7-Year-Old Helps Kids in Foster Care

Have you ever gotten lost from your parents? How did you feel, scared? Kids in foster care often feel scared because they don’t have their own parents anymore. A’Layah Robinson spent a lot of time in foster care and she felt that way, so she wanted to help give other kids hope. This is her story from the Baptist Press: 

Those who know her would probably describe A'Layah Robinson as no ordinary 7-year-old, but a giver. 

A'Layah Robinson received an award for the good work she's doing.

Growing up in foster care, she and her brothers know the struggles of going from one house to the next. One Saturday afternoon, Robinson saw a group of teenagers at a lemonade stand, and something sparked in her heart. She decided to start her own stand to help foster kids.

What started out as a small idea turned into “Lemonade for Love,” a ministry that seeks to give hope to hundreds of Oklahoma children.

When asked why she started a lemonade stand, Robinson simply stated, “I help foster kids, and I want to give them hope.” She said what really inspired her was seeing her brother have no possessions of his own. “When I came to my forever home, I had lots of boxes of things, but my brother had nothing. He only had one outfit.”

The proceeds of her lemonade stand — which have accumulated to approximately $20,000 — go toward stuffing bright yellow bags for foster children. Each of the bags contains what she proclaims are “the essentials” for foster kids — a “blankie,” a Bible, a stuffed animal and a toothbrush. So far, Lemonade for Love has donated around 700 bags to Oklahoma's Department of Human Services. Their goal is to donate 900 by the end of the summer.

A'Layah is in the middle, with friends and family.

It's very important to Robinson to include Bibles in the bags. “I didn't have a Bible, and I had never heard the Word of God before. I want other foster kids to know Jesus,” she said. Robinson made it very clear that Christ is the most important part of her ministry; she never wants that to be overshadowed or censored.

“I don't want any gifts for my birthday. All I want is donations for foster kids,” she said with a smile. Robinson is having a “Birthday Bash” with all proceeds going toward her ministry. “We're going to have cotton candy, hot dogs and even a bounce house!”

By Lauren Capraro, reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention.