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Ministry Spotlight Orphan Care

Orphan Care Ministry Spotlight – Miracle Hill

This series highlights organizations that, in my estimation, are on the frontlines of mercy ministries, but not just any mercy ministries. They are ministries focusing on orphan care. They’ve taken James 1:27 to heart.

Miracle Hill Ministries

75 years ago, Miracle Hill Ministries began as a small rescue mission in downtown Greenville. Since then, we have grown with the Upstate — expanding to meet the changing and diverse needs of homeless, hungry and destitute people. With your help we have become a significant provider of homeless services in South Carolina.

With locations in four upstate counties: Greenville, Spartanburg, Pickens and Cherokee, Miracle Hill operates four adult shelters, two children’s shelters, an emergency food outreach and eight thrift stores. We are also home to two highly successful, Christ-centered addiction recovery programs: Renewal for women, and Overcomers for men.

Where did the name Miracle Hill come from?

As the story goes, many years ago, a group was working on the foundation of a building they had no money to build. One day, a rain storm was approaching the hill upon which they were working. They stopped and prayed that the Lord would hold the storm off so they could finish.

When the storm reached the bottom of the hill, it split and went around the hill on either side. When they were finished, someone quipped, “What a miracle hill!!” And so, the name was chosen then and there.

What does Miracle Hill offer?

Miracle Hill Children’ Home continues to be known as a place of refuge for children from birth to age 18.

Miracle Hill Boys’ Shelter was established to care for at-risk, abused and neglected boys.

Miracle Hill’s foster care program is a great opportunity to serve God within your own home.

Homes for Life, An Outreach of Miracle Hill – seeks to provide shelter and support services to homeless young men ages 17-21.

Miracle Hill Rescue Missions
Greenville • Spartanburg • Cherokee County

Shepherd’s Gate became part of the Miracle Hill family on February 14, 1993.

Miracle Hill Relief Ministry was acquired in 1995 to serve as an emergency food outreach for families and individuals in need.

The Overcomers program is a 27-week, addiction recovery program with a twelve-step, Christian-based curriculum. A 30 day pre-program is required.

The Renewal program was established in 1997 in answer to the growing demand for women who need a more structured, long-term program to help them deal with life-dominating problems.

Transitional housing provides a halfway point between the strict accountability of life within one of our shelters and the onslaught of temptations beyond our walls.

Donating to Miracle Hill is easy with seven thrift store locations, several drop box locations and a local pickup service.

If you are looking for a decent vehicle at a reasonable price, consider Miracle Hill Auto Sales.

Miracle Hill Thrift Operations began the yellow bag project as a convenient way to donate unwanted items.

Check out Miracle Hill‘s website http://www.miraclehill.org for more information about the ministry and how YOU can get involved.

And watch some of their videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/MiracleHillUpstate?feature=watch.

Categories
Ministry Spotlight Orphan Care

Orphan Care Ministry Spotlight – Amazima

This new series highlights organizations that, in my estimation, are on the frontlines of mercy ministries, but not just any mercy ministries. They are ministries focusing on orphan care. They’ve taken James 1:27 to heart.

Amazima Ministries? What does Amazima mean?

Amazima Ministries was founded by 19 year-old Katie Davis in 2008. The organization, based out of Brentwood, TN, feeds, educates, and encourages orphaned and vulnerable children and the poor in the country of Uganda. In the Lugandan language, Amazima (uh-mahz-i-muh) means “truth.” Amazima desires to reveal the truth of God’s unconditional love through Jesus Christ to the Ugandan people.

Here is the Amazima promo:

You can check out a video interview with Katie Davis over at Together For Adoption.

Categories
Orphan Care

Preventing Orphan Care

Sadly, orphan care is necessary. More than 100,000 orphans are waiting to be adopted in the U.S. right now.

Yes, many circumstances are beyond the child’s control but more to the point, many circumstances are beyond the control of parents.

But much of the control is within the control of the parents.

“Children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of child abuse and neglect. Over 3 million reports of child abuse are made every year in the United States; however, those reports can include multiple children. In 2007, approximately 5.8 million children were involved in an estimated 3.2 million child abuse reports and allegations.” via ChildHelp.org.

  • A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds
  • Almost five children die every day as a result of child abuse. More than three out of four are under the age of 4
  • It is estimated that between 60-85% of child fatalities due to maltreatment are not recorded as such on death certificates
  • 90% of child sexual abuse victims know the perpetrator in some way; 68% are abused by family members
  • Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education
  • 31% percent of women in prison in the United States were abused as children
  • Over 60% of people in drug rehabilitation centers report being abused or neglectedas a child
  • About 30% of abused and neglected childrenwill later abuse their own children,continuing the horrible cycle of abuse
  • About 80% of 21 year old that were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder
  • The estimated annual cost of child abuse and neglect in the United States for 2007 is $104 billion
  • Abused children are 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy
  • Abused teens are 3 times less likely to practice safe sex, putting them at greater risk for STDs

Read more statistics here.

The issue of orphan care is not just about orphans; it’s about potential orphans, but more specifically parents who have the power to prevent children from becoming orphans. It’s not just about children. This is about parents who are being parents.

This is why parents need the Gospel. Because of the Gospel, “be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. … Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 5:1-2; 6:4).

The Gospel changes everything even the prevention of doing orphan care.