WELCOME

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to write a quick update to let you all know that I am still alive & things are going well here! I’ve been super busy with getting settled back in, catching up on things that I couldn’t take care of the 3 months I was home, getting some new projects started, preparing the fields for planting beans, and we even had a visitor from the US already! I’ve been here for almost 2 months but it feels like I’ve only been here for 2 weeks! I haven't had much time to write blogs, but I hope to begin doing that in June after things slow down a bit!

I must admit that things aren’t quite the same without the 5 orphans who left at the end of last year, but it has been SUCH A JOY getting to know the 3 new orphans that arrived while I was gone. I will try to post some pictures and videos soon!

I’m so excited to report that, after much hard work, three of our fields are ready for planting! I’ve really enjoyed the process of it all, especially getting out into the fields with the rising sun and working alongside the children while they were on break… and there is something strangely satisfying about physical labor - blisters, sore muscles, and all! Most of all, I’m really thankful that God put it on the hearts of 5 people to lend us their cows and plows, along with a small group of men who joined with our workers & came and plowed every morning for several days. It’s hard work, and I’m certain God will reward them for their generosity toward these children.

In addition to preparing the farmland for beans, we have been working on a few projects. We dug out a new path for the community to use while passing the orphanage. Previously, the path was very close to the orphanage and we have had several issues with thieves stealing from the children’s windows. The new path is now at an appropriate distance, and we hope this means that the children will feel safer AND we won’t have to buy as many school uniforms this year! :o) We’ve also made some adjustments to the chicken house so that we can move in our baby chicks at the end of the month, and we’ve put in 2 chalkboards for the classroom! BUT there’s more! Thanks to Community Heights Church in Virginia, we were also able to buy new shoes for all of the children, as well as play clothes and new mattresses! We are so thankful for the things the Lord is doing at the orphanage & for how He is continually providing for the needs of these children!

We are also making progress in solving the water issue! Bob Caudill of Austin, TX – one of the men who helped with getting this orphanage started – made a trip out to the orphanage last month and dedicated his time to working on this solution. Through a contact in TX, he was connected with a drilling group in Iringa. This group has agreed to drill 3 wells for us for about $10,000, including transportation! I believe the wells can be drilled within a month from the time we start (hopefully at the beginning of June after we get the final boundaries for the land), so hopefully we’ll have these wells before the dry season gets under way in August!

This also means that if you were one of the ones who asked how and when you could help us with our water issue, NOW is the time to give to Three Strand Cord – just indicate that you wish the money to be used for the wells for the TZ orphanage (but understand that if we receive more than the needed amount, we will use those extra funds for other important projects – like putting up a fence for the farm and garden, putting in a system for irrigation, building a structure for keeping animals, etc). To make a contribution, you may give online by going to https://www.3strandcord.org/ and visiting the 'Donate' page, or you can send a check (made out to “Three Strand Cord”) to:

Three Strand Cord
P. O. Box 9691
Tampa, FL 33674

*IMPORTANT NOTE* Please make sure that you indicate that the funds are to be distributed to “TZ orphanage well.”

We have so much to praise the Lord for, but I also want to ask for your prayers right now regarding a serious dispute that has arisen. Last week the Baptist Convention of Tanzania came to divide the Makwale Baptist Farm. Many of you are aware of the issues regarding the land meeting that took place about this time last year, and we hoped the meeting would go more smoothly this year. However, the meeting did not go as peacefully as we had hoped, and I have attached an explanation of the results. Please take the time to read it and pray with us about the current situation regarding the land and the relationships between the parties involved. Once the boundaries are finalized, the orphanage can make a plan for how we will utilize the land we’ve been given. We expect to have an area for keeping animals (cows, goats, chickens), main crops (corn and beans), cash crops (like cocoa and honey), a vegetable garden, and fruit trees. In spite of the opposition to dividing the farm, it will be encouraging to finally make plans and see things moving in a positive direction regarding the orphanage’s farmland. (Please see the attachment for more information about what has taken place in relation to this meeting and what the results will be).

