How Can I Serve God in Caring For the Orphan?

I have talked to many people (especially women) who have expressed their own desires to adopt or pursue adoption, however, God has not put that desire into their spouse's heart...Or maybe there are those who are not feeling called per-say to adopt, but still would love to find a way to fulfill God's call to "care for the orphan"...I am encouraged when I have talked to several women and how they have chosen to use that desire to care for the orphan in other ways...I know a friend who waited ten years until God had changed her hubby's heart to want to adopt...So don't give up praying!! But until then, there are sooo many precious way you can "care for the orphan"...I was just talking to friend last week about how touched she was to hear that a retired woman who is physically unable to care for an orphan, but has found another way...Across the street from her house is a park, in that park foster teens meet every Friday to just "hang"...This elderly woman bakes cookies and brings them over and sits with them just sharing how God loves them and she loves them too...When she finds out it's one of the kid's birthdays she bakes a cake and brings it over...How precious is this!! My dear friend at church talks about wanting to adopt, and until the Lord makes it clear, she spends her hours quilting blankets for orphanages in Russia and now CPS...I had a friend come and relieve my hubby and I for a date night out of the blue, I know she has been wanting to adopt for quite sometime, but is also waiting for the Lord to move her hubby's heart. Anyways...All this to say, there are so many ways you too can care for the orphan...Pray about how God might use you...He will make it clear to you, but be looking :)

I found this post on another blog and copied it here for you to read...Ways to serve...My hubby and I were blessed with many of these wonderful ideas!

"Do you wonder where your role is in caring for orphans? Not everybody is called to adopt, but everybody is called to care for orphans. One way to care for orphans is to support families that ARE called to adopt! There are MANY ways to do that.

My sweet friend just wrote about the LACK of support for young families adopting sibling groups. Please read and consider how the Lord is calling you to respond.

I don't know all the answers to that response. I'm not saying I do ; ) But there's a need, and as a body of Christ, we need to be aware that adoption is NOT easy, and surround those who are being called to walk the adoption road and support them like CRAZY!!!!

Some practical ways of how to support them:

-meals
-prayer
-going to their house to pray over their family or just w/ the couple after their kids are in bed
-giving them date nights
-watching their other kids while they go to Dr visits, counseling visits, etc
-cleaning their house
-phone calls to just say you are praying (even when they don't answer time and time again)
-bringing them groceries (just showing up with some basic things is SUCH a blessing and relief)
-running errands for them (going to the post office, library, or other errands are difficult for transitioning families and an easy way to serve them!)
-not being scared to come over and get in the grime with them, BUT understanding if it's just not the right time b/c it's one more relationship to 'deal' with. (this is going to vary a LOT on the personality of the adoptive mom...is she outgoing and extroverted? Then she might need that extra support of somebody BEING there. Is she introverted? Then she might just need to know you care, but won't be able to take on one more conversation).
-don't expect phone calls to be returned on a timely basis
-know they love you and are thankful, but don't have much to offer outside of their home/children
-get creative : )"