Less Orphans - Part 1

You may have heard that November was National Adoption Month. That's kind of how this site was born. Clearly, the group of parents associated with this blog is pretty fond of adoption. However, adoption is just one of the many ways we can help orphans or even prevent children from becoming orphans. There are plenty of other things we can do to help orphans and prevent family crises that might create orphans in the first place.

In a three-post series, we will be discussing (1) international orphan prevention, (2) US orphan prevention, and (3) how to support orphans when you don’t feel led to adopt.

Today we will share some preventative measures we should take to help birth families in developing countries stay together, thus eliminating the need for orphanages.

Orphans in developing countries become orphans for a myriad of reasons. A birth mother dies in child labor, a father leaves the family without any source of income, an epidemic wipes out both parents, and a host of other problems threaten to tear parents from their children. It’s not enough to simply adopt a child from a country and think we have done all we can to help. Most children are orphaned as an outcome of some tragedy that could have been prevented.

Birth families are important. Barring instances of abuse and neglect, birth families are the first and best option for a child, so we must be doing what we can to keep them together. We must be supporting them where they are, in their current circumstances. The United States is fortunate to have an established foster care system that seeks to provide care for children when their parents are struggling in some way. (But the US foster system has its own set of struggles; more on this in post #2.) Unfortunately, most other countries do not have foster care systems. This means parents who are struggling have no means of saving and protecting their children while getting back on their feet.

Often, families in developing countries believe they must forgo their children to give them a better chance at life. When we began our adoption from DRC, we were shocked to find out that many children were brought into orphanages by their own families because they could not afford to feed and care for them. These parents sacrificially gave up their own children—and not just the babies—because they thought the children would have a better life in an orphanage, where they assume they’ll be well fed and cared for. This has been one of the biggest tragedies facing families in developing countries, and it is one that can be prevented.

For example, often the lack of access to water provides a barrier to thriving families. Parents must choose between working to earn money or standing in line for eight hours a day to get clean water for their families. Additional wells would help solve the problem, but there just aren’t enough financial resources for communities to build more.

Similarly, lack of access to medical care, contaminated drinking water, lack of nutritional food, lack of education, and poor business practices create devastating hardships for birth families. Many women even die in childbirth, leaving a father to make the heart-wrenching decision to abandon his children in hopes that someone else will provide for them because baby formula is usually more than the family's entire income.

Situations like this are all too common, but the origination of the problem often differs by community. One community might need a new well, whereas another community might need better roads. This sort of orphan prevention usually involves a multifaceted approach at several different levels, so it takes some inside knowledge to serve these communities well. Fortunately, there are several organizations that help with these types of situations. The “Support” tab above can lead you to some organizations doing great things to prevent family crises and children becoming orphans in DRC. Help One Now is another organization that seeks to get to the root of the problem in different communities where they work to keep families together. Compassion International is another great organization that allows you to donate money for families to buy livestock or other resources that will help them support their own families.

In addition to helping with preventative care, we can serve orphans by helping to create environments that will best set them up for the future. This means we can help provide food, shelter, care, medical supplies, medicine, and education to orphaned children so that they will be given a fighting chance at a great future, even if they are never adopted. (However, we should remember that a family would be the very best thing we could give them.)

Several organizations exist to put food in bellies, roofs over heads, medicine in hands, and knowledge in heads. A quick search could take you to an overwhelming list of organizations working to serve orphans where they are. Again, you can find some great organizations that serve DRC in the “Support” tab above. Financial donations are often the most impactful ways to help in these situations, as the power of your dollars can be amplified by the organization’s connections and knowledge.

Lastly, communities in developing countries need to learn to care for their own children who need families. I say this in humility, as I acknowledge the fact that our own country often does not do a great job of this. (Just look at the “waiting child” lists and crucially low numbers of foster families in the US.) That said, orphanages and group homes should always be at the very bottom of the list of options for children without parents who are capable and competent to provide for their children. Communities around the world need information and advocacy efforts that help them see and understand the importance of creating foster homes and adoptive homes for the children in their own communities. This is the most appealing, effective, efficient, and loving option for children who are at-risk of becoming orphans or living without the care of a family. Orphanages provide minimal food and minimal opportunities for education, bonding, mental stimulation, emotional stability and enrichment. A family, even if temporary, will always be better than an orphanage.

