A Journey to China and Pure and Undefiled Religion

James says that "religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans...in their affliction." One of the marks of true Christianity is that it brings a counter culture to a world where widows and orphans are neglected and marginalized . Wherever true Christianity exists there is an active loosing of the chains of social injustice and neglect. In his book, The Rise of Christianity, Rodney Starks writes:

"To cities filled with the homeless and impoverished, Christianity offered charity as well as real hope. To cities filled with newcomers and strangers, Christianity offered an immediate basis for attachment. To cities filled with widows and orphans, Christianity offered a new and expanded sense of family... I am not saying the misery of the ancient world caused the advent of Christianity... people had been enduring for centuries without the aid of Christian theology or social structures. I am arguing that once Christianity did appear, its superior capacity for meeting human problems soon became evident and played a major role in its ultimate triumph... for what Christianity brought was not simply an urban movement, but a new culture" (p. 161).

Christianity is a culture where its people are not only grieved that there are so many orphans in our world but are actively engaged in caring for them in their distress. One of the reasons I love organizations like America World Adoption Association and Special Link (through which we adopted Isaiah) is that they give Christians opportunities to care for orphans in ways that they could not otherwise. Take a look at those two sites and consider how you might live out James 1:27 in the years to come.

Why this April 29th post on caring for orphans in their affliction? Because God has given my family and me an opportunity to care for some orphans in Fuling, China. We consider it a great privilege to be members of this 35 member team that on July 2nd will journey to China to join the Chinese in caring for "Fuling Kids". You can learn more about this trip and the orphanage where we will be serving at the following two sites: http://www.awaa.org/events/missiontrip_china_2005.aspx and http://www.fulingkids.org/.

Special thanks to Justin Taylor for pointing me to the site that made me aware of this mission trip.