On November 4, 2012, churches and families like yours spotlight God’s deep love for orphans and how ordinary people can make love tangible – through adoption, foster care and support of ministries like YWAM’s Adoption Ministry 1:27. Orphan Sunday will be recognized and celebrated around the globe.
The first Orphan Sunday was celebrated in Zambia in 2002 and since that group of African Christians highlighted God’s heart for the orphan, Orphan Sunday has echoed out around the globe. Jedd Medefind, President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans, expressed it well: “When Christians grasp God’s heart for the orphan, we see more fully His heart for each of us as well. We don’t foster or adopt or mentor or give financially out of guilt or duty. Christian care for the orphan is just a small reflection of the way God first loved us—pursuing and rescuing us when we were destitute and alone.”
The statistics speak for themselves. More than 400,000 children live in the foster system in the U.S. today, with nearly 110,000 waiting to be adopted. Globally, an estimated 17.8 million children have lost both parents and many times that number live with a single surviving parent, most often their widowed mother. The Orphan Sunday campaign works towards a day when local Christians in every nation will be known as the primary answer to the needs of orphans in their midst.
You might be thinking… How can I do anything? The Christian Alliance for Orphans, along with many partner groups, is providing lots of good event ideas, downloadable posters, bulletin inserts, videos and other free resources that you can use to bring Orphan Sunday to your church. Families may choose to participate in ‘The Orphan’s Table’ by ordering a simple orphan meal package and discussion guide. We are also happy to send you materials about YWAM's Adoption Ministry 1:27 program – a partnership with the Ethiopian church to preserve families and prevent orphans.
The Orphan Sunday website includes:
- Materials (including posters, bulletin inserts and more)
- Easy-Access Resources (from sermon and Bible study notes to songs)
- Event/Activity Ideas
- Event Partnership Packages (that pair you with trustworthy Alliance organizations)
- Examples of successful past Events
- World Map (Please post your event plans and see others!)
It is through individuals like you that highlight the needs in their families, small groups and for their churches that this message will go out. Please consider organizing an Orphan Sunday event at your church!
If you have recognized Orphan Sunday in the past, please leave a comment and share what you or your church have done to bring this issue to the forefront.
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