks Jake and Jessica for reminding us all of this crisis that is world wide.

Indian Lake Papa

Robin said...

“If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?” - David Livingston, Missionary to Africa

Anonymous said...

Hey thanks for the challenge...it is really is astonishing when you look at the numbers...

however there are Christian people who are concerned about the children in foster care and for those waiting for a "forever family." I have worked with Bethany Christian Services for the past 8 years through foster care and adoption services. We, as a global child welfare agency, place hundreds of children in safe, loving homes each year. It is at times articles likes these that are challenging yet frustrating for us who work in the field because it again reminds of of two things, that they are not enough people concerned about children...but there are too many people to point the blame that people are concerned about children. It really is like walking into church and talking about how many "sinners" there are out in the world, but never walking out of church reaching out to them...it really is time for the church to stand up and move in action towards the issues like the welfare of children.

I will get off my soap box...but again, thanks for the challenge.

Jamy

Rob said...

Glad to see you reading the resurgence. Hopefully our generation can bring "missional" back and help the mainline Christian church realize that you don't have to go to Africa or Mexico to be a missionary.

Jake and Jess said...

jamy - thank you for your soapbox. we needed to hear that.

Jake and Jess said...

Thanks Jamy - (Jake here).

I think the point of the article, personally, is less about finger pointing and more about cultural-problem pointing.

As a Christian culture wee will spend billions of dollars on buildings, sounds systems, lights and programs, as well as millions on legal battles to keep the Ten Commandments on a bolder in a courthouse lawn, but we won't spend our lives on an innocent human life that just needs a family.

That is a culture problem.

We spend millions on things at churches that MIGHT reach out to someone and affect them, but we won't do something to place a life in our home that we WILL impact with our time and love.

That is a culture problem, and it is (and it has been for quite a while) time for "the people" to stand up and do something.

The question is... will it happen?

Robin said...

Another quote from the missionary book that I'm reading "Africa's Soul Hope: the AIDS crisis and the church" by Ellen Decker

We can ask, "What would Jesus do?" or "What would John Wesley do?" or even "What is the Church doing? But the ultimate spiritual question is, "What will I do?"

This can apply to many social problems...