There are 150 million orphans in the world.
Every six seconds a child dies because they don’t have access to food or water.
What are you going to do about it?
That’s a daunting question, isn’t it? The scale of poverty in the world is so overwhelming that we feel paralyzed … and do nothing.
Chris Marlow is a former pastor who founded the organization Help One Now, a ministry that helps local leaders care for orphans and vulnerable families and works to break the cycle of extreme poverty in places like Haiti, Peru, and Africa.
He suggests that we change our perspective. No, you can’t fix the world’s problems, but you can do good right where you are.
God uses normal people every day to make big differences in the world. He works through people who say yes to the opportunities He sets before them. There’s a wealth of resources and talent in the Church that could positively impact many disturbing realities for orphans and the impoverished around the world.
It all starts when we say yes to doing good, to loving our neighbor, and to living a generous life.
The Bible says, “Love your neighbor” (John 13:14), “Serve one another” (1 Peter 3:10), “Do for others what you would have them do for you” (Matthew 7:12).
But how do we put that love and service into everyday practice?
Chris did it with a lemonade stand. He was seeking ways to raise money for 33 orphans in Zimbabwe when his seven- and five-year-old daughters asked to sell lemonade. They set up shop near a new neighborhood under construction.
Their chalkboard offered prices and a note that all of the funds would care for orphans in Zimbabwe. The construction workers came by in droves, some paid $20 for a small cup of lemonade.
Chris learned that people everywhere really want to make a difference in the world … whether it’s a seven- or five-year-old child or a 35-year-old construction worker. Each of us has passion, talent, resources, and a network. How do we leverage those four things to do good in the world?
Join us for our broadcast with Chris Marlow titled “Changing the World Through a Lemonade Stand” on your local radio station, online, on iTunes, via Podcast, or take us with you on our free phone app.
Chris says you don’t have to move to another country or take a mission trip every year to be used by God. You can do it through the day-to-day rhythms of life. Chris will share how in our conversation based on his book Doing Good Is Simple: Making a Difference Right Where You Are. Right now, when you make a donation of any amount to Focus on the Family, we’ll send you a copy of the book as our way of saying thank you for partnering with us.
Your gift will help twice as many people thanks to generous friends of Focus on the Family who have offered to match every donation dollar-for-dollar. Check our website for details.
And if you’ve been praying about adoption as a means of ministering to kids, there are 100,000 orphans in the United States waiting for a forever home. If you’re wondering where to start or are just need more information, visit our website Wait No More (or call us at 800-A-FAMILY). We’ll help you discover what you can do to step into the life of a foster child in the name of Christ.
Sign up for the weekly e-newsletter
Leave a Reply