Opening my eyes...
Posted by Amanda , Sunday, January 17, 2010 12:28 PM
Speaker: Janna Moats
Topic: Why We’re Here “A Framework for Action”
Summary of the Week
This week Janna covered so many different bases, ranging from the needs of a child, the rights of a child and the intentions that God has for children all over the world. We discussed the importance of each child and the responsibility we have to take care of them and speak up for them. We also took time to look at the different situations children at risk find themselves in and tried to figure out where our place was and what we felt God was calling us to focus on.
What I've Learned:
It’s only been the first week, but I already feel like I’ve learned so much. It has been really overwhelming going through all of the statistics about children and the problems we are facing in this world. I think one of the most impacting things for me this week has been to realize the amount of love and hope I need to go into these situations and help these kids. It’s so important to remember that each one of these kids was made in the image of God and each deserves the life God meant for them.
One thing we talked about in class that really stood out to me and brought a new change of perspective was about orphanages. Janna was saying how the point is not to get children in orphanages and take care of them there, but to place them with families that can love and take care of them and focus on their needs. Children need families, not orphanages or children’s homes. It was actually such a new concept for me, but it makes sense. The problem is not that these children’s extended families don’t want them, but that they do not have the money or resources to take care of them. Instead of spending the money and resources on the orphanage, we should be spending it on helping these families care for the children.
Another thing that stood out to me, although it wasn’t as new of a concept, was just that almost all of these problems with children and circumstances stem from poverty and the greed of people. Child labor, child prostitution, child starvation…these are all things that are caused by poverty and adults wanting money and power. What can we do to change this lust for greed in our society? How can we get people to value human life more than they value money?
Janna brought so many questions to my mind this week, some of those being: What can I do? Where is my passion? What is my focus? Another question that has been on my mind all week is just, “How can I have hope for these children, especially staring in the face of these horrible situations?” I’m so excited to see what I’m going to learn about myself, these children and what I can do to help within the next three months. I love that so many questions are coming to my mind because it’s really making me think about and look for solutions and what God’s heart is.
I know that after learning about the situations happening to children all over the world I can no longer turn my back on them. I absolutely have to do something.
Local Outreach
This week we had two different local outreaches. On Wednesday, we went to a place called Casa Viva which works with kids in the foster care system. We had orientation just to introduce us to what we will be doing the next 11 weeks. We will be picking up several foster care children each week and taking them back to Casa Viva where they can hang out with each other, with us and just have a break from their foster home.
On Friday we headed to downtown San Jose to visit some parks and pray for the problems happening in different areas. It was a good time of prayer and discussion, just realizing how many things happen in the city that are so hidden and praying that God would change people’s hearts. One of the biggest issues in San Jose is prostitution and we were just able to pray that people would start valuing human life and that God would bring to light the things that are happening in San Jose.
I feel like both of these outreaches are going to teach me a lot. This week was more about observing and listening, but you can learn quite a bit from doing that. Just talking about the foster care system really opened my eyes and made me think about how much it gets overlooked. There aren’t always people willing to work in the foster care system or to take the children in and most of the time brothers and sisters get split up. I think I will really enjoy getting to work with the kids there and I’m hoping it will give me a huge heart for kids in the foster care system and kids up for adoption.
Also, just going out observing and praying in downtown San Jose really impacted me. I think I realized how important it is to just take the time to observe and pray before doing anything. I felt like I saw downtown in a completely different way—instead of just looking at the surface, seeing the kids with their parents, the tourists wandering around, the teenagers skateboarding—I was looking at these people with new eyes. What was really going on beneath the surface? What happened after hours that no one saw? What was going on in their lives that was hidden from plain sight? I always want to pray that God will let me go into all situations with open eyes and open ears.
Websites to check out (click on the name to follow the link):
Tearfund-Tearfund is an organization that helps support ministries to children. Their website helps you get connected, find out what’s happening all over the world with children and different ministries and provides different resources to help you get involved and learn more.
The Urban Halo-This is an organization that works with orphans and the poor. Their website provides ways for you to get involved and serve, learn more about orphans and the problems surrounding them, as well as how to disciple and start your own projects.
