Aug 01
The Harbor—Not Another Orphanage
The greatest misconception we have run into is that the Harbor is a Christian orphanage. We are not an orphanage. In fact, it was the very dearth of the orphanage system that moved us to conceive the Harbor.
Institutional orphan care is already being given in large supply in Russia to orphans from ages 1-17, and, yet, the net result is dismal when measured beyond the institutional years. After leaving the orphanage at age 17, more than 90% of Russian orphans will fall victim to one of the following statistics within the first five years: homeless, incarcerated, criminal activity, prostitution, drug-addiction, or suicide (5%). Orphanages focus on what happens to these orphans during the childhood years. The Harbor focuses on what happens to these precious ones as they pass into adulthood. It is a strategic venture for a future hope, verses a band-aide for a present condition.
—Where the orphanage system stops is where the Harbor begins.
I remember how astounded I was at Alex’s story when I first met him in 1997. All of you who know him can easily resonate with this (Alex’s story can be read at: www.theharborspb.org Alex’s mother placed him in a dumpster. What kind of desperation causes a mother to literally throw her baby in a garbage can? How can a society miss developing the potential of millions of her youth? How does a young man overcome such incredible odds in such an overwhelming way? What does this say to me about the heart and power of our God? I remember a vivid conviction from the Lord that there are thousands of Alex’s out there and that God had commissioned me to go find and develop them. This is the heart of the Harbor’s calling.
—The Harbor is there to anchor lives and launch hope.
The Harbor—A Training Center for Life
Acquire: The Harbor is designed to seek-out and acquire those orphans who have aged-out, or will soon age-out, of the orphanage system (age 16-17), and who desire to succeed in life. These are the orphans that are truly forgotten by the Russian government and Western agencies. Much attention, emphasis, and money is given to younger orphans who are still adoptable. But, more than 97% of Russian orphans never get adopted, and after age 16 they legally cannot be adopted. They leave the orphanage and are relegated to make it on their own with insufficient education, life-skills and personal/spiritual development. This is why less than 5% make it in life. How many of them were another Alex that just was left behind? This is what the Harbor targets; the Alex’s out there who simply need something that is a step beyond what the orphanages provide.
Equip: Once we identify and acquire these orphans, the Harbor is called to holistically equip them. That is, we believe the Lord is committed to their entire being. Therefore, for each participant that comes to us we will equip them in the following areas, so that, independent living and spiritual life becomes a reality:
Body: Food, Clothing, Shelter, Medical Care
Mind: Education, Life Skills, Vocational Training
Soul: Counseling, Spiritual Formation
We address these areas in a residential setting where the participants live in small family units with Christian mentors; a re-parenting and familial community takes place over a two/three-year period.
Transform: Ideally, the Harbor is called to be a conduit for the Holy Spirit to transform these forgotten orphans into productive civil and Kingdom citizens. We recognize that our role in this process is to persevere and be faithful. We acknowledge that success in this area is entirely the work of the Holy Spirit.
The greatest misconception we have run into is that the Harbor is a Christian orphanage. We are not an orphanage. In fact, it was the very dearth of the orphanage system that moved us to conceive the Harbor.
Institutional orphan care is already being given in large supply in Russia to orphans from ages 1-17, and, yet, the net result is dismal when measured beyond the institutional years. After leaving the orphanage at age 17, more than 90% of Russian orphans will fall victim to one of the following statistics within the first five years: homeless, incarcerated, criminal activity, prostitution, drug-addiction, or suicide (5%). Orphanages focus on what happens to these orphans during the childhood years. The Harbor focuses on what happens to these precious ones as they pass into adulthood. It is a strategic venture for a future hope, verses a band-aide for a present condition.
—Where the orphanage system stops is where the Harbor begins.
I remember how astounded I was at Alex’s story when I first met him in 1997. All of you who know him can easily resonate with this (Alex’s story can be read at: www.theharborspb.org Alex’s mother placed him in a dumpster. What kind of desperation causes a mother to literally throw her baby in a garbage can? How can a society miss developing the potential of millions of her youth? How does a young man overcome such incredible odds in such an overwhelming way? What does this say to me about the heart and power of our God? I remember a vivid conviction from the Lord that there are thousands of Alex’s out there and that God had commissioned me to go find and develop them. This is the heart of the Harbor’s calling.
—The Harbor is there to anchor lives and launch hope.
The Harbor—A Training Center for Life
Acquire: The Harbor is designed to seek-out and acquire those orphans who have aged-out, or will soon age-out, of the orphanage system (age 16-17), and who desire to succeed in life. These are the orphans that are truly forgotten by the Russian government and Western agencies. Much attention, emphasis, and money is given to younger orphans who are still adoptable. But, more than 97% of Russian orphans never get adopted, and after age 16 they legally cannot be adopted. They leave the orphanage and are relegated to make it on their own with insufficient education, life-skills and personal/spiritual development. This is why less than 5% make it in life. How many of them were another Alex that just was left behind? This is what the Harbor targets; the Alex’s out there who simply need something that is a step beyond what the orphanages provide.
Equip: Once we identify and acquire these orphans, the Harbor is called to holistically equip them. That is, we believe the Lord is committed to their entire being. Therefore, for each participant that comes to us we will equip them in the following areas, so that, independent living and spiritual life becomes a reality:
Body: Food, Clothing, Shelter, Medical Care
Mind: Education, Life Skills, Vocational Training
Soul: Counseling, Spiritual Formation
We address these areas in a residential setting where the participants live in small family units with Christian mentors; a re-parenting and familial community takes place over a two/three-year period.
Transform: Ideally, the Harbor is called to be a conduit for the Holy Spirit to transform these forgotten orphans into productive civil and Kingdom citizens. We recognize that our role in this process is to persevere and be faithful. We acknowledge that success in this area is entirely the work of the Holy Spirit.
