In the heart of every one of us is an awareness that the world is full of injustice. Some choose to ignore it, while others feel compelled to call it out and confront it.
I am in Louisville, Kentucky at the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) Summit along with about 2,000 other people from over 40 countries who are in the arena addressing the injustices that face the orphan and who share God’s heart for the orphan. The prophet Isaiah tells us to “defend the orphan.” Whether from a faith-based or humanitarian-based motivation, we are waging a battle on behalf of the world’s orphans. Both Ends Believing is providing a critical tool in the arsenal as we have joined the battle with several developing countries. The tool is our technology platform called Children First Software. This technology is enabling these countries to make quicker, better-informed decisions on the best permanency options for their orphans.
Today I had the privilege of serving on a panel where I was able to showcase CFS and the countries where BEB is deploying it. The panels, breakouts, plenary sessions, worship, new connections and rekindling old friendships produce a refreshing, content-rich conference. This year’s theme is: “In brokenness and beauty, it is well.” Jedd Medefind, CAFO President, expressed it this way: Joy and pain are not necessarily opposites; they often co-exist. The opposite is the tepid, comfortable life that avoids risk, minimizes pain, but misses out on joy.
As we at BEB work to play a role in reducing the world’s orphan population, we encounter pain and broken systems, but the beauty of children in permanent, loving families and the joy they experience dwarfs the challenges we face. In a sense, the challenges are part of the joy.
This just in- CAFO will be in in Dallas next year! Already looking forward to it!
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