By: Bayama Wymon
In a country that is experiencing the ravages of years of civil unrest and economic instability, Christian orphanages can incredibly shape the lives and future of orphan children in Liberia and become a powerful force for good for societal transformation. It is estimated that from 2020 up to the present, the orphan population has skyrocketed to over 100,000 as a result of disease outbreaks such as Ebola in 2014 and HIV/AIDS1 . This number draws attention to the urgent need for continued and trusted efforts to provide a haven for these helpless children where they can meet the basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, education, and medical care.
Christian orphanages will offer more than material provisions. They will cater to children’s spiritual and emotional needs by providing a sense of community that is essential to developing the mental and emotional wellness of the children. Orphans will find in these Christian homes a familiar and comforting environment to heal from the unthinkable hardships they have experienced. As these children grow up, they will acquire an education to equip them with the practical skills, knowledge, and discipline needed to create a bright future for themselves.
In a poverty-stricken society like Liberia, Christian orphanages can provide children with the tools such as the teaching of the Word of God and values of honesty and hard work that they need to succeed in life and become positive influences in their communities. As more children [ https://soworldwide.org/2020/03/06/liberia-update/ ] grow up in these Christian homes, Liberia will realize a godly improvement in the lives of those whom it counts on as its future leaders.
Studies have shown that 2 in 10 youth of Liberia are addicted to drugs2 , and it is believed that a large number of these young drug addicts are orphans who once had lived with foster parents who did not cater to their moral development. As a result, they are living aimless lives and adding to the decline of morality in society. If these addicts had been taken into Christian orphanages at a tender age and cared for and trained up in morally upright manner, it is unlikely that they would have ended up in the streets. This narrative can be changed now with the involvement of Christian orphanages to take in these vulnerable children and rear them in godly ways.
Moreover, a solid Christian orphanage could model for those children a stable home life which could have an influence on their future families, like getting married before having children, having strong parental involvement with their kids, and being godly, faithful partners in their marriages.
Overall, Christian orphanages in Liberia can provide a beacon of hope for vulnerable children by providing them not just material assistance, but also emotional, moral, and spiritual support that is vital for these children to heal and thrive. [liberia.unfpa.org]
So true! It is truly our hope and prayer that God will use this orphanage to heal and change the children's lives so that they can help to heal and change their communities.