As a church staff member and director of a nonprofit in South Carolina, Rhonda Littleton has been involved in foster care and adoption ministry for years. But as her church and ministry supported families, God opened up a new opportunity to live out their calling to love their neighbors: serving caseworkers and social workers.
It didn’t start as a major program or church initiative. Rather, as Littleton explained, “It started with coming along beside them and sharing lunch, or providing cookie trays or dessert fellowships, and just building a relationship. That became more of a partnership and … then grew into the church coming along beside them and asking, ‘What can we do to help you?’”
With time and consistent service came trust, and now social services proactively reaches out to Littleton when they have a need or opportunity where churches can help. She also now serves as a chaplain for child welfare workers, offering a caring presence and listening ear for caseworkers when the weight of their work takes its toll.
These child welfare professionals serve children and families day in and day out, and Littleton sees supporting them as a crucial role for churches.
“I believe that it’s important to champion them, to encourage them … to love them and to pray for them. Then child welfare workers know that the church cares, and it’s not just one institution against another institution.”
The Pure Religion Project, CAFO’s church ministry initiative, aims to inspire and equip God’s people to live out the “pure religion” described in the book of James and invited throughout Scripture through resources, supportive community and ongoing connection and coaching.