If any of the above prevention techniques has struck a cord with you, please don’t hesitate to do some more research and get involved in orphan prevention. We have some great organizations on our "Support" page that do just that. The only way to deal with the orphan crisis in a sustainable way is to take major strides in preventing their existence.

-JL

An Interview with Congo Family Restoration

Love for Congo is comprised of parents with children from the Democratic Republic of Congo, many of whom are still waiting in DRC to be united with their families. Last month we held a fundraiser and are pleased to announce that we raised 

$500 

 for Congo Family Restoration!  

This money will go a long ways in providing orphaned children in DRC with family, education, food, and medical care. Thank you for participating!

Photo courtesy of Congo Family Restoration

If you haven't read our first post about Congo Family Restoration, please do so here!  Recently, however, we had the pleasure of an interview with Christian Ruberwa to find out more about Congo Family Restoration (CFR).  With the tax year coming to a close, please consider making a donation to Congo Family Restoration; you can do so here.  Remember, just $200 supports a child (with food, medical care, education, and a foster family) for a YEAR.  Now, here's Christian...

Q:  What is your position for CFR?

A: Currently, I am an interim Director of Business and Donor development.

Q:  How did the idea for CFR come about?

A: It all started around 2004-2005 when my younger sister Ruth and my mother thought of the idea to help those in need. At the time, my father had just been appointed VP of the DRC and the country was transitioning out of a five-year civil war that had resulted in 5 million+ deaths within the country. As such, we all saw a need and sought to find a way to help those who were most affected by it.

Q:  How many years has CFR been in existence?  Has the program grown over the years? (If so, how?)

A: CFR was created in 2005 and we started with 50 orphans in Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC located on the western side of the country. As the years went on we were convinced that we needed to add 50 more children. In March 2012 we were able to do just that in the town of Goma in Eastern Congo.

Q:  From where are most of CFR's children?

A: Most are from the cities of Kinshasa, Goma and their surrounding areas.

Q:  For how many children does CFR currently provide care?  What is the age range?

A: We currently provide for 100 children. Range goes from 6-24.

Q:  What are the most common reasons children are left orphaned and come to CFR?

A: Parents die due to disease-related sicknesses such as Malaria, HIV, Diabetes, Cancer, etc. Also, there are some who died during the war in the 90’s and early 2000’s.

Q:  CFR operates on the foster care model, which is great!  Does CFR also have a location where all the children gather together?  (If so, please describe what gatherings are like.)

A: We don’t yet have a place for all the children to gather. However, some children gather at the churches that help sponsor them in Kinshasa and Goma.

Q:  What does a typical week look like for a CFR child?

A: Depending on the age of a child we have most children who are in primary and secondary school. Typically, during school days, they go out to school and come back to their foster homes. We have local church members who have agreed to take these kids in.

Q:  What are CFR's biggest needs right now?

A: I think we lack enough people on the ground to help us coordinate. We’ve had several people leave the past few years due to unexpected reasons.

Q:  Where does CFR get its funding? Does it rely solely on donations? 

A: Generous donations. We also have a small wedding dress rental shop that helps us gather funds. Lastly, my parents also take on the responsibility of funding any needs that come along themselves.

Q:  Do you ever have to turn away children?

A: I don’t believe this has happened yet.

Q:  Would more donations mean CFR could care for more children?

A: We believe so. However, we are still working on the logistics and looking for people who we can trust on the ground.

Q:  Explain the emotional, spiritual, and physical changes you have been able to see in children that come into CFR?

A: It really is night and day. I’ll give an example of one kid in Kinshasa named Alpha Sharadi who impressed me so much. Alpha was one of the first kids we had join CFR in 2005 along with his younger brother. They lost both of their parents at a very young age. Now Alpha is in college at the University of Kinshasa and still very involved in the life of his brother. It’s amazing to see him grow up and still want to be active in the life of his brother.