As for me, all things considered, I’m doing pretty well. I’ve found my own Mark 1:35 spot down by the stream behind the cocoa farm, so I slip out of the orphanage before the sun comes up while all the children are still sleeping. It’s my only hour of quiet in the course of a day! I haven’t really had any time to feel lonely, but I do often pray that the Lord would provide a friend to share the workload and be an encouragement. In the meantime, I’ve been really blessed to have Franki at the orphanage with me. He was the kindergarten teacher for my first 3 months here, and since my translator was sick for nearly the entire time, he often translated for me. He has become a good friend, and he has been a very faithful and dedicated worker, with real self-initiative. He is a great addition to the team while he is here & has definitely kept me more encouraged! He will be doing his field work for school here at the orphanage over the next month, so I’m really thankful for that!

After my facebook post about the land issue, several people asked how I, personally, am dealing with all of this. I must say that there have been times over the past week I have found the current situation regarding the land issues and the removal of the pastor a bit overwhelming, but for the most part I have had a real sense of peace about the decisions that have been made. We are continuing to keep all of this before the Lord and trusting Him to take care of it. Honestly, His sovereignty has been a great source of hope & encouragement for me as I look ahead. I know the coming will not be easy, but I truly believe the Lord is pruning away the branches that are not producing fruit. I am choosing to believe that there is a purpose in the ugly situation at hand, but that God will make it beautiful in its time and use it to glorify His name. However, like any other, I am prone to times of discouragement and doubt, seeing the wind and waves instead of trusting in the power of Christ, so please continue to pray for me.

Well, so much for a “quick update”… I wrote it over the course of several days when I could find the time & it has become very long! :o)

I want to thank all of you who have spent time praying for all of us at the orphanage. Let me give you an example of what your prayers mean to us. Almost 2 weeks ago, we had been making DAILY trips to the clinic because of malaria, but I posted about it on facebook & people began confirming that they were praying. Do you know that we haven’t had one child go to the clinic since that post? Our loving Father does hear our prayers! Thank you for taking the time to care and to lift us up!

I also want to say that you are all very welcome to send me updates of the things going on in your lives! It is always a great encouragement to stay connected with friends and family back home, especially when I need to think about something other than all the craziness happening here! I may not always have time to respond, but I do read the updates when I have a chance & always enjoy them! I love and miss you all! Thank you for being a blessing to me and the orphans here in Tanzania!!

(Due to the sensitive nature of the land dispute, please don't post this email or the attachment anywhere on the internet, or forward it to anyone who might be connected with those involved. Thanks!)

Joyfully in Christ Jesus,
Amanda

March 23, 2012

My dear friends and family,
It is hard to believe I had an entire 3 months at home, but I am so excited about being on my journey back to the orphanage!  I arrived in Tanzania on Friday & was immediately reintroduced to Swahili and HEAT! :o)  I’ve spent a few days here in TZ’s capital of Dar es Salaam to accomplish a few things I needed to take care of, and l start the long journey across the country by bus tomorrow (Mar 21st) & arrive back at the orphanage on Thursday or Friday.  Be looking for updates once I arrive there on Facebook or my blog!
I’ve been so encouraged by the number of people who have expressed their commitment to pray for me and for the orphanage.  As I make this journey back, I want to share some of the things I hope the Lord will bring to mind as you continue praying for us in the upcoming year.
First, pray for me.  It would be difficult for me to relate what it is like to spend your first year in a new culture, with a new language, new relationships, and a new and very large responsibility.  Beyond working through my own physical, emotional, and spiritual struggles in this new phase of life, I’m responsible to seek and carry out the Lord’s desire for the orphanage and the orphans.  More than anything, I ask you to pray for wisdom for me and a consistent sensitivity to the Spirit’s leading.
Second, many of you know that our desire and aim is to help the orphanage reach a place of being able to sustain the children with the use of its own resources.  This means irrigating & farming the land, planting trees, buying and caring for animals, creating business projects, etc.  It is an enormous task, and I don’t believe the Lord wants this to merely be the project of the orphanage workers.  In a world where people build relationships based on what they can receive from one another, investing in orphans who have nothing to give in return shows a true, selfless love for God.  I believe this is why the Bible declares that caring for orphans is pure religion in the sight of our Father (James 1:27).  At this point in time, there are few people from the community who are willing to invest their time or resources.  I believe that they are struggling with giving out of their own poverty when they see that the children are already receiving help from Americans.  In their situation, I think many of us would act similarly UNLESS the Holy Spirit truly impressed a conviction upon our hearts that it is not simply about the children, but more than that, it is about the opportunity to honor and worship Him.  I ask you topray for this community, to pray they would grow in their love for the Lord & that it would motivate them to worship Him through their investment in the lives of these orphans.  And while we’re at it, let’s pray the same for ourselves & the opportunities He sets before us.

