Christian nonprofit, Bethany Christian Services, created a sponsorship program in the mid 1990s to assist foster families in parts of the globe in times of need.
The purpose of BCS’ sponsorship program is to connect a family with another family overseas as trained social workers and case management come alongside them in this process in times of crisis.
The hand of God has used the Coronavirus pandemic to send social workers and case management to respond to the needs of foster families as they equip them to overcome the circumstances surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic.
“Social workers have been working since the start of the pandemic,” vice president of the BCS global program, Kristi Gleason tells Atlanta Christian Voice. “We have been working alongside families affected by not getting work in small businesses.”
The mission of BCS is simple: to demonstrate the love and compassion of Jesus Christ by protecting children, empowering youth and strengthening families through quality social services, according to the BCS website.
The countries included in this sponsorship program that BCS created include Ethiopia, Ghana, Albania and Haiti. Some of the issues that have impacted these countries that the BCS sponsorship program seeks the Lord to address include hurricanes, domestic violence and job loss.
Child abandonment is one of the main issues that has increased since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic that the BCS sponsorship program is stepping out on faith in Christ to make positive changes and decrease.
“In some of our reports coming from the government, we have seen an increased abandonment in children after COVID-19 ,” director of African programs for BCS, Sebilu Bodja tells Atlanta Christian Voice. “We are currently working with the children to place them with families.”
“We are currently working with the children to place them with families,” Sebilu Bodja tells Atlanta Christian Voice.
The BCS sponsorship program has placed children in approximately 160 families in Ethiopia and Ghana, about 40 families in Haiti and around 300 families around the world.
Gleason gives God the glory for giving them the opportunity to work with families as they seek to empower them in the Coronavirus pandemic and other crises.
“I would say it’s an interesting opportunity to connect with families overseas,” Gleason tells Atlanta Christian Voice. “Every quarter, you get an update on your family and on the circumstances going on in the neighborhood. It’s a good way to expand our borders with people around the world.”
“I would say [the BCS sponsorship program] is an interesting opportunity to connect with families overseas,” Gleason tells Atlanta Christian Voice.
Bodja enjoys seeing families around the world overcome their circumstances through the power of God.
“[The BCS sponsorship program] is a great way to support them and it is designed to stabilize and create self-sufficiency for families,” Bodja tells Atlanta Christian Voice. “It’s a great way of helping families in a useful and meaningful way.”
To find out more about BCS, its sponsorship program and ways to get involved in this nonprofit, visit www.bethany.org.
