Because a Child Needs You

November is right around the corner and it is National Adoption Month. November 8th is Orphan Sunday.

13 Reasons to use these next few weeks to DO something:

13. There are 143 million orphans in our world.

12. There are as many orphaned and vulnerable children in Ethiopia as there are people in greater NYC.

11. Every 18 seconds another child becomes an orphan, without a mother or father.

10. Every 14 seconds a child loses a parent due to AIDS.

9. Children are profoundly affected as their parents fall sick and die, setting them on a long trail of painful experiences often characterized by: economic hardship, lack of love, attention and affection, withdrawal from school, psychological distress, loss of inheritance, increased physical and sexual abuse and risk of HIV infection, malnutrition and illness, stigma, discrimination, exploitation, trafficking, and isolation.

8. On any given day, 500,000 children in the US are living in foster care because they cannot live safely at home.

7. Each year, an estimated 20,000 young people “age out” of the U.S. foster care system. Many are only 18 years old and still need support and services

6. James 1:27 says, "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction."

5. Romans 8:15, "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"

4. Isaiah 1:17, ". . . Defend the orphan. . "

3. Matthew 25:40, "And the King will answer them, 'I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.'"

2. If only 7% of the 2 billion Christians in the world would show hope to a single orphan, looking after the child in their distress, there would effectively be no more orphans. We can each do something.

1. Thankfully there is hope! It only takes one caring individual to make a life-long difference for an orphan!


Organizations that can show you how to be a difference:

Show Hope
Orphan Sunday
Court Appointed Special Advocates
Child Advocates Forgotten Children Campaign
Hope for Orphans
Children's HopeChest


Find more Thankful Thursday here and Thursday Thirteen here.