There are approximately 150 million
orphans around the world.
Churches throughout the United States seek to address this issue by sending an estimated $2.5 billion to orphanages every year, but what if these good intentions did not always translate to the best care for orphans and vulnerable children?
Kristen (Sayres) Lowry, a Union University alumna and international orphan care consultant for Send Relief, seeks to educate Southern Baptists how their churches and missionaries can provide the best long-term care for orphans around the world. A collaboration between the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board, Send Relief provides compassion ministry both domestically and internationally.
As co-executive director of Shelter Yetu in Kenya, Lowry ('06) learned early in her orphan-care experience that most children placed in orphanages have living family members who were forced to give up their children to institutional orphanages because of life circumstances, poverty or food insecurity.
Once Lowry studied the shocking statistics that children living in orphanages are more likely to commit suicide, to become victims of trafficking and exploitation and to have developmental problems, she sought to shift the orphan-care model at Shelter Yetu. Rather than focusing solely on institutional orphan housing for children, Shelter Yetu became committed to reuniting families.
"When we talk about 150 million orphans, we're not talking about that many who need to be adopted or who need to be in orphanages," Lowry said. "Most of these children could be reunited with their families if we reconsider the way we give our money and volunteering to address why they were placed in orphanages to begin with."
Today, Shelter Yetu equips hundreds of families each year to best care for their children by providing counseling, educational opportunities, food support, economic empowerment and more.
"There's a reason people want to visit and give to orphanages, because it feels like a tangible way to help," Lowry said. "But I think as mature believers, we need to think critically about what can help these children thrive...And most of the time, it is by reuniting them with their family of origin."
"There's a reason people want to visit
and give to orphanages, because it feels
like a tangible way to help," Lowry
said. "But I think as mature believers,
we need to think critically about what
can help these children thrive...And
most of the time, it is by reuniting
them with their family of origin."
In her work with Send Relief, Lowry hopes to encourage more Southern Baptist missionaries and church leaders to consider the value of transitioning traditional institutional care (orphanages) to family-based care.
Though Lowry never received formal theological education, she sees how her time at Union University helped prepare her for this role. The Union staff and professors who modeled Christ-centeredness, excellent work and people-focused compassion gave Lowry a solid foundation to work with vulnerable children and families.
"[Union] showed me what a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ looks like in the world and that my faith can stand up to even the most rigorous intellectual questions," Lowry said. "I'm grateful for staff and faculty who showed me the reality of a God who cares for the vulnerable and the compassionate faith that can follow from that."
As she educates churches and missionaries about the value of reuniting families, she believes the Southern Baptist Convention can help change the tide for what orphan care looks like around the world.
"My prayer is that orphans can go home to safe and loving families, and if I can be a small part of that, then to God be the glory," Lowry said.
Send Relief offers free coaching for church leaders and Southern Baptists interested in international orphan care.
