Caring for orphans

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:27.

When we were in South Africa, Dave and I were blessed to be able to visit iZulu Orphan Projects. We spent over an hour there, and learnt a lot. We have become increasingly convicted that God wants us to care for orphans, especially since there are so many in Dave's country of origin.

Here are some of the reasons why we were impressed this project, and feel confident that it is worth supporting . . .

• Chadd and Kate Bain live amongst the people they are working with. Chadd lived there as a child as well, and speaks fluent Zulu. They have given up their whole lives to serve needy local people. Chadd's testimony of the way God turned him from trying to get away from South Africa to England and convicted him of his responsibilities to the poor is wonderful!
  
• The initiatives they have come up with include plans to help the people become more self-sufficient, rather than dependent on them.
• The project is very well organised, with a number and information written down for each of the 550 orphans who live within a few kilometres of them.
• Most importantly, this is not just a charity. Kate and Chadd are actively spreading the gospel. They are members of the Gideons and distribute Bibles in Zulu. They also encourage everyone to come to a church service on their property once a month.

My only concern with iZulu Orphan Projects is that Chadd and Kate Bain may be taking on too much! They have the support of a local church, but may need more practical assistance. This is a 24/7 work, with people contacting them at all hours. We're praying they'll get enough rest and support!

I have spent most of my life so far ignoring my responsibility to care for orphans. If you are like me, why not consider supporting this project? I was shocked to hear just how many orphans there are, and the needs they have. In some cases, one young woman is caring for all her dead siblings children. In other cases, a HIV positive grandma may be caring for many children - some of whom may also be sick with HIV.

While I believe that we can question how much attention Christians should pay to relative poverty, which is calculated on the basis of how people compare to others rather than whether or not their basic needs are met, there are some things the Bible makes clear. If we want to live out pure religion, we must care about orphans and widows.

The link to iZulu Orphan Projects is not working for some reason! You can type in the address and it will work: www.izuluorphanprojects.co.za/

Here are a couple more links, which may work!

A charity site gives an overview and contact details for iZulu Orphan Projects.
You can also read the iZulu Orphan Projects blog.