Isaiah 58: Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings

I have always known that the Lord commanded us to care for the vulnerable and fatherless, but on a particular day in late 2015, after a revelation on God’s heart as a Father, I wondered why I had never been mobilized in orphan care if this is religion in its purest form. It was as if I lived with the assumption that if they truly needed me then maybe they would knock on my front door.

Feeling an urgency to do something, I called the only person I knew that had adopted asking her if there was an orphan care ministry in town; she responded with what I already knew, “no.” Since that didn’t exist, I had to position my family in another way. I told my husband that I was thinking we should get our foster care license and instead of responding that I had lost my mind, he said, “I know. God already told me.” The rest is just a story of God’s abounding faithfulness as he carried us through the process with small boys of our own at home.

During the licensing process, I realized that there was very little engagement between the local community and children in foster care specifically. Then the stories began to roll in from people who said they always wanted to adopt, foster or do something for orphan care but they weren’t ever sure how to get started so the desire began to go away.

Knowing that we aren’t all called to do the same thing, but we all can do something and inspired by the book of Isaiah Chapter 58, where it speaks of what will happen when we care for the oppressed, “The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes.” The Bloom House was born in early 2016 with a vision to see the body of Christ fully engaged in orphan care.

I believe that when we care for the fatherless and bring justice to the orphan, not only will the child begin to flourish, but like the scripture says, we will also be restored; and our city too can be repaired.