A number of years ago I attended a reunion at an orphanage home I worked at during my college years.   As I walked into the cafeteria room, a place where I shared several meals with both young boys and girls who had been either abandoned by their parents, or ended up in our facility because they were wards of the court.   No one else would take them, so we were it.      I wasn’t sure anyone would recognize me, accept the old staff that I had worked with.  Surely these kids who were now in their early thirties would not remember me, even though we had many teachable moments together.

Working with these orphans was perhaps the best experience I had in my college years.    I gained the job through one of the most incredible interview processes I have ever had.   I saw the job posted at my college, which was not far from the facility in Hollywood.   When I arrived to talk with the two administrators, they were very interested in me as an applicant because of my previous work with children at church and in the Boys Club.     I had just come off of a great semester at school, one that was really filled with God’s blessings.   I had started a Campus Crusade Ministry on our campus and it had really gone well.   I was sky high with God; there was a growing part of me that was beginning to believe that there was nothing I could not do if I just applied faith to the situation.  My life was really becoming quite transparent about my beliefs and walk with the Lord.  

The interview went very well, but the last question was the key to the job as I later found out.    Margaret, the assistant administrator asked me about my faith.   She noted that in my application that I was from a Christian college, and that I had done some youth work with a church the year before.   Before I answered she pointed out that the orphan’s home was a Christian home per se.  She then wanted to know if I would be tempted to share my faith with the kids at the home should I be hired.     I decided to answer exactly as to how I felt.   God had been so faithful during the whole year, why should I do otherwise.    “Of course I will share my faith with these children, it is there best hope.”    There was a moment of silence in the room, both the administrators looked at each other, and said almost simultaneously, “Your hired, when can you come to work” As I learned later, most of the staff had vital relationships with Christ, and because of it several children met their only hope, Christ.   In fact after talking with others on staff it was deduced that about 80% of these orphans and wards of the court found Christ before they left.    

As I looked around the room on that reunion day some faces looked familiar, but I could not recognize them until they identified themselves.    Two young women approached me one was with her husband and the other married with children.    They were so complementary which warmed my heart, but what really spoke to me were the lives they were now living.   Both had married good Christian men and were raising their children they way they had always hoped for when they were children.    Then all of a sudden this big 6”5” giant of a man grabbed me from behind and raised me up in the air.  He was so excited to see me, almost as if I were his long lost father.    “Its Brian, Mr. McClain, its Brian.”  Oh my heavens, not the little 11 year old boy in cottage five”, I exclaimed.   And then he said something that really caught me; “Thanks Mr. McClain for writing me that letter right after you left the home.   I was really struggling, but when your letter arrived, I knew God cared.  And although there were many tough years, I have served him as best I could, thank you for the letter.   I could hardly remember writing the letter, but obviously God used it in a way I could have never anticipated.  

The reunion was really a joy to attend, so many of these orphans had made good on their lives, but it was not because they had good parents, they did not.  But what they did have was an ever-present, loving God, ordained replacement parents, and willing hearts that said, “Yes, Lord come into my life.”    It is a wonderful thing to see kids grow up in Christian homes, and because of it they likewise trust God in their parenting.   But it is really quit something else, to see kids grow up in the worst of circumstances, but trust Him anyway and raise families who trust God; spiritual heroes I would say.   

In respect to this story, pray for children you know who don’t have the kind of Christian homes they need to grow up in.   Aside from the parenting you do with your own children, do all you can to be their for these kids.   If you can help provide a way for them to attend our school.   Heritage teachers and staff are not just committed to giving children the best Christian education possible, but to lovingly minister to children who need help.

God Bless and God Speed,  

Kent McClain