Q:  What is your wish for the future of CFR?

A: I really want CFR to become a great vessel for the kingdom of God in the DRC. This country has suffered a lot since the beginning of the first war in 1996. My wish is for NGO’s such as CFR to exemplify a beacon of hope and a source of strength for those who have been left with out any hope.

Q:  Do you have any specific prayer requests for CFR?

A: Yes, we are looking to expand into building small clinics particularly in Eastern Congo where many people die of curable diseases. Please pray for us as we enter this new stage.

Q:  Is there anything else you'd want the world to know about CFR?

A: We are an imperfect organization looking to make a difference in an imperfect world. It is only by the grace of God that we are able to accomplish what we do.

Thank you Christian!

Shop with Purpose

It's shopping season!

The holidays are quickly approaching and the remaining shopping days are dwindling! While you’re working on your shopping list, consider checking out the great shops we have listed here! Have someone hard to buy for on your list? These shops all feature beautiful, unique designs that help make a positive impact in our world and are sure to please the recipient!

You can find great gift items while TRULY making a difference in the lives of Congolese people! Each purchase from one of these organizations or shops directly benefits people in need in DRC, or helps to support families adopting from DRC with their ongoing expenses.


Don't forget- we are also currently in the process of our fundraiser for Congo Family Restoration, which ends November 28th! Buy a shirt in honor of Adoption Awareness Month to show your heart for adoption or for Congo. All proceeds benefit unadopted orphans in DRC-read our previous post for more details. Shirts are available in long sleeves, short sleeves, children's sizes, ladies' slim fit, and hooded sweatshirts. Help us get closer to our goal!

https://www.bonfirefunds.com/drc-adoption-awareness-month 

Long-Sleeved T 

Hope and Light Initiative

Original, inspirational artwork, t-shirts, and totes that provide funding for Hope & Light Initiative’s ministries in Kigali, Rwanda; Bujumbura, Burundi; and Goma, DRC. H&LI provides vulnerable women with assistance in medical needs, means of sustainable income, and shares the love of Jesus with these precious women and their children.  www.hopelightinitiative.com/#reachtheworld

Shona Congo

Handcrafted bags, purses, aprons and jewelry made by one of four women in Eastern Congo. These women are each living with disabilities in a war torn area, but through Shona Congo they are able to provide for themselves and their families.  http://www.shonacongostore.com/

Theo Chocolate

Theo Chocolate was the first organic, fair trade certified chocolate maker in North America. Congolese farmers provide over half of Theo’s total cocoa supply and Congolese sourced cocoa is in every chocolate product Theo makes. Through the purchase of cocoa from small-holder Congolese farmers, Theo Chocolate has positively impacted over 20,000 people living in Eastern Congo.  www.theochocolate.com

Congo Coffee Project|Equal Exchange

Equal Exchange created the Congo Coffee Project, coffee sourced from a co-op of over 3,200 farmers in Kivu, DRC. Each purchase from the Congo Coffee Project not only benefits these farmers, but also the Panzi Hospital in DRC, which provides live-saving medical care, counseling and rehabilitation for survivors of sexual violence.  http://equalexchange.coop/congo-coffee-project

Lemon Sugar Threads

These whimsical fabric headbands are designed and sewn by an adoptive mom waiting to bring her son home from Congo. All proceeds go towards ongoing adoption expenses.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/LemonSugarThreads

More Love Mama

Find gorgeous, authentic Congolese fabrics as well as other African, Indonesian and Australian fabrics. A portion of the proceeds are donated to other adopting families, and to Our Family in Africa, a humanitarian aid group that provides housing, food, medical treatment, and education to the children of Congo.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/MoreLoveMama

Not Home Yet

These “Love Africa” decals support the adoption expenses of a family waiting to bring their child home from Congo.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/NotHomeYetShop

You can also visit our "Shop" tab above anytime.

Now, have fun shopping!!