Third, many of you have expressed a desire to help with the water situation at the orphanage, and that has been a huge encouragement!  However, the FIRST step is finding the organization that can solve the problem, THEN we can work on paying for it.  Bob Caudill will be making a trip to the orphanage to meet with the engineer responsible for the current water system in April.  Please just pray for wisdom and the Lord’s leading in working through these issues.  I’ll be sure to keep everyone updated with how you can help once we are moving on to step two in this process.
*As a side note, if you’ve read previous updates, you know that we’ve been communicating with a man named Charlie Michalik from Thirst No More. He is willing to drill our well, but his drill broke before his visit the orphanage last year.  He is currently raising funds to buy a new drill.  If you would like to contribute toward the funding of this drill, you would not only be helping the orphanage, but also many others as he continues to drill wells for those who need clean water throughout Tanzania! www.thirstnomore.org > where we are > Tanzania.
Lastly, please continue to pray for the orphans.  Pray that they would grow in a desire to know the Lord and trust Him, that they would work hard in school and desire to learn, and that they would continue to grow healthy and strong.
Though part of me is always sad to say goodbye to home, I’m confident that the Lord has great joy in store for me & I’m excited to see how He will glorify Himself though the orphanage in the year ahead!  I will do my best to take time out each month to write an update & keep everyone informed with what the Lord is doing.  Thank you for taking the time to pray on our behalf.  Mungu awabariki! (May the Lord bless you!)

With the affection of Christ Jesus,
Amanda Lynn
Email: worthyoflove715@gmail.com
Website: www.carefortheorphan.weebly.com
Blog: www.carefortheorphan.blogspot.com
TZ Phone #: +255 687 298 490
Address: P.O. Box 200, Kyela, Mbeya, Tanzania

 

My dear friends and family,

I hope that you all are doing well!  I have missed many of you so much and am looking forward to seeing you soon.  My time here this year is winding down, as I have only another 2 weeks or so at the orphanage before I start the long journey home for Christmas & fly out of Dar on Dec. 4th.  Considering that my remaining time is so short, I just wanted to send out a short prayer update & then write a full report of all that has happened after I finish up here and arrive home.

Preparation for leaving:
I have 2 weeks left and a lot to do!  We have a few projects that we need to finish up & I’m hoping we can have it all finished before we close.  I will also be having meetings with the workers to make sure that everything will be secure and maintained while the orphanage is closed.  We will have a small Christmas celebration on November 26th, and then on the 28th & 29th we will begin returning the children to their relatives for the month of December.  Pray that God would help us to work as a unified team as we finish up in these next few months!

The children:
The children have only 2 more weeks of school before the end of the school year.  This means that they will be entering a time of academic testing.  Please pray that they will remain focused and do their best!
For the most part, the children have been surprisingly, unusually healthy (we believe this is due to prayer), however, we have still had to deal with some skin issues.  Please pray that we can get everything cleared up quickly.  You can imagine this is hard to do when they are constantly playing with each other & passing it all back and forth, but we would love for them to be happy and healthy while they visit their relatives!  However, it is all quite minor & we are SO thankful for that!

The orphans leaving the orphanage:
We have 5 orphans who will be leaving the orphanage in 2 weeks.  Each year they have spent a month with extended family members, and now that they have finished primary school and are old enough to care for themselves for the most part, they will return to their relatives and help contribute to the needs of the family rather than merely consume it.  We are still waiting on their test results, then we will know if they will be able accepted into secondary school (what we would call high school) or if they will have to seek out some sort of trade.
This transition will be hard for them - and for me.  Even with all my time here, I have had less than a year with them, but I am very attached to them & find it hard to imagine what life at the orphanage will be like after they leave.  Pray for me as I send them off, and pray for them - that they would have the peace that comes with trusting the Lord with their future, that they would have the courage to deal with the difficulties they are sure to face ahead, and more than that, pray that they will truly recognize the Lord as their Protector, Provider, and Father. 

