Children Grow Best in Families
The family is the most important source of love, attention, emotional support, material sustenance, and moral guidance in a child's life. Family is the context where we learn about and act out Christ's "Father love" for His children. It is no accident of design that we desire to live life in a family setting.
"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows is God in His holy dwelling.
God sets the lonely in families."
(Psalm 68:6-7)
A common thread that runs through Africa's diverse cultures is that of extended family members stepping in to provide orphans with a nurturing home and a family, which children need in order to grow into healthy adults. Given the scale and scope of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, it is remarkable that most of the children who have been orphaned continue to be cared for by family.
It is estimated that well over 90% of orphaned children in Sub-Saharan Africa are cared for by extended family members or by other families in their communities. Resources, meager to begin with, are being stretched to the limit and families living in poverty are struggling to provide. These caregivers include a surviving parent (an orphan is a child who has lost one or both parents), grandmothers, aunts and uncles, older siblings, neighbors, and church members or pastors who act as "foster" parents.
The daily life and close relationships within these families lay the foundation for a child's social and emotional development, self-image, and sense of belonging. As children interact with members of their households, their local church, and the wider community, they absorb patterns and values of their culture and develop the language, custom, and skills they will need in their adult lives.
Programs that ease the burden on families caring for orphans and vulnerable children - such as home-based care for the sick, daycare services, and support groups - reduce the risk that children will be neglected, abandoned, or placed in an orphanage.
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"I have recommended From Faith to Action to many people who wonder where to begin in responding to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children. This document highlights the importance of partnering with grassroots, faith-based organizations that are committed to family care. From Faith to Action cuts through the misconceptions that often surround this issue and presents important principles in a clear, concise format."
Lynne Hybels, Willow Creek Community Church
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