A Taste of Congo

Food is one of the things we all have in common. People everywhere gather around the 

table to eat and discuss their days and their lives. In the DRC, this may be even more evident
than in our fast-paced American culture. As we slow down this week to observe Thanksgiving
and gather around a table for turkey and dressing, we want to share some Congolese recipes
that bring people together. 

The Congolese typically eat two meals a day. One of the meals almost always contains
Fufu. Fufu/Ugali is the staple starch in the DRC and most of Western Africa. Fufu is typically
made from yams and can contain plantains sometimes. Ugali is traditionally made from cassava
root flour but can also be made from corn flour, semolina, rice or potatoes. Fufu always
accompanies stews, soups or any dish with sauce. A portion of the staple starch is torn off and
rolled into a ball in the right hand and used as a spoon or scoop for soup or stew. 

Fufu with Cassava Flour 

6 cups cold water
1tsp salt to taste
2 cups cassava flour or tapioca
2 cups instant mashed potatoes
2 cups Bisquick

1. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.
2. On high heat bring cold water to a boil in a large sturdy pot.
3. When boiling, slowly add half the dry ingredients to the water a spoonful at at time, stirring
continuously with a wooden spoon until mixture begins to bubble. Reduce heat to medium and
stir non-stop to avoid lumping or burning.
4. On medium heat, add remaining dry ingredients a spoonful at a time as before, stirring
continuously.
5. Mixture should be very, very thick (similar to play doh), smooth and without lumps, with no
liquid remaining.
6. Once the consistency is reached, remove from heat, cover pot, and allow to stand just a few
minutes before serving. Top with a pat of butter, if desired.

Meat Moambe

Moambe is often considered the national dish of Congo. It is made with Moambe sauce, from
the fruit and oil of the African palm. Moambe can also be made with wild game meat such as
crocodile or venison. 

2-3lbs of stew meat (goat or beef),cubed
1lemon (or 1/2 grapefruit) juiced
Salt-to taste
1 tsp pili pili (or hot pepper), minced
2 Tbsp palm oil (or peanut oil or vegetable oil)
2 onions, chopped
6-8 tomatoes (or can of tomatoes) chopped
1 cup palm soup base (or palm oil or peanut butter)
3 green onions, chopped-to garnish

1. Mix together meat, juice, salt and pili pili. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat 2 Tbsp oil and add onions, cook till softened. Add meat and cook until browned. Mix in
tomatoes and water to barely cover.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour, or until meat is tender.
4. Reduce heat and stir in palm soup base until well blended and heated through.
5. Serve hot with garnish and staple starch like fufu or rice. 

These recipes come from the Congolese Keepsake Cookbook, available for purchase at:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/177940286/congolese-keepsake-cookbook

Congo Family Restoration & You

If you are new to "Love for Congo," we are a group of families whose children are from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We have big hearts for our children's birth country and the Congolese people, so we love to share great things happening in the DRC and how YOU can be a part of it all.

Photo courtesy of Congo Family Restoration

                                                                 
Due to circumstances out of their control, many children in the Democratic Republic of Congo find themselves without a home or family. This is where Congo Family Restoration steps in.

How is it possible? Through generous donations from people just like you! It's actually pretty incredible to think about the power of money:  That just a few dollars out of your wallet could make a significant impact on one of these vulnerable children in DRC. We're going to be even bolder and ask you to imagine what a sizable donation would look like to these children! $100? $150? Just $200 supports one child for an entire YEAR- giving them access to food, medical care, and education!

Help us reach our goal of raising $1000 for Congo Family Restoration in honor of Adoption Awareness Month by November 28th! That will be enough to financially support the care and education of FIVE children for an entire YEAR! Grab some shirts for the whole family, for your friends, for yourself, or for Christmas gifts. Act quickly as our campaign ends on November 28th!

Youth, Short Sleeve, Ladies & Hoodies Also Available

https://www.bonfirefunds.com/drc-adoption-awareness-month

We'd like to tell you a little bit more about how Congo Family Restoration works.