The farm:
We are upon the time for planting corn, which is one of the three staple crops here (rice, corn, and beans).  I get differing stories from people as to whether or not people from the church or community have helped the orphanage with planting and harvesting.  However, I was here during the harvest for beans & I saw for myself that the orphanage land was not planted for the orphans at all.  The manager said there wasn’t money to buy seeds, so a number of people had planted their OWN crops on the orphanage’s land.  I’m sad to say that no rent for the land was paid, nor was any percentage of the crop shared with the orphans.  I imagine that this has been the case with corn in past years as well.  However, for this crop we let everyone know that the orphanage would be utilizing the land ENTIRELY.  This means we will need A LOT of help.  We have asked the church members to bring their cows to plow the land.  The coming of thunder and a few short rains indicate that planting should begin NOW!  We were hoping that people would have been utilizing the past month to prepare their own farms so that they would be ready to help us as well.  However, many waited, so they are busy with their own farms & will be late in helping us, if they do at all.  We have two farm workers who have been taking the children out to dig the land on a regular basis since getting the green light to use the land last month, but it is far too much land for us to do all by hand.  I only have one full-time and one part-time worker for the farm.  Many of our children are too small to work for very long & our other workers have too much other work to do during the cooler hours suitable enough for such hot, difficult farm work.  We need cows or many strong arms.  Knowing that people would be busy with their own farms first and would likely be late in helping us, the workers have asked me to rent cows.  However, I don’t want to take away the biggest opportunity for the church and community to help these children.  We will plant late if we have to, but I really believe we should give the church body this opportunity to give selflessly of themselves for the sake of others.  The earliest the church would agree to come is this upcoming Wednesday, November 16th.  Please pray that many would come & that they would work with hearts thankful to have the opportunity to serve the Lord.
*As a side note, you can continue to pray about the decision regarding the boundaries for the land.  We have still not been shown our boundaries, but we were given permission as of last month to continue using the land we were previously given until the decision is made.

I just want to thank you all for thinking of us and praying for us!  We have been protected and healthy, and though some things have been difficult, I know that God is slowly working everything out here for the purpose of His kingdom.  I love you all & absolutely can’t wait to see many of you while I’m home!

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”

Kwa furaha katika Kristo Yesu,
Joyfully in Christ Jesus,
Amanda

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My dear friends & family,

I hope you are all doing well!  I know many of you have been waiting for a REAL update.  I have tried on a few occasions to update my blog, but even those posts have been few and far between.  The truth is: I haven’t had much time for writing emails and updates.  Living IN my work has left me a bit consumed, but I have finally figured out that taking a ‘day off’ at the orphanage is just not realistic, so I will now attempt to spend every Monday on Matema Beach for a day of rest.  Hopefully this will mean more frequent communication with friends & family back home!

A lot has happened in these past 4 months.  The thought of trying to pour it all out & fit it into an email here is a bit overwhelming, so I will just tell you that I will be sharing some of the events and stories of the past months on my blog in the weeks to come.  For now, I will just share a few of our praises and prayer requests.

Praise the Lord:

My Swahlili has been improving rapidly since returning to the orphanage.  Total immersion truly is the key.  The fact that I have had NO ONE to talk to who speaks English has been frustrating (to say the least), but at the same time, it has been the absolute reason I have learned so much Swahili in such a short time. 

We’ve had many wonderful visitors!  My dad & brother came out & got a nice, large chicken house started for the orphans!  A team from Texas also came out, bringing many gifts for the children including MANY children’s books!  While their mornings were spent in the community, they spent some time at the orphanage each day & even gave the children a very special & rare gift: a day at Matema Beach.  Recently, two American missionary couples living here in TZ came to visit the orphanage for a few days & helped us finish the chicken house.  The children have loved every moment with these visitors, and I have thoroughly enjoyed every opportunity to speak English.

We have a small library started at the orphanage!  In addition to the books the Texas team brought, I was able to buy a box of Swahili children’s books from a Christian book store in Iringa.  I’m thrilled that we’re getting a little library started so that the children will be able to improve their reading skills.  This is also the room I’ve been using to teach English.

Growing relationships with the orphans.  The children are really starting to open up to me in new ways.  I started a ‘family meal’ schedule so that 3 days a week 3 of the children eat dinner with me.  When they eat in the dining hall, they all eat together quietly.  When they eat with me, they have a chance to talk about what they did during the week, what they like, what they don’t, and some have even opened up to talk about their parents who died or abandoned them, their extended families back home, or the fact that they have no family at all.  For many of them, this is the only time when they have any individual attention.  I can tell you that there are a lot of things that are not easy about living here, but THESE are the moments that make it all worth it!

