Orphan Calling by Jessica Johnson

Orphan Calling A Biblical and Comprehensive Guide to Orphan Care

by Jessica L. Johnson

TAble of Contents Lesson 1

What Do You Know?

Lesson 2 What Does The Bible Say?

Lesson 3 Who Is An Orphan?

Lesson 4 What’s Wrong With Orphanages?

Lesson 5 Why Do We Build So Many Orphanages?

lesson 6 If Not Orphanages, Then What?

lesson 7

lesson 8

lesson 9 Who’s Doing Community-Based Care Well?

lesson 10 What Are My Next Steps?

Small Group Guide

Footnotes

What do you know? Lesson 1

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress. ~James 1:27

as a follower of christ

you believe you must

the

do something

to help rescue

the orphans in africa But what should you do?

Should you Go? Should you raise Money? who should you give the money to?

who are orphans & what is their reality?

what are the available options for orphan care?

what caused children to become orphans?

Which of these options is in the best interest of the child?

what does the bible say about orphans?

How do you know?

What do you Know? Before you discover the answers to the questions, it's important to begin with what you know.because what you know determines what you do. As Christians, our first response should be to turn to scripture. So, that is where we will start.

What led you to feel personally called to care for orphans in Africa?

as we move from the orphan in Scripture to the reality of the orphan today, reflect on the following questions. How would you de

Now

your bes

Based on your definition, imagine an individual orphan. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s say that his name is joseph, he is 4 years old and lives in Malawi. Draw joseph and how you picture his current reality. Feel free to include his surroundings and words that describe him.

picture Joseph a few years later after he has been cared for by you or the people you decide to support financially. Draw how you would picture his new reality. include his surroundings and words that describe him.

Now that you have a picture in mind of an individual orphan and the impact you can make in his life. Imagine how you would achieve would you do or build? Where would you build it? How many orphans would your ministry help? Etc. Draw your vision!

If you are like the majority of Bible-Believing Christians in america, you probably pictured joseph like this:

d use And rds wo h as: suc

s ta r v i n g HIV P ositi ve re je ct ed

scue e r f o d in nee Abused

s t i g m at i z e

loved

accepted edu

6 hea lthy

c at

ha pp y

used And s word as: such

fed

Your jose second p p some h might icture o thin h g lik ave loo f ked e th is:

a few years later

v u l n e rab l e

isolated

While there are orphans in Malawi and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa that

ue c s e r

When you envisioned how you would impact the life of Joseph and other Malawian orphans, you may have pictured building something like this

REFLECTION

; t h g i r o d o ice. t n r Lea eek just ressed. erless; s h e o p p f at h . e idow t h t d n f Defe cause o of the w e case 7 h t p u 1 : e 1 e h k t h a T plead Isaia

What

does the bible say? Lesson 2 Before we enter into the definition of orphans and research on orphan care, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s begin again with Scripture. Read through the following verses and then write down your observations on the following page.

Exodus 22:22

Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.

Deuteronomy 10:18

[God] executes ju ce for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing.

Deuteronomy 24:17

Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of jus widow as a pledge.

or take the cloak of the

Psalm 68:5

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

Psalm 82:3

Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.

Psalm 146:9

The LORD watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

Jeremiah 22:3

This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Zechariah 7:10

Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.

James 1:27

Pure and unde ed religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Write down what you observed while reading through the scriptures on orphans:

hopefully what you observed was that the orphans and fatherless were always found in conjunction with widows, the poor, or the foreigner.

Scriptural Background In the Old Testament, the father was the head of the household. If he died unexpectedly, his widow and orphaned children were in danger of losing legal daily provisions. When a father died, it was the responsibility of the larger community to care for the widow and orphans. 1

WHY WAS IT SO DEVASTATING TO 2 LOSE A PARENT IN THE OT? it was the responsibility of the parents to and train their children so that they 1. cultural identity nurture understood what it meant to be an Israelite. parents socialized their children into appropriate roles and trained them 2. socialization & preparation their in the skills they would need to survive parents instructed them in the worship of 3. Religious instruction Yahweh and were the model of life and 10 worship.

In the old testament,

The Israelite community was responsible for including the orphan and widow in religious and other aspects of cultural life. 4

the call

to do justice

and compassion

for the

widows

&orphans

Religious feasts

is echoed throughout israel's history.

