Love = Change.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. {James 1:27}

The Chapman family are my role models. Mary Beth Chapman's book, Choosing to See, is my favorite book to this day. I completely love their whole family.

The work they have done for orphans on the 3.5 years since their sweet daughter, Maria, died is amazing.

Show Hope and Reece's Rainbow are my 2 favorite orphan organizations/ministries.

I don't have a lot of resources. I don't do a lot. but I do SOMETHING, and that little something I can do for these orphans makes a difference.

There are 147 orphans in this world. If there is anything God has laid heavily on my heart in 2011, it would be orphans. I've fallen in love with I don't even know how many kids that live half way across the world {without a mom & dad}.

I really "fell hard" for orphans, especially special needs orphans, because without us, they really have no hope. They are forced to live in orphanages for the rest of their lives with no one to love them.

I think their potential is way overlooked. I don't know why parents give up their kids, but I know that just because their biological parents don't want them, doesn't mean they are unwanted.

Orphans have SO MUCH potential. I can't wait to see the day when a former orphan is elected president. I mean, with 147+ million of them, it's bound to happen some day.

I'll leave you off with James 1:27 again, this time translated to The Message:

Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world. 

REAL religion, real religion that is up to God's standards involves loving and caring for the orphans of this world. Slowly, as more people understand this, change will start to happen. Changing the world isn't as intimidating or hard as it may seem. All it takes is to love a child who isn't blessed with a family.

Love is the key to changing an orphan's world.

Blessings!

Sydney