The Heart of God, the Hope of Christmas

Throughout Scripture, God reveals His heart with unmistakable clarity: He draws near to the vulnerable, the forgotten, and the fatherless. From the Old Testament laws to the teachings of Jesus, caring for orphans isn’t merely a good deed—it’s a reflection of God’s character and a calling placed on every follower of Christ.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” — James 1:27

For the children we serve through Livada Orphan Care, this isn’t a theological idea—it’s their daily reality. Many have been abandoned, abused, or neglected. Others live in extreme poverty in Roma villages where hope often feels far away. Still others are infants left in hospital wards, waiting day after day for someone to hold them, comfort them, and tell them they matter.

God’s Heart for the Fatherless

Throughout Scripture, God is described as:

• “Father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5)

• The defender of the oppressed

• The One who remembers the vulnerable even when the world forgets them

• A God who “sets the lonely in families” (Psalm 68:6)

Caring for orphans is not charity—it is obedience. It is worship. It is the Church stepping into the places where God’s heart is already at work.

Here at Livada, our calling comes from Isaiah 61—to bring good news, bind up the brokenhearted, and see children become “a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.” It’s a long journey, and we get to walk it every day with some of the most resilient kids in Romania.

Why Christmas Matters So Much to Our Kids

Every child we serve has a story. Many are marked by loss. Many grow up believing Christmas is just another reminder of what they don’t have—a family gathering around the tree, gifts chosen just for them, or the comfort of traditions that most children take for granted.

But when sponsors and supporters step in—something beautiful happens.

Christmas Becomes More Than a Holiday. It Becomes Hope.

Your support at year-end allows us to:

• Give every child in our care a meaningful Christmas gift—often the only one they will receive.

• Host Christmas parties in Roma villages, orphan group homes, and our own LOC homes—reminding each child that they are seen and loved.

• Provide warm clothing, food bags, and basic necessities for families who have nothing.

• Share the Gospel with children who have never heard that God came near to them through Jesus.

• Continue care into the new year, when financial giving often declines but the needs certainly do not.

For our kids, sponsorship is not about money—it’s about belonging. It’s about knowing someone across the ocean speaks their name in prayer. It’s about discovering that they matter enough to be remembered at Christmas.

Many of our children keep their sponsor letters folded in pockets or tucked under pillows. Some read them over and over again. Others carry sponsor photos like treasures. These connections are life-changing.

A Year-End Gift That Truly Makes a Difference

As we approach the end of the year, we face real financial needs to continue caring for hundreds of orphans and at-risk kids each week. Our staff, mentors, foster families, and caregivers cannot serve without the support of people who believe this work matters.

Your special year-end gift helps us:

• Sustain our full-time family-style residential care

• Continue daily care for abandoned infants in the Cradle Care program

• Provide weekly ministry, food, and education in Gypsy villages

• Offer Christian outreach, clubs, camps, and support in our community

• Expand the impact of the Romania Without Orphans Alliance

Every dollar is multiplied in impact. Every gift becomes part of God’s redemption story in a child’s life.

This Christmas, Will You Stand With Them?

When you give during the Christmas season, you’re not just meeting a practical need—you’re restoring dignity. You’re offering joy. You’re telling a child, “You are not forgotten.”

We invite you to prayerfully consider:

✔ Becoming a monthly sponsor

✔ Making a special year-end gift

✔ Supporting Christmas gift packages or humanitarian aid

✔ Sharing about Livada with your church or friends

This Christmas, you can help turn loss into hope and broken stories into beginnings.

Together, let’s make sure every child we serve knows that the world—and more importantly, God—has not forgotten them.

👉 Make your year-end gift today: