AFAJournal.org - Hope For Orphans -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 12/9/2005
Last Visited: 12/9/2005
For example, Scott Dewey, cross-cultural training director for Mile High Ministries, organized an orphan-care missions team in Anchor of Hope Church in Denver, Colorado.
He and his family attend this approximately 200-member inner-city church which is usually thought to be on the receiving end when it comes to missions, but such is not the case due to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in Dewey's life.
His life was changed after walking into a Romanian orphanage where 20 children were tied down to chain-link cribs that resembled cages in a small attic-like room deafened by silence.
"That was one of the most sobering experiences I've ever had," Dewey admitted."Afterwards, I had nightmares for months."
Although Dewey and others were allowed to untie, hold, sing to, and feed the children, that wasn't enough for Dewey or the children.
"I had such a helpless feeling , ," he said."All that I could do was pray., [After all] helping those in need is not a social work, it is a spiritual work."
The Lord began to work through Dewey, and in 1999, he formed the Loving Arms Team, now made up of representatives from various churches in the community.Each year, the team travels to Romanian and hosts two seven-day camps for orphan boys who are abused and exploited.And every year, the Lord supernaturally provides the approximate $60,000 needed to cover the cost of the trip.
"We are allowed to take them for seven days , and love them," Dewey said.
Various team members also helped start a local orphan-care foundation in Romania.
"We provide both finances and volunteers, and [we] work in partnership with local Romanians," Dewey added.