Today is orphan Sunday, if you happen to find yourself in a church this beautiful fall morning, hopefully you will hear something about it from the altar, or pulpit, or stage depending on your church. I guess the best way to go about this post is to jump right in.
UNICEF reports that around the world there are between 143 million and 210 million orphans. This does NOT include abandoned children (millions) and sold or trafficked children. Every single day 5,760 children become orphans. Every 2.2 seconds a child ages out of the "system" with no family, and no connections. Studies show that 10-15% of these children commit suicide before they reach the age of 18. 60% of girls that age out become prostitutes, and 70% of the boys become hardened criminals.
I wish I had the ability to break this down by country for you, I wish I could find the words to express the horrible circumstances many of these children live despite the mostly good intentions of the adults that care for them in the orphanages.
So I guess what I'm hoping, my plea for you, my friends, family, strangers, is to look deep into your heart, and find your way of helping these children, these sweet lonely babies. Maybe you and your spouse are thinking of having children, maybe you already have biological children and you are considering adding to your family, consider adoption. If you aren't, maybe there are ways you can support these orphans. There are hundreds of orphan relief programs both domestic and internationally, consider donating, sponsor an orphan, become a foster parent (!!!!!!), offer kind words and support for those in your life that are adopting or have adopted (because it can be hard, and people can say some really terrible hurtful things). Hold your children tonight and remind them how much you love them, and always remember, there but for the grace of God go I. We are the lucky ones, I hope we never forget that.
If you want any information on how to adopt, donate or become foster parents leave your information or contact me and I will send you in the right direction!
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress" - James 1:27
