Happy "Mommas" Day!

I love being a mom!  My son and daughter bring so much joy and goodness to my life, and I would do anything for them. My main purpose in life while they are young is to provide for their needs and to train them to love the Lord and to love others.  Becoming a mom really made me appreciate all my own mother has done for me throughout my life, and I realize how special her friendship is to me now.  This led me to think about the mothers around the world who have had to make the agonizing choice of abandoning their own children because they can't provide for their basic needs.  Poverty, social inequity and injustice, epidemics, oppression, and disease make orphans of children every day when their parents die or have no choice but to abandon them to give them a small chance at life and survival.  Knowing this happens to so many mothers (and fathers) every minute of the day is heart-wrenching to me, and I cannot even fathom having to make that choice.

So what does this have to do with the orphans No Longer will help in Haiti? Instead of a stand-alone or institutional orphanage, No Longer will be funding the construction of multiple small homes within the local community to house ten to twelve orphans each.  The orphans we will serve are children who are truly orphaned or otherwise without care and without a viable family care option.  This brings me to one of the coolest components of our village system - the "mommas."  These very special "mommas" (or husband-wife team) will live in a home with ten to twelve orphans, and they will be trained and supervised by the local church to provide food, clean water, clothing, healthcare, and, most importantly, love and consistency to the children in their home.  Most of these children are considered unadoptable for different reasons, and this model is a way to let them know they are important and worthy of love.  This opens the door for them the learn about a Father who loves them more than they can imagine.

This Mother's Day, won't you consider giving a donation to No Longer in honor of your mother, your daughter, or that special woman in your life?  100% of the donation will be used to help a momma give love and care to an orphan who has otherwise been abandoned either by poverty or death.  I always struggle to find a meaningful gift to show my mother just how much I care.  This is a gift with eternal significance, and I cannot wait to bless my mother and a momma in Haiti all in one gift. You will find a printable card for purchase in the No Longer store by using this link!

"She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy."

Proverbs 31:20