A Bible Challenge!  The children have Bible class together on weekday nights and have been BEGGING me for Bibles!  I have given them a Scripture memorization challenge as a way to be awarded with a Bible, and they have been really excited about it.  Several of them memorized the first 2 or 3 passages the very same day I put up the challenge!

Please continue to pray for:

Clean, running water.  Over the past few years, I have contacted a number of organizations about coming to dig a well at the orphanage to provide our children with clean, running water.  None of these organizations are able to help us.  There is one pending opportunity.  In July I met a man who is working with an org that digs wells here in TZ.  He told me honestly that the orphanage is way out of the area that the organization has targeted, but he has agreed that he would make the trek if the drill can make it through the rough terrain leading down to the orphanage AND if we can raise money to help cover the expenses.  Please pray that God would provide!  I cannot tell you what a difference it would make in the lives of these children (and mine) if we had clean, running water!

Wisdom regarding the projects which need to be completed at the orphanage.  We’ve built a chicken house, put in an outdoor concrete sink, we’re in the process of turning an unused room into a library/gameroom, the roof has recently been painted to prevent it from rusting any further, and we’re hoping very soon to have the entire building cleaned of its bat guano (bats have been living in the ceilings for quite a long time).  There are a number of other things that need to be done, so pray for the wisdom to know what to do & when to do it.

The land boundaries to be laid peacefully.  A problem has arisen regarding the land that has been shared by the orphanage, clinic, and church.  The BCT has finally decided to divide up the land to squelch any future confusion or conflicts.  I was in the first meeting they had where it was announced that the land would be divided, and it was not a happy meeting.  Please pray that all would accept the BCT’s decision & pursue peace with one another.  Pray that the orphanage would be given enough land that the lives of the children can be sustained by it.

My attempt at English lessons.  I have been told by many Tanzanians that one of the most important things I can do for the children is to teach them English.  This is the language of higher education (high school & university), so it is essential that they learn English if they hope to pursue an education.  Pray that I would have the wisdom & time to prepare & teach lessons, and that the children and workers would learn and retain it.

Thieves.  We have 2 different thieves visiting the orphanage, and I have seen them both.  I have had things stolen, and so have several of the children.  We have been considering putting up some sort of wall/fence, but it would take some time before that would be possible.  The hot season has arrived, which means windows will have to be kept open through the night.  So we are really praying for wisdom about what to do.  Right now, the male worker on duty keeps watch at night.  However, the thief hasn’t stopped with the orphanage.  Many other people have had their houses broken into.  If the thief is caught at the orphanage, he will be taken to the police.  If he is caught by someone else, he will most likely be beaten to death.

Community Involvement.  Please pray that the churches and members of the community would continue and increase their support of the orphanage.  We are praying that we can help the orphanage be less dependent on Americans & more dependent on the community.

Health.  Praise the Lord that we have only had one orphan go to the clinic in the past few months!  However, with the hot & humid season comes the mosquito season.  Please pray special protection over the health of everyone at the orphanage, especially from malaria.

My sanity.  Well, that’s sort of a joke. :o)  I am still really adjusting to a new (24 hrs 7 days a wk) job, new language, new culture, new country, and new everything!  As much as I love being here, love my life here, and love every moment with the children, there are times when I think I’m on the verge of losing my mind.  Please pray that the Lord would keep me level, and that He would make my “Mondays on Matema Beach” especially restful.

I want to thank those of you who have faithfully prayed for me and encouraged me throughout these past 4 months.  I may not have communicated how much of a difference it has made, but I can truly say I don’t know how I could’ve made it to this point without your support and love.  I’m so thankful to have so many people who care about and pray for both me and the precious orphans I’m serving!
I will be coming home for the month of December, and really look forward to seeing and talking with many of you!  Until then, you can continue to keep up with me on Facebook and by checking for posts on my blog, and hopefully I’ll be getting out a monthly prayer update as well!

I love you all & pray that God embraces you with His love & floods you with opportunities to love others!