Families and towns were to facilitate and welcome the involvement of the orphans in their midst at the religious feasts. These celebrations were annual reminders of Israel's unique corporate identity in the world, and the orphan was not to be cut off from this special privilege.

a demand from YAHWEH to reflect his character. It is

in James 1:27

What about In the nt, the new testament? caring for

â&#x20AC;&#x153;orphans and widowsâ&#x20AC;? are understood as a unit, not as separate groups. For the New Testament church, they would have seen the link between what James was saying and the Old Testament mandate to care for the widows and orphans. 6

the orphan and widow was evidence of belief in Christ. 11

Just as the early church related James' words back to God's heart for the poor and marginalized in the Old testament, we need to connect James 1:27 to god's overall mission. God’s mandate to bring the orphan and widow into society is just one aspect of his mission of redemption seen throughout scripture. Before we zoom into the issue of orphanhood today, let’s step back and be reminded of Scripture’s Grand Narrative and our role within it.

part 2

what does the bible say?

God’s mission of reconciliation 1. creation There was perfect h a r m o n y be t w e e n : Man & God Man & Self Man & Others M a n & C r e at i o n 12

In the beginning God created the Heavens and the earth…

shalom

2. the fall

sin ...…tainted every aspect of God’s good creation.

In Genesis 3, Sin entered the world and… ..

Where there used t o be h a r m o n y , there is now a l i e n at i o n be t w e e n : Man & God Man & Self Man & Others M a n & C r e at i o n

3. reconciliation In Genesis 12, God decides to build a nation out of one man so that this nation could participate in his mission through being a blessing to all people.But… at the end of the Old Testament, we see that Israel failed to accomplish God’s mission.

already, but not yet kingdom

brokenness sin So, God sends his son to be the ultimate act of redemption through his life, death, and resurrection.When Christ returns, God’s mission will be fully realized and all things will be set right again. But, Christ has not yet returned…

4. restoration/ redemption

When Christ returns, God’s Kingdom will be fully established and creation will be made new.

He Perfect harmony will wipe every w i l l be r e s t o r e d tear from their eyes. be t w e e n : There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, Man & God for the old order of things has Man & Self passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, M a n & O t h e r s “I am making everything new!”

shalom restored

M a n & C r e at i o n

the day when Christ returns and we can move from living in an already but not yet kingdom and into God’s fully that day comes, what are we called to do?

We are called to continue the mission of God’s people to be a blessing to the world. We become a blessing to the world when we accept our roles as peacemakers, seeking to provide the world with glimpses of Shalom. (Shalom=the ‘already parts’ of the ‘already but not yet’ kingdom)

When we love our enemies, we reveal God’s Kingdom. When we help the poor, we reveal God’s Kingdom. When we protect the rights of the vulnerable, we reveal God’s Kingdom. When we care for the orphan and widow, we reveal God’s Kingdom.

sin

glimpses of shalom

mission is to work to establish Shalom as we We are to be shalom-makers,

As we reveal God’s Kingdom in our sin stained world, we can invite non-believers into the Kingdom so that they can fulfill their role as a blessing to the world. ke a a t s let’ r look e clos biblical e at th ning of mea lom sha

“Within the biblical story, the

Shalom, a

So,

how does all of this relate back to orphan care?

In the West, we value the individual. This is in how we understand the gospel and how we tend to view 16 orphan

consider the following:

& God’s mission of redemption is about redeeming all of creation, not just individuals. Our role in establishing shalom refers to all aspects of our fallen world, not just individuals.

orphan care should involve the restoration of not only the orphan, but their family, communi ty, and environm ent. “Believe that Jesus died Think about how you would share the gospel. would it sound something like this?

your sins and ask him into your heart so that in heaven with him.”

while this gospel is true it is incomplete.

Jesus never explained the gospel in this way. For Jesus, the good news was always linked to the kingdom.

Jesus said, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God...for i was Just as Jesus’ life sent for this purpose." revealed the kingdom, Luke 4:43

when we bless others we reveal glimpses of the kingdom. This gives us the perfect opportunity to present the gospel to those we bless.

Therefore, our gospel presentation should include the kingdom

“When you believe in Jesus and submit to his lordship, you enter into his kingdom. You

Now, let's look at how we can apply this kingdom perspective to how we approach orphan care.

but not yet kingdom, are commissioned by God to be a blessing to the world and expand God’s kingdom by through belief in Jesus.”

kingdom of God

Jesus

kingdom of God Me

& Jesus

Kingdom Citizens all live for the same purpose: to bless others and expand the kingdom

church family

"orphan"

An individualistic understanding of “orphans” leads to

neighbors

"orphan" grandma

teachers

Uncle aunt cousins

A communal understanding of “orphans” leads to Removing the “orphan” and placing them into some form of residential care.

