“Connecting Children in Need with Churches and Families Who CARE”

1. “Connecting Children in Need with Churches and Families Who CARE”

2. 2 There are over 145 million orphans in the world today. Every two seconds another child becomes an orphan. Some will receive shelter and support……. but most will not be so fortunate.

3. In the United States, there are over 500, 000 children in foster care. These children are our nation’s Modern-Day Orphans.

4. 4,500 children are in Louisiana’s foster care system. Many of these needy children are in our own back yards. 300 of these children are available for adoption, waiting for a forever family.

5. These are very real children who desperately need the love and hope that the family of God can provide.

6. Throughout scripture, God shares His love of the orphan and calls His people to join Him in bringing each orphan the love of Jesus Christ in both word and deed. “I tell you the truth…whatever you did for the least of these…you did for Me.” Matthew 25:40

7. Psalm 68:5-6a “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families…” James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans … in their distress…” Isaiah 1:17 “Learn to do good; seek justice….defend the orphan….”

8. In churches across our nation there is a renewed commitment to reclaim the church’s responsibilityto “be the helper of the orphan” (Psalm 10:14). In June 2009, the Southern Baptist Convention adopted a resolution on Orphan and Foster Care calling upon all our churches to pray and seek God’s leadership in developing ministries which provide love and care for the orphans of the world.

9. The Louisiana Baptist Foster & Adoption Network is committed to helping Louisiana Baptist churches and families answer God’s call to minister to orphans through Foster CareAdoption &Orphan Ministries

10. L FOSTER CARE “Foster care is a temporary service for children and their parents who must live apart because of child abuse, neglect or special family circumstances requiring the need for out-of-home care.” Louisiana Department of Children and Families 2011

11. There is a critical need in our state for families who are willing to open their hearts and homes to these children in crisis. Who better to meet this need than Christian families that can minister to these precious children’s physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

12. L B F A N

13. Prayer Support • Transportation • Baby Sitting • Foster Care • Ministries • Respite • Support Groups • Family & Parent Nights • Sponsorships • Special Ministry Partnerships

14. ADOPTION “Adoption is the method by law to establish the legal and social relationship of parents and children between persons who are not related by birth with the mutual rights and obligations that exist between children and their birth parents.” Louisiana Department of Children and Families 2011

15. L B F A N

16. Y O U R C H U R C H

17. ORPHAN CARE “Providing for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of orphans and waiting children” both at home and abroad. Hope for the Orphans 2009

18. L B F A N

19. Y OUR CHURCH

20. How will you be God’s hands and feet??? “ I will not leave you as orphans, but will come to you.” John 14:18 (NIV)

21. SCHEDULE AN EQUIPPING WORKSHOP Contact Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home & Family Ministries @ 318-343-2244 or Beth Green @318-307-2528 beth@lbch.org

22. THANK YOU! We pray that your church will network with us in ministering to hurting and needy children at home and throughout the world. “The unfortunate commits himself to you; you have been the helper of the orphan.” Psalm 10:14