 Furaha katika Yesu Kristo,
(Joy in Jesus Christ),
Amanda

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I visited my first orphanage after high school.  A dream was planted, and I felt I knew what my Creator designed me to do.  My purpose in life is to know & love God.  Therefore, my purpose is not bound up in my work or anything I do.  Yet, I believe each of us is called to a good work.  Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."  This refers to many good works, but since God has a plan for each of our lives, there are specific "works" that He leads us to do individually as well... there is a way for each of us to contribute to seeing God's kingdom come & His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  This work we are called to can often be determined by recognizing the gifts, talents, and desires God has placed within us.  

For me, I've been a "mother" from the beginning.  It began with 4 younger siblings, and it's grown ever since.  My desire has always been to work with children.  I'm not sure what it was about the orphans that drew me so much, but I have some ideas.  God made me in such a way as to be drawn to individuals; I see the need in each person to be loved & cherished as an individual - everyone needs to know they're special to at least one person!  Often this is the role of the parent with a child, but orphans may never have this since the are without parents and are usually being supervised by too few staff.  My prayer is that the Lord would use that aspect of who I am to touch orphans' lives no matter how many children I may be tending to.

Thus far, I've been in orphanages in the Bahamas, El Salvador, Haiti, and Tanzania.  I've been trying to follow God's leading & the dream He gave me 8 years ago.  While I was in Tanzania (fall 2009), the Baptist Convention of Tanzania requested that I return to take the Orphanage Director position at the Knapp Baptist Orphanage Center, and I accepted.  I created this website to better inform those I meet about who I am, what I'm doing, and why I'm doing it.  You can visit the other pages to find out more about me & the Knapp Baptist Orphanage Center in Tanzania.

I was given wise advice to come up with a mission statement for the time I'll be spending out in Tanzania.  The only thing that kept coming to mind was James 1:27.  So, what could be a better mission statement than the very words of God?  "To visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."  This verse expresses specific ways to obey the two commands which Jesus said were greatest: first, to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and secondly, to love our neighbor as ourself.  This verse also communicates two of the things that have been most important to me: caring for orphans and the pursuit of holiness.  I began to write more extensively what James 1:27 means to me on this page, and then decided against "preaching" on the home page, so you'll have to check out the *first* blog on the Blog Updates page to read more about that. :o)

Thanks for taking the time to visit the site, and I hope you will be encouraged to continue to pursue whatever good work the Lord is calling you to do!  "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

I don't often write poems, but when I was thinking about what my mission should be in caring for orphans and in what ways I would go about doing that, some of these lines just started to come to me & happened to rhyme, so I developed it into a poem.  It's very simple, but it expresses some of my heart about what I hope to do.  I'm sure after I've actually done it for a more extended period of time, I'll end up adding to all this, but for now, this is what's on my heart....

What The Orphan Needs

I once had a dream and desire to care for the orphaned child; 
And when I realized it was the Lord's call, my heart inside smiled.   

You see, God sends His people ‘round the world to do many things, 
To reach and serve the world He loves - what glory to Him it brings!   

And there are certain people in His word He calls our attention to: 
The poor, the stranger, the widow, the orphan - just to name a few.   

I went and saw for myself about the orphan need, 
If you also want to know, then continue on and read:   

First, they need someone to come and offer them a home, 
A place where they are going to be safe, loved, and known.   

They need someone to feed them when they’re getting hungry, 
To make sure that they’re clothed & always have clean laundry.   

To be there when they’re ailed with some horrible kind of sickness, 
And help them to be strong whenever they’re at their weakest.   

They need someone to calm them when they’re feeling mad, 
To hold them and console them when their heart is sad.  

They need someone to probe & find out why they’re hurting; 
And (since our trials are a lesson) ask them what they’re learning.   

Someone to gather them all up to sing, dance, run, and play; 
And demonstrate that there‘s joy to find in each and every day!

To teach them all the words God has so lovingly given to us,
And explain their sins can be forgiven if in Jesus they will trust.

To train them how to discern what is right from what is wrong,
And show them when they do mess up that God’s love is still strong.

They need someone to express to them that they really care,
And communicate that each child is special - a treasure that is rare. 

To let them know (& remind them often) that they’re not forgot, 
Because there is a Father in heaven who loves them a whole lot!  

Typically, to do these things is a parent’s joy, 
But since the orphan has no parent, there is left a void.  

Of course the orphan still needs these things, so if there is no other, 
I’ll gladly go & answer the call to be the orphan’s… “mother.”