jenny reads and reviews: Orphan Sunday

According to the 2006 UNICEF report The State of the World's Children, "Millions of children navigate life without protection from deliberate harm. These children become invisible when they suffer abuse and exploitation in hidden situations and go uncounted in statistics. Even children we see every day can become ‘invisible’ to us when they are neglected or ignored." This report also found that 143 million children in the developing world- one in every thirteen- are orphans. That's just in the developing world. No matter what the reason behind these children's entrance into a life without mother and father, we are called to care for them. James 1:27 tells us, "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

Today is Orphan Sunday, an event where across the nation and beyond, individuals, families, and congregations are learning more about how we can defend the fatherless and care for the orphan as we are called to do. Numerous agencies and churches have held their own Orphan Sundays over the years, but this year, they are uniting their efforts to put forth a clear message: "Orphan Sunday is your opportunity to rouse church, community and friends to God’s call to care for the orphan."

I have several friends who are heeding that call in the most tangible of ways: they are physically caring for these orphans. Some are pursuing adoption (or have already adopted) through domestic and international means; others are dedicated to providing foster care to as many children as the Lord will place in their home. Their stories of dedication, determination, and patience (the adoption process can be rather arduous and long) are ones that please the Lord and inspire others to obey the Father's call to defend the fatherless.

Dr. Russell Moore is the dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and has been involved in the campaign for orphans for a long time. He adopted two children and wrote the book Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches. He says this about Orphan Sunday: "Orphan Sunday isn't about charity; it's about the mission of Christ. I pray that every Gospel-transformed congregation will observe Orphan Sunday, calling all Christians to our mandate to image Christ by caring for his little brothers and sisters, the fatherless of the world." The history of Orphan Sunday reflects the same thoughts (from the Orphan Sunday website):

Many churches and organizations have hosted “Orphan Sundays” over the years. With a nationwide Orphan Sunday, the Christian Alliance for Orphans and the Cry of the Orphan partners seek to add a unified voice and coordinated effort to the many worthy efforts that preceded this year.

The seeds of this united Orphan Sunday come especially as a gift from the Church in Africa. While attending a church service in Zambia, an American visitor was struck by the pastor's passionate call to care for orphans in the local community, which had been ravaged by AIDS and poverty. Members of the church faced deep need themselves. But as the service ended, one after another stepped forward with money, food and other goods-some even taking off their own shoes and placing them in the offering for orphans.

The visitor, Gary Schneider, was so impacted that he began to help Zambian leaders coordinate Orphan Sunday efforts across Zambia. These efforts spread to the U.S. in 2003 with help from Every Orphan's Hope and other organizations. (Orphan Sunday is licensed to the Christian Alliance for Orphans as a registered trademark of Every Orphan's Hope).

The Christian Alliance for Orphans honors the church in Zambia for the gift of Orphan Sunday. We pray the Church in America may be as faithful to reflect God's heart for the orphan, both near and far.

There are hundreds upon hundreds of ways through which you can change the life of an orphan. Will you heed the Father and care for His children?