What a wondrous thought! God comforts us just as a good mother would.
Often, when I speak to elementary-aged children about the needs of orphans, the challenge is to help them imagine life without a parent. So I usually begin with the question, “What are some things your parents do for you?”
The answers vary from “Buy me clothes,” to “Teach me about Jesus” with nearly everything in between. Once the first few, brave children offer an insight, the hands start going up rapid-fire.
“Wash my laundry.”
“Cook my food.”
“Help me do my homework.”
“Put me to bed.”
“Buy me presents.”
After a few minutes, the list becomes quite lengthy. Parents have a lot of jobs!
I then try to help them imagine life without a parent, to envision having to figure out all those tasks on their own.
Today, I want you to do the opposite. I want you to imagine taking on this long list of responsibilities for any number of children you never met before.
Our house mothers are saints, in my book. I’ll stack their tireless efforts next to those of the Proverbs 31 woman any day. I have watched them cook over open fires, teach about prepositional phrases and square roots, and cry over teenaged challenges. More importantly, I have heard them cry out to God for the children they’ve chosen to take on.
As Mother’s Day approaches, I hope you are able to reflect on the sacrificial, nurturing love of a devoted mother. But as you remember her, would you do me a favor?
Please also remember, celebrate, and pray for these house mothers who live so sacrificially, that their needs would be met, their hearts would be full, and their children would rise up and call them “blessed.”
I can tell you with certainty that your prayers mean the world to them.
While you’re in prayer, please also remember the following:
1. Ask God to give The Boaz Project staff wisdom (and patience!) as they consider the timing of returning to international travel. We’re eager to see our partners and the children they’re raising, but want to do so in a wise and safe manner.
2. Ask God to intervene on behalf of one of our Indian homes that continues to receive extra scrutiny from the government.
3. Lift our Russian partners in prayer as we—together—prayerfully design some strategies for preventing children from ever entering the orphanage system.
4. Cover all of our Indian homes in extra prayer, as the Covid pandemic continues to ravage the nation.
5. Please lift the family of Eliud Karanja in prayer. Eliud was the warm and hospitable chairman of the board of trustees of the El Shaddai Children’s Center in Limuru, Kenya. He was hospitalized for Covid-19 and fought hard. He has entered heaven’s glory and received his reward, but has left a grieving wife, three sons, and two daughters behind.
6. Thank God for all of the resources He provides through our amazing community. Despite so many global challenges, children are in safe and loving homes where they’re introduced to their heavenly Father because of the sacrifices so many of you make.