Find out what we’re doing at LSM to bring hope and healing to child slaves and exploited women. We’d love to have you join us.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.” -Psalm 23:1

Underneath that simple verse, this boy had written the names of everyone living in that hut.

Wow.

This kid’s parents had died (making him a true orphan), he was living in a mud hut with another family. They were living in poverty, and yet he writes a simple and powerful statement on the doorpost of his home. “The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.” And then the names of his ‘family’.

Today has been named ‘International Day of Families’. I think if we can learn anything from a teenage boy living in a mud hut in Tanzania it’s that family isn’t necessarily blood. Family – and real joy doesn’t come in what we posess around us. It comes from inside.

What does celebrating a day of family mean to you? What have you learned from stories like this one? 

 (Photo by Keely Marie Scott)

For our Home of Hope mothers – your courage, love and committment has not gone unnoticed! We pray for you, and support you.

For the courageous mothers who have given up so much for your children in the midst of poverty, pain and uncertainty, we celebrate your love with you, and pray for your strength.

For women who have stepped into mother roles in a child’s life through foster care, friendship, and many unnamed roles, we praise God for your committment and investment in the lives of these children. May you be richly blesed for your love.

For the adoptive moms who have brought children into your families, we celebrate the joy of adoption with you. We pray for you too as you navigate the challenges of opening your hearts in new ways.

“May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience.” (Colossians 1:11)

Caring for the needy doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

We live in a world with overwhelming humanitarian needs: 3 billion people live on less than $2.50 per day, 1.1 billion people lack access to potable water, 19 million people in America are considered “working poor” and a child dies of hunger every 5 seconds.

With so many needs, where do we even begin? Does helping just one person really matter? 

The answer is found in Matthew 25:40, where Jesus says, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

One really does matter. You can help the needy around you in practical, creative ways. Whether it’s across the street, across the church pew or across the world, all of us have the power to reach just one needy person.

Check out Lorie’s ideas here. Here’s a few more ideas to get involved too:

1. Support an organization like LSM in a marathon, mini-marathon, or 5k. You can raise money for your run, promote on your running gear, and have fun!

2. Become a Hand of the Shepherd and support a family in Haiti.

3.  Take a missions trip with your church, or contact us about joining us on a work team or vision trip, and then share what you’ve learned with your family and friends.

4. Schedule a speaker from LSM and help organize an event at your church.

5. Join in promoting causes and advocating for orphans, people in poverty and the needs you see around you through your blog, facebook, and other social media avenues. Spreading the word can help others see the vision too!

Reality? There’s way more than seven ways to get involved. But sometimes it is helpful to break it down into managable numbers and look at things we CAN do today. God’s gifted us in unique ways. When we use our creativity and gifts together, our reach goes much further than these seven suggestions.

What have you done that helps meet needs around you? How have you involved others? What was the response you got from those you worked with? Did it encourage you to do more?

Here’s some things you may not know about Summit:

It’s a work of Christian Alliance for Orphans, which unites Christian organizations and networks of churches to inspire, equip and connect people to care for the orphan.

It’s expected to draw 1,800 to 2,000 pastors, grassroots advocates, organizational leaders and church ministry heads.

Summit provides over 80 workshops on adoption, foster care, advocacy and discipleship. Check out the list here to get a better idea.

There’s also a list of amazing speakers like Rick Warren, Francis Chan, and Steven Curtis Chapman.

So why tell me this when it starts today?

Because you can still be a part of Summit! If you’ve got some time in the next two days, tune in via Webcast to listen to the conference right from home. Although it won’t be quite the same as being there in person, we hope the resources you’ll find are still worth your time!

And if you’re already at the conferece…

Make sure to stop by our booth and say hi! You’ll have a chance to enter a drawing  for some beautiful Ethiopian purses, be able to talk with some of our staff, and learn more about what we do at LSM.

Take Action:

Listen to the conference online and gain some wisdom from some passionate minds.

Pray for the conference! There’s a lot of people coming together to take action for vulnerable children. That’s powerful. And what a better day to pray than TODAY, the National Day of Prayer.

Tell us what you think about Summit VIII, your experiences, or how you hope to get involved in the future!