Story: Giving Orphans A Home
World Magazine recently had an article featuring some friends, Jay and Suzanne Faske, of Brenham, Texas. Also quoted is Paul Pennington, director of FamilyLife’s Hope For Orphans program and a man with a huge heart for orphans (he and his wife are committed to this cause!).
See the initial paragraphs here.
Our Story: Featured on FamilyLife Today - Today
It was a privilege to join Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine on FamilyLife Today to discuss our family’s adoption story. The interview airs Monday, November 12.
Tale of Two Boys, I
This is orphan care week for Focus on the Family, FamilyLife Today, Crown Financial Ministries, and dozens of other organizations and ministries. The radio broadcasters are shining the spotlight on the needs of orphans and how we can make a difference for the fatherless. It is a privilege to join hands in order to make a bigger and more effective impact for these kids.
To help you better grasp the challenges that 143 million orphans are facing, I want to tell you a couple of stories during the next couple of days. The first is about a little boy named Artem.
Artem was born in eastern Russia to a 26 yr old woman, her third child. There is speculation that she tried to abort him mid-way through the pregnancy. We just don’t have all the details.
The mother gave up her parental rights to the boy at birth, and Artem was put in the care of The Ministry of Health. He was housed in one of the 252 baby houses which are called “dom rebyonka.”
As he grew older Artem attended a Russian public school for the compulsory nine years, where he could earn a secondary school diploma, or could leave school at the age of fifteen.
Under Russian law, he received the state-mandated initial stipend, housing and employment that all departing orphans are entitled to. …(however) the prospect of life in the outside world is a source of great worry to the orphans and child welfare experts alike. Artem wasn’t sure what to expect, not confident in his abilities and not socially prepared for life as an individual.
According to one statistic, at age 15 or 16, graduating have lived in the orphanage environment their entire life and most have no idea of how to live on their own and take responsibility. Most will quickly get frustrated and turn to drugs and alcohol.
A recent report in the Moscow Times, indicated that of the 15,000 Russian teenagers who leave the orphanages each year, 40 percent become homeless, 30 percent become criminals, 10 percent commit suicide. That is tragic! Another research report indicates that 9 out 10 graduate orphans end up in crime, prison, and prostitution. Statistically, the future looks pretty bleak for a vulnerable child who has no one to advocate for him.
I won’t tell you right now what path this boy took. The statistics indicate a pretty bleak future for Artem.
Maybe you can do something for the Artems of the world. Here’s a starting point.
Media Misses It
On the Monday broadcast Dr. Dobson talks with Focus on the Family’s Sr. Vice President of Government and Public Policy Tom Minnery about a number of timely issues, including an inaccurate report about presidential politics. Hear what the mainstream media mistakenly reported, and why it matters to Dr. Dobson.
Veterans’ Day, PTSD Programming and More
Talked to an old high school buddy last night. He said he told a co-worker about the three day series this past week about PTSD and its effects, particularly on military individuals and families. There was a son who served in the middle east and survived a deadly attack which claimed the lives of several soldiers in a Humvee. He was deeply affected by that experience.
I was appreciative of my friend’s thoughtfulness, and told him we pray for “divine intersections” to occur in the lives of folks who will listen to the programming we produce. It seems that our prayers were answered for at least one family with this important series.
Related to that topic, it occurred to me that you may not be aware of the many “mil blogs” out there, websites devoted to providing up-close-and-personal accounts from the war front, analysis of activities and military trends, and more info than the main-stream media will ever get around to sharing with the public.
Caveat: Can’t guarantee these links are all worthwhile or even reliable. Many are very good, and this short list will be a good starting point for those who want to know more:
There are many fine military blogs out there, these are some of the top-rated.
Finally, on Monday, please observe Veterans’ Day by honoring a soldier you know, past or present. Acknowledge their service, ask them about their time in the armed forces, and affirm them for their sacrifice.
Price of Service
Like you, I know many family members, neighbors and friends who have served in the U.S. military. Most of them have survived relatively unscathed by the years aboard ships, in the trenches, in the air. Some did not.
Recently, a friend’s son experienced a close call with an IED. A Marine serving in the middle east, he was usually the machine gunner on a Humvee. That’s a pretty dangerous place. One day, though, he was on a foot patrol when an explosion knocked him out and did some damage. He wasn’t as badly wounded by the bomb as one of his buddies, but this soldier did take acquire some shrapnel that will remain embedded in his legs for the rest of his days, and his hearing was affected. Still, despite such an attack, he is back on duty and serving courageously. Read about him here.
Others are not so fortunate. Many, of course, do not come back home alive. Some are severely maimed by combat. There are those, too, who don’t have visible scars from the fighting, but are nonetheless wounded. They have been emotionally scarred, and the impact of the stresses and memories they carry are real and lasting.
It was an honor to be in the presence of some soldiers who shared candidly about their difficulties in coping with their military tours. Our guests for three days told of the pressures, the dangers, the effects of being in the line of fire.
We owe it to the brave men and women who loyally serve in our military to become educated about post traumatic stress disorder, because every one of them will come home with scenes, sounds and experiences burned into their being. Many will return with injuries that are apparent. Some will be scarred in ways we can’t see. They all need our support, understanding and love.
The 10/40 Window
Here’s a web-exclusive interview with Chuck Colson in which he reflects on the difficulties of reaching the Muslim world with biblical truth.
As I’ve learned more about the world and its needs, spiritual and physical, I’ve also been encouraged by the increase in activities to take the Good News to hard soil. The 10/40 window certainly is one of the most difficult geographical regions in the world for Truth.
Here’s more on “the window.”
Chuck Colson
I first started at Focus as a producer of Dr. Dobson’s daily radio program. As it turns out, the very first interview I produced was a conversation with him about his book, The Body (since updated). It was a memorable experience, meeting Mr. Colson. I had been highly influenced by some of his writings, and greatly enjoyed the chance to interact a bit with him prior to and after the interview. He is a personable and sincere man, deeply interested in others and demonstrating the love of Christ in word and deed.
Over the years we’ve featured Chuck a number of times on the broadcast. He is consistently interesting and challenging. His role within contemporary Christianity is well-established, and he has impacted lives around the globe with his convictions and clarity. These programs are thoughtful and - in a good way - a bit unsettling.
Standing Up, Standing Out
He faced many difficulties and failures, the types of circumstances that would have stopped lesser men.
Whatever happened, Magellan’s response was always, “Sail on, sail on!” “He never flinched. It was always, “Sail on, sail on!
That line is from a book by Os Guinness, The Call. In this excellent treatment of God’s will and His call on our lives, the author references the power of being laser-focused on the right things:
Magellan’s character was far from perfect…but in his single-mindedness, his unflinching conviction, his resolute indifference either to approval or rejection, and his stubborn defiance of discouragement, defeat, and death, Magellan demonstrated the fortitude of a life in focus.
I think the world is hungry for men like this: Men - and women - who adhere to principle no matter what circumstances occur, no matter what worldly pressures come to bear. An individual who speaks the truth unflinchingly, regardless of the criticism leveled at him. A person of such conviction that nothing – nothing! – can move them from their course.
In the 16 years I’ve known and worked for Dr. Dobson, I’ve seen him “up close and personal.” I’ve had the privilege of joining him in the studio for over six years now and we’ve had many casual conversations. With those opportunities to see him in various settings, I feel pretty qualified to offer an opinion about the man. When people ask me about the “real Dr. Dobson,” I tell them that he is indeed the person he seems to be on the radio: warm, very intelligent, insightful, engaging, funny, principled and unwavering in his commitment to the cause of Christ.
It seems to me that Dr. Dobson has the respect of so many worldwide because he has zeroed in on eternal truths that do not change, and he has consistently adhered to those values. He has refused to bend in the wind of political expediency or pragmatism.
He has taken some criticism for such dedication to his beliefs. On two very important days of radio programming, Dr. Dobson spoke from his heart to remind both supporters and critics that he isn’t going to change who he is. He remain true to his theology, his values, his conscience.
The audience really responded to that address, and I think you will too when you listen.
People respond so positively to Dr. Dobson because the world wants to see and to follow men who are single-minded in their convictions.
Those men are often right, even if nobody else believes.