Violence and poverty have broken ten's of thousands of families apart in DRC. There are so many sad and heartbreaking stories, but it is there, in the midst of tragedy, where God can make beauty from ashes. Congo Family Restoration (CFR) works hard to give orphaned children not just food and shelter, but FAMILY. They use the foster care model to place children in traditional Congolese homes that will love and care for them. They work closely with the faith community to find suitable foster families for children in their program. By working alongside churches, this assures that children also receive spiritual care as well.

But CFR doesn't stop there! Beyond the physical and spiritual care for the children, they go a step further and provide them with an EDUCATION! This opens doors for these children in ways you wouldn't imagine. An education truly gives these children a hope and a future- they can dream about their careers and actually have the knowledge to move forward with pursuing them.

Congo Family Restoration is literally BREAKING the chain of poverty and broken families. They are modeling an example of physical, spiritual, social, and educational well-being for these children and giving the children the tools and experiences necessary to have these things for their own lives moving forward.

Please take a minute to picture the difference between a child growing up on the streets of DRC with no food, education, medical care, or love and a child growing up in a loving home with parents, food, medical care, an education, and the word of God. It takes my breath away personally.

Please consider not only participating in our fundraiser above, but also making regular contributions to this organization. You can learn more about Congo Family Restoration at www.congofamily.org.  You can donate directly at: https://congofamily.org/donation.

Photo Courtesy of Congo Family Restoration

                                   

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." - James 1:27

United at Last

We want to rejoice and celebrate with the 14 American families who are able to be united with their children on American soil. After waiting for more than two years for some of these families, they were granted exit permits. We are thankful to the Democratic Republic of the Congo for this news, and pray that the hundreds of other adopted children waiting will be given the same news very soon. With the holidays approaching, many families are hoping to be together for Christmas.


Words cannot do these reunions justice, so we will let pictures and video from the Boyers' journey do the talking. After living separated by an ocean for 9 months, their family is united!  Enjoy the celebration and join us in praying the rest of the children home.

The Boyers together in Kinshasa during a visit from Mr. Boyer and their two daughters

The Boyers' son with his newly issued exit permit in Kinshasa

The Boyers arriving home to their daughters

Mrs. Boyer had spent months living separated
from her two daughters while she cared for her sons

A family of 6, together at last.

And here is a great news story on this family.  Such joy.

Boyer Family Homecoming

Welcome...

Love is universal. It crosses oceans, borders, language barriers, and cultural lines. Love bridges gaps.

On September 25, 2013 the government of The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) issued a suspension of exit letters for all adopted children. We are a group of adoptive parents whose children are awaiting exit letters to travel and live with their families on U.S soil.  Every one of us began our adoption process at different times and for different reasons, but we have one thing in common: Our love for our children. That love, which has continued to strengthen us through a very long, difficult journey, has bridged the gap between our country and that of our children. As we continue to learn more about the Congolese people and their culture, we cannot help but fall further in love with the DRC. We love our Congolese children, and we also love their Congolese culture.

The purpose of this site is to display our love for our children in a variety of ways.  We will share stories and events that led us to adopt from the DRC, things we love about the country, Congolese recipes and of course feature stories of families who have brought their children home from the DRC before the Exit Letter Suspension and how they keep the Congolese culture alive in their homes.  We will provide information about organizations that are doing great work in the DRC, talk about ideas for Christmas gifts that could benefit the people, and ways to support orphans without adopting. You will also find lists of events, shops, organizations, and blogs that relate to our love for the DRC.

In honor of Orphan Sunday, we are selling shirts for the month of November to benefit an organization that is changing lives in the DRC by sustaining and equipping orphans. This wonderful organization is called Congo Family Restoration, and we are looking forward to sharing more about them in the coming days. Please visit our fundraiser and help support their life­giving work: https://www.bonfirefunds.com/drc-adoption-awareness-month.

Our love is real, and on this Orphan Sunday, we remind you of another great power of love and adoption: together they make an orphan a son or a daughter. We hope and pray that our love, displayed in multiple ways here and across a variety of other arenas, will bring our sons and daughters home to us very soon.

Long Sleeved, Hoodies, plus

Men's, Women's, & Children's Short Sleeved Available