Fields Of The Fatherless

I just finished Fields Of The Fatherless by C. Thomas Davis. Here are some excerpts that spoke right to my heart and answered questions that I have been asking God about serving AIDS orphans in South Africa...

"The Lord has told us that He is the Father of the Fatherless; so, if we truly want to experience God we must go where He is-in the fields of the fatherless. It is in this place where God reveals Himself." page 11

"...God's joy could be mine when I participated with Him in doing something that mattered so much to Him!" page 26

"If you searched the Bible from front to back, you'd find many issues close to God's heart. But you'd notice three groups of people coming up again and again...Allow me to introduce you to those God continually draws our attention to. They are the orphans, widows, and strangers. What these people have in common is their desperate need of provision and protection. They are the weak, the under-privileged, and the needy among us...Cleary, the protection and well being of this group are one of God's great and constant concerns. So much so, in fact, that he defines Who He is by His promises to them. Consider his promise to provide:
"A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,
Is God in his holy habitation.
God sets the solitary in families;
He brings out those who are bound into prosperity. (Psalm 68:5-6)" page 26-27

"God gave the responsibility to care for the defenseless to those claiming to be followers of Christ. It is through our hands the Father's love comes, it is through our voices His voice is heard, it is through our efforts and those of the church that his care is revealed to the ones the rest of the world has forgotten." page 33

"As we focus on fulfilling what is on God's heart, looking ahead to the joy he promises-we help others find the love of God through the giving of ourselves. That's the ultimate goal!" page 77

"...Jesus spoke to the very heart of the matter. "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." (John 14:18). page 130

"This is the greatest need to be met in our day-to know our true Father. Knowing Him brings definition, fulfillment, and completion to our lives. It truly answers the questions of our existence, yesterday, today and tomorrow. God is our Father." page 130

"The more we become the hands, the feet, the love of Jesus, the more joy we find. We give, and we end up receiving much more than we could ever imagine...After all is said and done, when we sincerely ask God the question, "If I could live my life doing only one thing, what would You want me to do?" page 133

"As you walk through the fields of the fatherless
Your light will break forth like the morning!
And the life you live will no longer seem mundane and meaningless.
Instead, every minute will be filled with joy, purpose and significance.
And when this life is over and you stand face-to-face with the Father,
what a reward will be in store for you!
Because you saw the face of Jesus in the face of the lost and lonely,
God will see His Son in your eyes.
Because you cared more about what He care most about-
God will recognize you as his faithful partner.
And because you made every effort to express in simple ways the Father's love
the smallest deeds you did for the least of these will count greatly for all eternity." page 134