Starfish Babies
South Africa
Ialways feel a great weight when I come across Ephesians 2. The well-known chapter that the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus begins by saying, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins…”
All people are born spiritually DEAD in sin. Have you ever thought about what’s true of a dead person? They have no life and zero ability to do anything on their own…because there’s dead!
It’s a humbling thing to meditate on. We are utterly dependent on our Savior to do anything. Praise God for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Likewise, babies are a particularly dependent creature. They need to be fed, changed and put down for rest. They certainly can’t walk over to the fridge and grab a bite to eat on their own. Thinking about Ephesians 2 got me thinking about Starfish Babies, the newest Orphanos partner.
Cecil & Janice Spencer are the couple behind Starfish and are close friends with the Pro-Vision South Africa team, another Orphanos partner. They’re based in South Africa too and act as Temporary Places of Safety (TPS) for abandoned babies.
South Africa, like so many countries, has many social problems for which the abandonment or abuse of babies and toddlers is a cause for deep concern. The reasons are many, but in almost all cases, these babies are dependent on the social welfare system of the government which in itself is stretched past the point of being able to cope.
Starfish Babies has a developing network of partners who play a role in the identification and care of these abandoned babies. Being a TPS means they have to be ready at any time for any number of situations.
Back in August, they received a call at 11:30 PM from a nearby police station. An elderly lady had found a baby on the side of the road wrapped in blankets and plastic. They set out to get the baby and bring her home for a warm bath, clean clothes and warm formula. The next Monday, they worked with a social worker that legally assigned the nameless little girl to their care until she could be placed in foster care or adopted.
Cecil, Janice and the entire network of TPS within the Starfish Babies system have been blessed with a deep love and compassion for abandoned and neglected babies. Their heart is to reach additional babies and children in need until ‘forever families’ are found.
I’m so glad to know the Starfish Babies team and believe God is glorified when these needy young ones are cared for. Please join me in praying for the work they’re doing in South Africa.
