Orphan Awareness Month

01 November 2016

Dear Praying Friends,

November is National Orphan Awareness Month. It’s a time when Christians around the world stand in solidarity to observe “Orphan Sunday” and champion the cause of the vulnerable.

By definition, an orphan is a child bereft through death or disappearance of, abandonment or desertion by, or separation or loss from both parents or one parent. Global organizations tend to place orphans in three categories: a maternal orphan is a child whose mother has died (such as Ryan’s story), a paternal orphan is a child whose father has died, and a double orphan has lost both parents.

As Christ-followers, we are a people called to defend the fatherless… to care for the child who has no family… to visit orphans in their distress.

“Defend the cause of the fatherless.” Isaiah 1:17

Here are 5 ways you can get involved:

1. PRAY.

Ask God to show you how you can get involved in your community. Pray for your church leadership as they seek ways to care for vulnerable children and families. Pray for Christians to reflect God’s love at home and abroad. Pray for the needs of the fatherless. Pray for our partner orphanage in the Dominican Republic and our youth mission team heading there to facilitate sports ministry this month.

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2. PROMOTE.

Champion the cause of orphans in your local community and around the world by sharing resources on social media.

3. WORSHIP.

We worship a God who is the “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows” Psalm 68:5 (ESV). Take time to celebrate the goodness of our Father. In the words of Francis Chan:

“We’re children of God. We should celebrate that we are no longer orphans. We’re loved by this Father. We’re in this eternal family. And this overflow of joy makes us want to rescue these other kids. I want to do a little bit of what God did for me.”

4. COMMIT.

Decide that you are going to be an ongoing voice for the orphan, the fatherless, and the motherless. Look into how you can become more involved with serving vulnerable children in your community. Visit our website for upcoming Christmas outreach opportunities in serving those orphaned by parental incarceration or domestic violence. Find out how you can pack shoebox gifts for kids in crisis.

5. PRAISE.

Praise God in advance for what He will accomplish around the globe this November. In the words of David Platt:

“When I think about Orphan Sunday, I think about a celebration of worship resounding to the Father in churches around the world who are saying, ‘We are your people adopted by your grace, brought into Your family, and we’re worshipping You for that together- as Your children- as a global family.’ And at the same time, we’re standing together, we’re praying together, and we’re committing ourselves together.”

Would you prayerfully consider becoming an active voice of support to champion the cause of vulnerable children?

In Christ,

Jimmy and Cindy Larche

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