ORPHAN SUNDAY

November is National Adoption Month.  Many organizations, churches and people do a lot of advocating during this month to bring awareness to the children who are in crisis situations and in need of families. 

 

November 4th was ORPHAN SUNDAY.

On Orphan Sunday, Christians stand for the orphan. We are a people called to defend the fatherless…to care for the child that has no family…to visit orphans in their distress.

The goal of Orphan Sunday is to make others aware of God's great love for the orphan and to find your part in how you can help. 

 

 

This year Robbie and I were honored when our church asked us to speak before the congregation.  We told how amazingly blessed we were to be able to adopt a child and see how her life has changed the lives of so many others.  You see, by following God's call to "help the orphan" we brought home a beautiful little girl.  Two years later we adopted again.  In sending our girls to preschool, one of their teachers has also adopted two children.  Friends of ours have adopted.  Friends of our friends have seen their families and adopted.  Not only has God used this one little girl to change our lives, but He has used her to bring at least 12 other children into loving homes as well.

We love that God placed the need to "help the orphan" on our hearts.  That is why instead of expanding our family biologically we are adopting again. 

 

 

Our pastor asked everyone to bring in children's shoes. These shoes were then placed on the steps to the alter. At the end of our one hour service there were 150 pairs of children's shoes on the steps. This is the number of children who became orphaned while we held service. 

1 hour, 150 children orphaned!

 

 

 

What can you do to help?  Pray.  Pray that God would open your eyes to help these chldren in a practical way.  I understand that not everyone can adopt(though I wish it were so), but you can make a difference in a child's life. 

You can sponsor a child.  Compassion International is a great organization.  www.compassion.com

You can become a foster parent.

You can help a family who has foster chldren.

You can volunteer at a foster home facility.

You can offer your time and/or services/hobbies to help someone fundraise for their adoption.

Here is a great place to look at other ideas as well:

http://www.christianalliancefororphans.org/agencies-and-ministries/advocacy/