Strengthening the relationships the “orphan” has with the various members of the community

REFLECTION heart and design for orphan care?

Take a moment to draw a biblical picture of orphan care

who is an orphan? Lesson 3

categories of Orphans

Double Orphan

A child who has lost both Parents

Single Orphan

A child who has lost only one Parent

Social/ Destitute

In Chichewa, malawi's official language, the word translated as orphan,

ana amasiye,

A child living in extreme poverty whose

is derogatory.it refers to someone

who is disconnected, isolated, and with no one claiming ties or responsibilities for their care and well-being.

a situation that is

child care

Unaccompanied

A child separated from their parents during war or natural disaster

abandoned

a parent or caregiver, usually in a public place

relatively rare

the Vast majority of orphans in Africa live with relatives

of orphans in rural tanzania are taken care of by relatives

of Zimbabwe's orphans are living in a family setting

85%

Why?

If the majority of orphans have parents or relatives that can care for them,

Why are they in Orphanages?

of children living in orphanages 5

Push factors

Push & Pull Factors

Po ve r ty

Un em p lo ym en t fa m il ia l st r es s In t ra - F a m il y Abuse

care as a survival strategy, responding to both push and Pull factors

Residential Care

r e t t B e ood

F 6 sing hou lthcare H e a u c at i o n ort e d ial Supp M at e

Pul l fac tor s

Other Factors

for why Children find themselves in residential care

Urbanization War & disaster HIV/AIDS

abuse

There are instances where children are not in safe families and some form of non-family based care is necessar 10 7

Urbanization As more & more people move to es for jobs, child abandonment is becoming a

War & Disaster

Orphanages and other forms of re ly in response to the amount of children separated from families due t natural disasters These orphanages open their doors to children orphaned by war and children whose families cannot care for them due to poverty caused by the war or 8 disas

es this is because families lack the support of their extended families and es that they had in their rural villages 7

Disability Physically & ly disabled children are placed in orphanages due to the common belief that es are evidence of a curse on the family or the lack of knowledge of how to care for a child 8 es

HIV/AIDS

The HIV/AIDS pandemic causes millions of children to become double and single orphans families lack the resources needed to care f many orphanages are built ly for children with HIV/AIDS are placed because parents assume they cannot care 9 f

Poverty

Poverty is the driving force behind children being placed in orphanages

ABUSE Disability

In the poorest

es, orphanges respond to poverty and lack of services, not lack of family 12

Poverty 11

REFLECTION List your new insights about who an orphan is and how

What is wrong with orphanages? Lesson 4

rue t a ot n t is no d t l i chi , is n a a n if orph e v â&#x20AC;&#x153;E ble u ed do d i v pro e ar y e th ng, i e r h e lot c wh , e car od?â&#x20AC;? h lt fo hea and

Ev e c h los ild n w t b re h e ot n h n h p av a re e nt s,

Let's take a closer look at residentia l care 25

When you envisioned your orphanage at the beginning of the study, you may have pictured a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s village

childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s village

communitybased care

There are typically

Traditional Orphanage 26

Effects of residential care While not all forms of residential care are the same, the effects are similar.

children that have grown up with a succession of temporary caregivers might be exploited.â&#x20AC;?

attachment disorder overcrowding limited contact with family members stigmatization in community lack of preparation for the future 2

Children's villages

have become the most

Popular response to the

orphan Crisis.

Why is residential care Not a Good option for Children? Isolation from community & culture

There is no doubt that a child placed in a

Jealousy

Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Village

orphanage or even in their own community. So,

Why is it not in the best interest of the child to live there?

Dependency

difficulty reintigrating back into society

Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Villages OUr Best Intentions Often have negative unintended Consequenses 4

Isolation

" I p re

fe r s t

ay i n g

children completely isolated from

jealousy

h e re

than

i n my

children to visit their families on 11

return home they face issues such as 7

Many children coming out of the

Dependency

â&#x20AC;&#x153;have learned from their life 8

reintigration 9

A "Graduated Orphan" from a Children's village in Malawi

Unintended Consequences

of Residential care on families, communities, and governments

1. families Orphanages encourage families to give up their children.

2. communities Orphanages draw resources away from communities. Uganda Tanzania

10x

Zimbabwe

14x more expensive 14x

0 10x Cost of residential care vs. Community-based Care 14

3. Governments Orphanages give Governments a Way Out.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;If a g overn me

nt kno ws tha t

REFLECTION What surprises have you discovered in this lesson?

why

do we build orphanages? Lesson 5

What makes Christians want to build orphanages?

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in our blood. 1

Western christian worldview

When an American sees pictures of or meets an orphan in person, we have a deep desire to â&#x20AC;&#x153;saveâ&#x20AC;? or

guidance of God. We are taught that through faith in 5

shock, or concern. 6

unaware of options

serve orphans. 8

Perceived Donor desires

Orphanages and, more recently, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s villages meet the perceived desires of donors and churches.

What Donors and Churches Desire

What Orphanages provide Donors and Churches

1. Seeing something that

person and to send a short-term team they can see the impact of

photo opportunity that they are making a

â&#x20AC;&#x153;When good-hearted extraordinary need in Africa, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not uncommon for them 9

REFLECTION Americans desire to build orphanages? Why or why not?

What genuine reasons are evident? Were there any misguided reasons that you saw?

Which of the 4 reasons would you like to see changed in mind that could achieve this change?

If Not orphanages, then what? Lesson 6

Building More orphanages is not a healthy solution for africa's orphan crisis. However, You may be thinking,

â&#x20AC;&#x153;If not orphanages, then what?â&#x20AC;?

The answer to that question is

CommunityBased Care!

World Vision defines

Community based care as "alternatives to institutional care,

encompassing alternative efforts

To avoid an Institutional atmosphere & move Toward

FAmily Care That is monitored & supported by the surrounding community" 1

in each community and for each child, there are

ChildHeaded Household

Kinship Care

Group homes

Foster Care

Family Support and Strengthening

Each of the methods listed above can be an

Create your own hierarchy of care by ranking each approach, #1 being the most important.

Hierarchy of Care

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Compare your Ranking with World Vision's Hierarchy of Care: Family Support and Strengthening

Kinship Care

Foster Care Child-Headed Household

Group homes

How did you do?

Preventative Community-Based Care Family Strengthening and Support Do you remember Joseph from Lesson 1? Imagine that you had met Joseph when you

parents did not have the money to

Defining Family Strengthening is all about keeping children in their Family Strengthening & Support

There are two types of prevention:

developmental & responsive Developmental Prevention Responsive Prevention

Examples:

Simply put, family strengthening can be defined as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a range of measures (or approaches) to ensure the support of children and families in the community.â&#x20AC;? What developmental and responsive approaches would have 39 strengthened and supported Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family?

Non-Preventative Community-Based Care Kinship Care

family based, within the child’s extended family or with close friends of the family known to the child.” 6

Kinship Care

includes: aunts, uncles, grandparents, members of their tribe, godparents, step-parents, or any adult who has a kinship bond with the child.

Foster Care Family reunification

most prevalent and most indigenous model of alternative care throughout the world.7

the culture.” Foster care can be both informal and formal:

Informal

refers to “any private arrangement provided in a family environment, whereby the child is

is the end goal of

foster care

Kinship Care is the

their parents, or other persons.” 9

Formal

refers to “arrangements that have been ordered or authorized by a body or judicial authority. It usually involves an assessment of the suitability of the family for the child and possibly the provision of some and monitoring.” 10

Childheaded household

The

Group homes 13

group homes Reflection

A better approach to orphan care

through Community-Based Care. Community-Based Care

What about

adoption?

Ugandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s alternative care framework

1st Response: 2nd Response: 3rd Response: 4th Response: 5th Response: 6th Response: Keep families Emergency reunification Foster Domestic international and kinship together care care adoption adoption care

Domestic adoption 16

int'l adoption 17

REFLECTION 4

What are the best practices? Lesson 7

Now that you have been introduced to Community-Based Care and

edge l w o ed Kn t i m i act. L p m i ited dge. m e i l l w = r kno u o y d act. p expan m i r d you n a p ex

Best Practices Community-Based Care takes on many forms, but no matter what approach you take there are parameters that should be followed.

1. always start with families

2. create a nurturing family environment

3. poverty is not a sufficient reason to remove a child from their family

4.every decision should be based on the best interest of the child

“Scripture, common sense, and years of academic research are all in agreement on this fundamental truth: children grow best in families... The best and most important way for the Church to respond to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children is to strengthen families to provide for 1 their care.”

Every child deserves to grow up in a family. If a child has lost their be made to place the child in a stable, nurturing family environment.2

Financial and material poverty should never be the only reason for removing a child from their family. It should also never be the reason 3

On the next page

According to the UN Guidelines, “All decisions should be made on a caseby-case basis...and must be grounded in the best interests and rights of the 4 child.”

chart which shows the various responses to the root causes

beginning with their

Responses to the root causes of orphans and vulnerable children 3rd option: domestic adoption

1st option: Family

Family strengthening t

co spe prov u ci i senselaliz de rv in ae ice g o d s r

Ye ional Has the nsit child tra experienced abuse or trauma

Is it currently safe for the child to live with their parent?

Yes

Residential care Children's village

y in y onlrgencns o emietuati s

Yes 1stonse p e rs

Group Home

Foster Care

of form m Anyng-terl care lo tiona be an itu ot insthould ntion s Op

Does the Child have a parent?

Yes

ing go ent t n o m r th ss po wi sse sup a nd a

a be ry ld ra n ou po io shtem olut s

Family reunification

IF thaes in w childidential res care

y in y onlrgencns o e emituati s

Domestic Adoption

4th option: adoption transition Intâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l (via foster care) the child into a permanent family

Is there a family in the childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s community or country who can care for the child?

Does the child have an extended family member who can care for them?

Yes

g oinnt g on me ort th essupp i s w s s a nd a

an ion gh opt u ro ad y thical enc h g et a

International Adoption a as rt ly Reso n O st la

g in go nt t on sme or th s pp wi sse su a nd a

2nd option: kinship care

Foster Care Kinship Care

When it is safe, transition the child back to their family

(via foster care)

Kinship Care

st be nse d o 2nesp R

comhro supmunugh por ity t

com with supmpunity ort

Key

War/ Disaster

Poverty disability

HIV/AIDS urbanization

root causes of orphans/ vulnerable children traditional western response to root causes of vulnerability Alternative care options for vulnerable children

Best Practices Continued: . 5. The child should be a part of the decision making process

6. Make every effort to keep the child in their own culture and community

When a child is unable to remain in their family, it is important to

without fully understanding why, or without being given a chance to 5

it is important for them to remain in familiar surroundings and keep

7. siblings should be kept together 8. Avoid any potential for discrimination/ stigmatization

9. incorporate Community-Based care into community development

community members regardless of their ethnicity, HIV/AIDS status,

knowledge and ability to care for the most vulnerable individuals 9

Best Practices Continued: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Serious concerns have been raised in some countries that new, 10. Ensure that external support does not undermine community initiative and motivation

REFLECTION Did any of the guidelines surprise you? Which guidelines, if any, do you have

best practices for alternative care

When remaining in their family is not an option and alternative care is needed, there is another set of Best Practices that should be followed.

1. Formalize the care

2. Provide support for caregivers 12

3. mobilize the community and recruit local families

Alternative care Best Practices Continued: 4. Focus on reunification or full integration 14

5. Develop gatekeeping policies

is the term used to describe the process of assessment and planning of childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs and circumstances which should precede 14

REFLECTION

REFLECTION cont. Limited Knowledge = limited impact. expand your kn owledge. expand your imp act.

At the beginning of this lesson, it was stated that you will gain the tools you need to expand your knowledge of how to do orphan care well. Combine your new knowledge care and redraw (or describe) how you see yourself engaging in community-based care.

How does your new vision compare with your drawing of a biblical orphan care model from Lesson 2? How does it compare to your original vision for orphan care in Lesson 1?

Are

orphanages

ever an Option? Lesson 8

included, it would need to look something like this:

Hierarchy of Care:

Approaches to OVC Care

Family Support and Strengthening

Kinship Care

Foster Care Child-Headed Household

Children's Village

orphanage

approaches that should

Group home

Orphanages and childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s villages should be used when... 4

Family member Foster Care 2

Children's/ babies' home

An emergency situation is one scenario when residential care is an appropriate response. Listed below are other instances in which residential care is in the best interest of the child.

1. 3

2. 3.

4. 6

5. 7

Even though Residential care is sometimes a necessary part of caring for Orphans and vulnerable children, it should never be a permanent solution and certain guidelines must be followed.

Residential care guidelines

3. 4. 5.

