Lauren Akins Shares Heart-Wrenching, Inspiring Journey of Orphan She’s Helping [Pictures]
It's no secret that Thomas Rhett's wife, Lauren Akins, is passionate about adoption and about helping orphans. In a new series of photos she posted to social media, Lauren shares the transformation of Frances, a sweet little boy whose life she's been able to help change completely through her work in Uganda.
Akins has been in Uganda recently with 147 Million Orphans, an advocacy group that she works with extensively and also helps with fundraising. She turned to Instagram on Tuesday night (Jan. 9) to share a series of photos of a 5-year-old boy named Frances, who was found living in the street with no clothes and so little to eat that he weighed just 12 lbs. The boy has no living relatives.
"The reason he looked like he did is because of complete malnourishment, he had no one to care for him," Akins writes.
Frances was picked up and brought to the 147 Million Orphans Reclaim Center, where he had a very difficult time at first.
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"He cried when anyone touched him, and he cried when they tried to put clothes on him because he wasn’t used to any loving human touch. He had no idea how to accept it," Akins writes. "TODAY he’s not even the same child, thank you Jesus. He loves to be loved now not only from Ugandans but mzungus (white people) too, now he has clothes, his fingernails are almost completely healed, and he has yummy healthy food and water, medicine, education and shelter-all of this provided by @147millionorphans in Jesus’ name."
Flip through the pictures at the top of the page to see Frances' transformation, but be warned: some of the images may be disturbing.
Akins says that many fans reach out to her asking how to help, and adds that the most immediate way to help the orphans is by donating to 147 Million Orphans so they can continue to change the lives of other children just like Frances.
"I held him the last day we were there and he fell asleep on me, we ate some snacks, we sang songs, we played & laughed and when I held him he held on to me so tight," Akins shares. "So thankful Jesus brought us to him and I cannot wait to watch him grow!"
Akins and Rhett met their future daughter, Willa Gray, in Uganda and adopted her in May of 2017.
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