The Crisis
The U.S. has over 500,000 children who are in foster care at any given time. Over 4,700 of those children are in Nevada, and 3,500 live in Clark County. Of those Nevadan children in out-of-home care, 1,000, or about 30% are waiting to be adopted. Children in foster care often have special emotional, educational, and health needs related to their experiences of abuse or neglect.
Drug Abuse
• #1 Cause: Drug abuse by parents
• Methamphetamines: Most common drug abused in Las Vegas and one of the fastest growing in America
• Result: Children neglected by parents
Child Abuse
• #2 Cause: Abuse
• Types of abuse:
Child - 59.2%
Drug - 19.5%
Physical - 18.6%
Sexual and emotional - 2.7%
• 0-3 Years Old: Most common age for abuse victim
Outcome
• Age Out: 20,000 young people "age out" of foster care each year, but many still need support and services
• Vulnerable: These young people are vulnerable to adverse situations such as...
Homelessness
Unemployment
Compromised mental health
Poor educational status
Poverty
Substance abuse
Incarceration
So What Can We Do?
The Response
As Christ followers, our response in life always comes from that of what we know of God's character and from what He has asked us to do. Caring for foster children is at the very heart of who God is as He demonstrates that He is a father to the fatherless, that he sees the oppressed, and that He longs to interact in particular with the marginalized of society.
In addition to foster care mirroring God's character He has repeatedly, throughout the entirety of scripture, made it clear that we as His followers are to take care of the alien, orphan, and widow as they are the vulnerable sectors of society. Because of their great need they are also most ripe to experience and respond to God's love through us.
Let's make a difference in their lives together!
“Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?"
James 2:15,16
"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