*1992 2009 2013 1.3 million 1.9 million ‘orphans’ ‘orphans’

While there are orphanages, children’s

2.85 million ‘orphans’

that abide by the guidelines, the majority do

2,900 40,000 50,000 1. 14

212 child care institutions

800 child care institutions

the above guidelines.

2. that provide poor quality care. 3. resource centers that include community16

based daycare, counseling,

What about children who are already living in orphanages and childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s villages?

So, what are we to do? There are 4 options for children currently living in residential care

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revisit Joseph who is living in an orphanage in malawi even though both of his parents are still living. what is in the best interest of Joseph? Which of the four options applies to his situation?

Just as with the community-based care approaches, there are best practices that must be followed in order for a successful transition out of residential care .

REFLECTION

Application

Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doing

Community-Based care Well? Lesson 9 Community-Based Care is not easy, but it is possible. Thankfully, if we do feel called to care for orphans and vulnerable children, we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to children through community-based care. In Lesson 6, you were introduced

work together.

Alternative Care framework 1st Response: 2nd Response: 3rd Response: 4th Response: 5th Response: 6th Response: Keep families Emergency reunification Foster Domestic international and kinship together care care adoption adoption care 4

Prevent separation Family Strengthening

Abide family center

“Since opening its doors in 2013, Abide Family Center has provided services to vulnerable families. The and learning facility by providing caregivers the tools necessary to move toward independence.” 1

1. Case management by trained social workers for a maximum of three months 4. Business classes for care givers with 5. Small grants for business class graduates

givers currently in our programs

“At Abide we believe that God designed us to grow and develop in families and communities. It is our greatest desire to see every child given the chance to grow up in a loving family, where they can be shown what it means to be valued. We also believe that every parent deserves the chance to prove they are able to care for their children and all efforts should be exhausted before 2 taking a child away from their family.”

transitional Children's and Baby homes

Malaika babies home

care center in Mengo, for babies aged because children stay only as long as a suitable family home is found for them to move on to. We believe that every child has the right to grow up in a loving family environment. 3

Malaika Babies Home provides emergency care by: Taking in children who have been abandoned or are in need of life-saving emergency care. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Children come to us from many backgrounds, usually malnourished and ill, and our well trained carers work closely with them to help undo physical damage caused by up to 4 babies, which allows them to form a special bond with each child individually, raising them as they would their own.â&#x20AC;? 4

tracing birth families

Child’s i foundation

“We provide short term life-saving care for children, trace their extended families and reunite them. If no family members are found, do this within six months - any longer than that in care can cause irreversible damage to a child.” 6

of children referred to our care. Social Workers place radio announcements and newspaper adverts and conduct children are found. In over 60% cases our social work team trace the extended families.We work closely with the police the family can meet the child’s needs,the children are re-united with their families.Once a child is placed in the families,our 8

“Once the families have been traced, our social workers work assessments of the families where the children are being

64 child and reparing them to receive the child.”

“We believe in social work. Good social work is the difference between a child growing up in an orphanage and growing up in a loving family. So we want to spread best 10 practice in social work.”

Recruiting, Training, and monitoring

Childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s i foundation Foster care takes on two forms: 1. As a temporary home for a child who will be reunited with their families. 10

"We encourage Ugandan4

Ugandans Adopt

Educating and recruiting 12

The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Act of Uganda

implementing ethical guidelines &processes

International adoption. 16

Other Organizations doing community-based care well Uganda is not the only country working to implement community-based care. This is in no way an extensive list. Take a moment to research the websites of a few

Noonday

Ekisa Ministries

31 Bits

Bright Hope

Reunite Uganda Individuals about Community-Based Care

REFLECTION

No Ordinary Love Ministries

What

are my next steps? Lesson 10 Congratulations!

Consider your Current Circumstances

Are you married?

Do you have a family?

Do you have a good job?

Do you have a house? a Car?

Do you still feel called to care for children in africa?

Does this describe you? N o . If esetli l l

called

Yes,that is me!

Write out your mission:

Create a master plan! Now that you have an end goal in sight, the next step is discerning how to accomplish your mission. Thankfully, you don’t have to go in God to direct you in what to do with it.

Don't reinvent the wheel

orphans. Look to those people who have gone before you. Based on your newly

make sure you are pursuing communitybased care

Do not build another orphanage or children’s village. Take what you have learned

Conduct a needs assessment

care for, it is important to discover what the actual needs are. Every village,

Discern how to meet these needs

assets.

community, family, or child, you need a plan in order to help meet those needs. Work with the community to come up with a plan. Don’t forget to include the children in on the discussion. Remember that in community-based care, you are not the hero. Take a back seat, and let the community lead the way. Discover ways It is important to know whether what you are doing is making the impact you

Determine a way to measure your effectiveness

them. Lay your pride aside and ignore the desires of your donors in order to pursue the best interest of the children.

Brainstorming Use this space to begin brainstorming where God is leading you in your call to care

Mission Statement:

You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to start an organization in order to make an impact on orphans and vulnerable children So, What can you do?

1. support You have been introduced to several organizations

2. educate In many ways you are now an expert

3. offer your skills You may not have the right skills to start an organization,

You have decided

Y by o u b e re s d o i n g i n e a g yo r ask ch a ur ing nd

that you want to support an organization that is already serving children & families through communitybased care, but how do you know what organization to

support?

Does their mission & vision include keeping families together?

Do their beliefs align with yours?

What methods do they use to achieve this vision?

Do they hire locals and allow communities to be the heroes?

Do the methods they use align with the best practices?

Do they have a way to measure their effecitiveness?

Brainstorming

My Skills

possible orgs

Financially

skills training

Educate others about their work visit and offer encouragement

child sponsorship

Prayer

Advocate for them and their work other ____________

Children belong in families. Not orphanages. You can make an impact in the lives of

care. Everyone has a role to play. You just have to determine yours.

Small Group Discussion

L1: What Do you KNow?

discussion points: Sharing Question: 1. Share with the group why you feel called to care for orphans. (Mission Trip, Scripture, Book, etc)

The Orphan Crisis 1. What has been your understanding of the orphan crisis in Africa? What voices or ideas have 2. Do you think it is possible that your understanding could be incorrect or incomplete? 3. What words or images did you use to describe Joseph on page 4? Why did you decide on

Prayer Points 1. Pray for this small group, for openness to the voice of the Holy Spirit as you learn, pray, and act together. 3. Pray for a sense of shared mission with one another as your group works through a how to best care for orphans and vulnerable children in Africa.

Experience

impact an incorrect response to orphan care.

go Deeper

Small Group Discussion

L2: What Does the Bible Say?

discussion points: Sharing Question: Biblical orphan Care

Prayer Points

Experience

go Deeper

Small Group Discussion

L3: Wh0 is an orphan?

discussion points: Sharing Question: 1. Share with the group why you originally thought children ended up in orphanages?

Children in Residential Care 2. Share the new insights you wrote down on page 24. Do any of these new insights change

Prayer Points

children. to help families care for their children and only accept children who are truly orphaned or

Exercise

Exercise cont.

go Deeper

Small Group Discussion

L4: What is wrong with orphanages?

discussion points: Sharing Question: Unintended Consequences

Prayer Points

Exercise

Exercise cont.

Exercise cont. â&#x20AC;&#x153;[laughing] I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know if you have visited these typical, typical biological families here in Malawi. I wish maybe I could take you to my family so that maybe you could see my seeing me, the way you are looking at me here, you would not wish me to stay there. If

All but a handful of children at Miracles visit their mothers, grandmothers, aunts, important to note that although these children visit their families, not one child said they resources.

are seen as privileged because of their access to resources. As the assistant to the school

because they see these children have a lot of clothing, have a lot of bedding, having a lot of want to have their children come to Miracles even though they are not orphans. We even have some children in those villages that want to come to Miracles because they see their

Exercise cont. They say, “ah, I will pack your things, your bags for you.” And then when they are packing, they will remove some of the things and then the child will realize maybe when they are in the vehicle or when they are here at Miracles that things are missing. “Oh, my shoes are not there is just the one who was picked to come to the orphanage. And they are being kept here younger brother doesn’t have a blanket, bed sheets, or shoes. Then they will just give it to them.” Although all of the children in the sample were content to live at Miracles and preferred living of jealousy by members of the villages where they came from, as well as by people living in the [ALF] Do you prefer staying here or in your village (where you go on holiday)? “I prefer staying here than in my village because the community is jealous. When I go home for the holidays [the people in the community] always say, “Don’t buy clothes for him because he receives a lot of things at Miracles.” [ALF] When you graduate from here, where will you live {probe: back in your village?} “No, because people in our village are jealous. They will not be happy if they see me doing well. I am afraid that they may kill me.”

[ALF] What is it like to be called an orphan? “It’s not a proper word. I feel like since they are orphans and then calling them orphans, segregated and that’s not a good way of dealing with children.”

children enrolled at Miracles.

Exercise cont. 1. What unintended consequences are apparent in this case study? 2. What changes do you think need to take place at Miracles? 3. If you were the director of Miracles Orphanage and you read this report, what would your response be? Share your thoughts with the other groups.

go Deeper

Small Group Discussion

L5: Why do we build orphanages?

discussion points: Sharing Question: Why Christians build Orphanages

Prayer Points

Exercise

Exercise cont. A Buddhist monastery moved into the city beside yours, a few miles from your house. What if the monks knocked on your door one day, when the baby was crying because her belly was

sleep in at night. ****** But how’s a six year old girl to resist Buddhism while living in a monastery? And why should visits and spelling tests.

You are disappointed, angered even. You’ve been around long enough to know that kids will

“At least they won’t starve,” you tell yourself.

go Deeper

Small Group Discussion

L6: if not orphanages then what?

discussion points: Sharing Question: orphanages, then what?â&#x20AC;?

Alternative Care Options

Prayer Points 1. Pray for ministries involved in community-based care that they will be encouraged and

Exercise orphan care ministry that focuses on family strengthening. Your ministry was introduced to

Share your plan with the other groups.

go Deeper

Small Group Discussion

L7: What are the best Practices?

discussion points: Sharing Question: 1. Think back over the previous lessons. Share something that you have learned that has impacted your understanding about caring for orphans and vulnerable children.

Best Practices 2. Share your new vision for caring for orphans and vulnerable children that you drew on

Prayer Points 1. Pray for ministries involved in community-based orphan care that they would make a

Exercise

Scenario #1 Mary is 7 years old and lives in a small village in Zambia. She has two older brothers and a baby sister. Her mother died giving birth to her sister, but she and her siblings live with their are in school, but Mary has to stay home and care for her baby sister. An orphanage was just to live there so they can go to school. Scenario #2 physically abusive. A local church has been providing free meals for John and other street boys. John shared with the pastor that he missed his father and wanted to go home, but was unsure if his father would take him back.

Exercise cont. Scenario #3 Susan is 10 and lives in a rural town in Malawi. Her parents were recently involved in bus accident and died, leaving Susan and her two younger sisters alone. They have a grandmother that lives in their same town, but she is unable to care for three children on her own because of her age and Lilongwe. Susan’s neighbors had been caring for her and her sisters, but Susan wants to visit her aunt to see if she would care for Susan and her sisters. Scenario #4 died of an unknown disease, Blessing’s mother recently remarried. Blessing’s step-father recently began abusing her. Blessing did not feel safe at home. So, she sought out a local community leader for help. Blessing’s paternal grandparents live nearby, but she has not seen grandparent’s home. Scenario #5 Given is 5 months old and was found abandoned as a newborn in Kampala, Uganda. He was Scenario #6 Make up a scenario and share it with the other groups.

go Deeper

Small Group Discussion

L8: are orphanages ever an option?

discussion points: Sharing Question: Orphanages as a Last resort

Prayer Points

Exercise

go Deeper

Small Group Discussion

L9: Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doing communitybased care well?

discussion points: Sharing Question: community-based care or family strengthening and support?

organizations doing community-based care well

Prayer Points succesful and be supported and encouraged in their work.

Exercise

go Deeper

Small Group Discussion

L10: What are my next steps?

discussion points: Sharing Question: 1. Share with the group how your vision for orphan care has changed as you have worked through this guide.

Next Steps 2. Turn to the person next to you and share with them your mission statement on page 71.

Prayer Points

Exercise

go Deeper

What did the experts say? Lesson 2

Lesson 3

Footnotes

Footnotes Cont. Lesson 4

Lesson 5

Footnotes Cont. Lesson 6 1- Oswald, Elizabeth. Because We Care: Programming Guidance for Children Deprived of Parental Care. Monrovia, CA: World Vision. 2009. 8. 2- Ibid., 22. 3- Tolfree, Roofs and Roots, 151. 4- Ibid., 152.

8- Ibid., 8. 10- Ibid.

Lesson 7 3- Ibid., 3. 4- Ibid.

8- Ibid., 3. 9- Oswald, Because We Care, 12. 12- Ibid., 29. 13- Ibid., 35.

Footnotes Cont. Lesson 8