This past weekend Love One hosted it’s annual dinner called Hope and Homes. The event is to raise awareness and to encourage those who are interested in foster care and/or adoption. Many local organizations lined the walls of the auditorium with representatives eager to share with others how they can make an impact. It is always so eye opening to see how many organizations and nonprofits our city has dedicated to loving vulnerable children. I walk away feeling so encouraged and inspired by these amazing people who are so dedicated to loving children in need. Also, it is great to see so many of these organizations working together to meet the needs of children in our community.
Not only are organizations getting involved in foster care and adoption initiatives but many churches from many denominations came together to sponsor the annual Hope & Homes dinner.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:
to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself
from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27
What a beautiful picture it was to see so many believers from all parts of Savannah, united in one purpose for the sake of vulnerable children. The host of the night was Lorie Newman, and she said something that struck me: If even one soul is changed from your involvement in foster care or adoption, then that is worth it.
Truly I tell you, whatever you did for ONE of the least of these brothers and sisters of
mine, you did for me.
Matthew 25:40
What can you do to Love One?
Later in the evening, Anna Benton sang so beautifully a song about God sending out an army to rescue the one. She then shared her story that as her foster kids were reunited with their family, though she was and is heartbroken she takes great comfort in the fact that her children left her home knowing that they were loved not only by her and her husband, but also by their creator. Is there any greater gift a child could receive? This is the transforming power of the gospel, and the power of loving one.
The main speakers were TJ and Jenn Menn who wrote a book called Faith To Foster. Their story of fostering (so far) 35 children over the years is both inspiring and challenging. They shared about how unequipped they felt in moments, but how God has met them in unique and special ways all along their journey. As they have chosen to love generously, God has also loved and cared for them generously often through people in their church. They went on to say it is a choice to either love generously or sparingly. Wow, that really caused me to pause and think.
If you are interested in how you can get involved in caring for vulnerable children in your city contact Love One. Thank you to everyone who made this wonderful night possible. May the vulnerable children in our beautiful City of Savannah, know how much they are loved and cared for by God AND by his people.
