I spent two months at the age of 18 serving among the orphaned children of Cambodia through the ministry of Children of Promise & Warm Blankets. I observed first hand the awesome work this ministry is doing. The Khmer Rouge massacre of the 1970′s (1.5-3 million were killed) has left many orphaned children and widows. It was a significant devastation. This ministry is seeking to meet these two needs, in addition to furthering the gospel by planting churches across the nation with one unique method: church orphan homes. Each Church Home has a family atmosphere based on love and compassion that is touched by the word of God. Every home shares a building with the local church. Widows are the principal caregivers in each orphan care facility. They understand the pain each orphan faces, having experienced loss as well. Each home maintain a staff ratio of one caregiver for every five children, so you can be assured that a frightened child will be held and comforted by someone who cares. The Pastor of each church is the father figure for the orphans residing there…making it truly a family atmosphere! Both their physical and spiritual needs are being met.
Since this ministry was founded in 1998, there have been over 1000 churches planted, and 100+ of these double as orphan homes to approximately 30-50 children each. But there are over 52,000 orphans throughout Cambodia…so the need is great!
Through whole home sponsorship, at just $1500 a month, these children are provided for with food, clothing, education, love and nurturing!
The Lord has laid a vision on my heart…My vision here at Passionate Homemaking is to pursue simple and natural living. But what is the purpose of this simple living? Our family has a motto: live simply in order to give generously. We want to consume less in order to specifically give more to the Kingdom. We want to make our lives count for eternity! As one of my favorite poems states: Only one life, t’will soon be passed, only what’s done for Christ will last. From this vision has sprouted a specific goal…to donate the majority of the profits earned through affiliates and advertising at Passionate Homemaking to support the Phnom Thom Church Orphan Home. But we need your help to get it fully sponsored.
The Phnom Thom Church Orphan Home was at the heart of the Khmer Rouge fighting before peace finally came in 1998; the area is still feeling the impact of the conflict. The fallout of the Khmer Rouge has left the region crippled, as disease and landmines continue to ravage a population trying desperately to recover. The region has been through so much, but we will not let these children’s childhoods be sacrificed.
We’re committed to caring for these children and restoring their childhoods in Christ. As Ghandi said, we’re aiming to “live simply, so that others may simply live.” Will you join us? This is an opportunity for families and individuals to make a difference in the lives of orphans. As a homemaker and a mother, I see this as a means of mothering orphaned children around the world. Even if I cannot go back to Cambodia or any other country to serve, I can live simply here in order that I might meet the needs of 30 children or more in Cambodia. This is what we have called, Inspired Living! To learn more about this home and to join our team, visit our unique team community at: Inspired Living. Whether you can give just $25 per month or more, every donation is a valuable necessary contribution to the health and wholeness of these children. Each gift will make an eternal difference!
Advertising
We want to let our readers know that a percentage of each of your purchases made through our sponsors will go directly towards supporting this orphan home. We also don’t want to bombard you with random advertisements, so we have purposed to keep our advertising limited and clean. We only advertise products that are specifically relevant to natural and simple living – items that we have used and recommend. You will not find random ads here! If you are interested in advertising with us, please contact me.
So if you are looking to make a purchase through Amazon, check out my Amazon store. Mountain Rose Herbs (offering coconut oil, organic herbs, and such), NaturOli (offering soap nuts, natural body care), Bugaloo (soft soled baby shoes), and More Than Alive (water filters, herbs) are all running affiliates through which we make a small percentage of each sale. Also, if you are in the market for a Bosch mixer, grain grinder, dehydrator, or other kitchen appliance, check out Paula’s Bread.
Fellow Bloggers
I know many of my readers also maintain their own blog. I want to put out a challenge…would you consider joining us in donating some (or all) of your profits towards sponsoring a home? You can join our team or pick another home that needs a sponsor and begin to form your own team. Please contact Julie (julie [dot] lunde [at] warmblankets [dot] org) for more information.
Thank you for prayerfully considering joining our team! May God richly bless your efforts to live simply in order that others may simply live!
If you decide to join our team, please do let me know! Otherwise, please join us in praying for these orphaned children!
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…”
James 1:27a
So I just commented on your deoderant page, but now you are even cooler in my book! I worked in Children homes is Thailand and when I was a children’s pastor, our kids were prayer partners with warm blankets. So glad I found your blog!
This is great! I will look forward to making purchases through this site and will tell other too also. I’m bummed out that I bought a Bosch mixer through another site and they haven’t given me the service I would have liked. I will make all future purchases through the one on your site.
This is a truly exciting project! As my blog grows, I will keep sponsoring an orphanage in mind. Until then I need to see how much I can donate to the cause, I need to speak with the hubby!
Wow, this brought a smile to my face. I only spent 10 days in Phnom Penh in 2004, but it was the highlight of my year doing mission work. God really touched my heart through those people. I’ll be praying for your efforts in this!
I have been reading your blog for about 6 months and have really been blessed by your posts and this one really touches at my heart and I thank you for posting it.
My husband and his family were displaced due to the khmer rouge. It just amazes me that God chose for him not become an orphan as these children are. His mother nearly died while fleeing to Thailand with 2 little ones and pregnant with my husband. Her husband, my husband’s dad was killed as well her whole extended family. So thank you for reaching out to Cambodia in this way.
If anyone is interested in reading more about the khmer rouge from a Christian perspective there is a book called Killing Fields, Living Fields by Don Cormack. He was a missionary to Cambodia who writes about the church and how through all this bloodshed the church still remained.
Lindsay what wonderful work you are doing. Passion with action!
I will be sure to use your Amazon store when I buy books. I think I must have used it when I bought my World Community Cookbooks. I love them so much. I think that is my favorite tip from your site!
I saw a special on tv a while ago. It featured Angelina Jolie and her trip to Cambodia and the work she does. It truly touched my heart. Thank you for the links. I am going to check it out and see what I can do.
This Christmas I am going to try to find products that give proceeds to charity or supports a community rather than a large cooperation. Maybe you could blog about this. Do you take requests?
I think this is so awesome! God’s light, love, and generosity are evident in your family! I will be talking about this with my husband, passing the word along to others, and praying for this great ministry. Do you also get a percentage from the books on your website?
Yes, I am an affiliate with Amazon.com, so any books purchased through my Amazon store or through various links to Amazon, I get a small percentage, which of course will be going to this home.
“We’re committed to caring for these children and restoring their childhoods in Christ.”
I know Catholicism dominates in Vietnam, but I don’t know much about religion in Cambodia. Were these kids Christian to begin with, before they fell on hard times?
No, the country was mostly atheistic due to the Communistic government. After that crumbling, the nation is hungry for the gospel.
Wonderful. I love it. I’ll do my shopping through your site, and explore the possibility of advertising through my own blog. We’ve never done that before.
The poor, orphaned, and widowed are very important to God, and He states in His Word that it is our responsibility to care for them. Thank you for keeping this in front of us; thanks for the challenge.
Blessings,
Shannon