Strengthening Families

The orphan care crisis in Africa is not going away. Extended families are and will continue to be on the front lines providing care for children who have lost their parents. As these families are members of Christian congregations all over Kenya, the church plays a powerful role in reaching out to orphans and other children in vulnerable situations. Many have responded to this call. Christians in the United States and around the world have extended hands of mercy in the name of Christ to these children in desperate need.

Imagine your family, your church, and your community. Imagine you have young children. Now imagine what happens to them if you die. Chances are, you have a family member in mind that you know would care for them. You could be thinking of a grandmother, aunt, uncle, or even cousin. Your extended family and friends would join hands to help provide care for your children. But what if your extended family members have no resources to feed and educate your child? They find hope that there are hundreds of organizations attempting to help. But there is a problem; imagine that one of the only ways your child can get assistance is if he or she is taken to an orphanage.

As a caregiver and family member, you are now faced with a dilemma. Do you give your child away so that they can be fed properly? Do you give your child away so that they can receive an education? Unfortunately, this is a decision too many families are forced to make in Sub-Saharan Africa. Millions of dollars are spent on orphan care programs, but little reaches the families who are doing the bulk of the work. Research demonstrates that over 90% of orphans are being cared for by extended family members. These extended family members are said to have created a “safety net” for children who have lost their parents. Our programs and efforts focus on strengthening families to care for orphaned children.

Now imagine that there is an organization who is willing to work with you and support you. Imagine that they understand that you love your child and are doing your best to care for them. Imagine that they are willing to provide assistance with food, medical care, and schooling. Christians responding to this crisis have a choice to make. Do we help families take care of the children, or do we help the children and leave the families? Do we strengthen the safety-net provided by extended family members, or do we pursue practices that weaken it? Despite what may seem to be the obvious answer, hundreds of well-intentioned programs and practices weaken families instead of strengthening them and tear holes where patches are needed.

The Biblical mandate to care for orphans is very clear. We are told in Isaiah 1:17 to “Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”  Since Compassionate Social Care Ministries was founded, we have tirelessly devoted ourselves to taking up the cause of the fatherless. We thank everyone who has decided to partner with us in this mission! Your gifts have allowed us to partner with loving families who have decided to stretch their already meager resources to care for orphans in need. These everyday heros need to be strengthened, not weakened; supported, not alienated.

We imagine orphans everywhere being taken in and cared for by extended families. We imagine churches encouraging their members and sharing their resources to care for children in need. We imagine an attitude which says “orphan care starts with me,” not the orphanage down the road. We imagine what we would want for our own children, and respond accordingly. Our belief is simple; children belong in families. This belief is at the foundation of our programs.

Imagine your family, your church, and your community. Imagine your impact if you partnered with us.