Village Bible Church || Aurora | Indian Creek | Sugar Grove | IL

There are orphans around the world who can not be adopted by law. There are many many orphanages in the world that are striving to meet the physical and spiritual needs of such orphans and abandoned children. They need our help: our prayers, our financial support, and our involvement in their ministry. Involvement means developing relationships with orphans who need the presence of Christ, who need people to care for them by writing or visiting them - people who will speak the gospel to them and hug them. Over the next few weeks, we'll highlight a few orphanage ministries and consider ways we can get involved in helping them.

I want to share a ministry with you that I would like to ask that you begin praying for on a regular basis. It's the ministry of a young lady who is exhibiting a "Crazy Love" for Christ - a young lady who clearly is serving God out of her delight in Him, not out of a felt duty. A young lady who has a really neat story - and who is serving in a really tough situation.

Katie Davis - Amazima Ministries

Three years ago, Katie Davis had just turned 18 years old and went on a short-term missions trip to Uganda for the first time. God captured Katie's heart for the children of Uganda. (Dec 06)

Six months later, she decided college could wait a year and followed His lead to move to Uganda to teach Kidergarten. (Summer 07)

As she walked the children home from class each day, she was shocked to see the sheer number of school-aged children sitting idly on the side of the road or working in the fields. God laid it on Katie's heart to start a child sponsorship program, matching orphaned children who are unable to afford schooling with sponsors anywhere in the world.  She started Amazima Ministries International, which is now providing 400 orphaned children education, school supplies, 3 meals a day, and medical care and providing lunch and dinner for another 1,200 displaced Karamojong children. Wow! (Fall 07)

Five months later, she turned 19 and sensed God was calling her to adopt a little girl. College, love and marriage could wait a little longer... (Nov 07)

Over the course of the past two years, God has called Katie to even more. And she has followed. Today she she is called "Maamaaaamammaaa" by 14 beautiful girls! Did I mention she's 21 years old?  (Nov 09)

This young woman is quite the story of loving God and following His lead. Quite the example of a heart demonstrating a Crazy Love for God... On Katie's blog, you can see a lot of the joy God has brought into her life as she has served Him (#1 & #2 below are good starts).

The things God calls us to, however, are rarely an easy bed of roses. A week ago, Katie posted an entry to her blog (#3 below) in which she journals some of her struggles. Below is one paragraph from that blog entry. The words below are raw honesty describing some of the challenges Katie faces as she strives to abandon a pursuit of earthly gain in trade for making an eternal Kingdom impact. Certainly, some of the most powerful words I have read in quite some time.

A few days ago an American woman who had spent about three days of her life in a third world country looked at me and said, "I would SO love to do what you do. I would do it in a heartbeat. Oh, I would take 14 kids in a second!" It is a good thing that I was having a graceful day, because I said, "Aw that's nice." But my not so graceful heart was angry. And the not so graceful voice in my head wanted to say to her, "Ok then, do it. I can have you 14 orphaned, abandoned, uncared for children tomorrow. So here is what you have to do: Quit school. Quit your job. Sell your stuff. Disobey and disappoint your parents. Break your little brother's heart. Lose all but about a handful of friends because the rest of them think you have gone off the deep end. Break up with the love of your life. Move to a country where you know one person and none of the language. And when you are finished, I will be here waiting with your 14 children!" I wanted to ask her what was stopping her, knowing that the answer would be her comfort. I wanted to look at her and tell her that my life was full and joyful and WONDERFUL, but I also wanted to tell her to COUNT THE COST. Because my life IS full and joyful and wonderful, but it is NOT easy. My life is NOT glamorous. I do not expect it to be. I do not think that anything about carrying a cross was easy or glamorous either. 

• Blog Post #1 - some of the story 
• Blog Post #2 - some of the pictures
• Blog Post #3 - some of the struggles

Your Opportunity:

So how does Katie's story provide opportunity for you to care for orphans?  Well, a great place to start would be to pray for Katie's ministry to orphans. Really pray. Then allow her story to cause you to contemplate what's next in your own life. Allow her story to drive you to prayer as you seek God's direction - as you seek eternally impacting opportunities - and as you strive to follow.  You could also consider partnering with Katie and her ministry by sponsoring a child for $300 which will allow them the provide education and meals for a year for another orphan child.  www.amazima.org