Did you know that there are nearly 150 million orphans worldwide? You read that correctly. 150 million. It’s a number I can’t even wrap my mind around.
Did you know that 90 percent of the world’s orphans will never be adopted?
I can think of seven common reasons for this:
- The orphaned children live in countries in which adoption is not culturally accepted.
- The children are taken in by extended family members and are not formally adopted.
- A government system cares for orphaned children (usually in orphanages) until they “age out” of the system.
- Some orphans are deemed “un-adoptable” due to their medical, developmental, or cognitive needs.
- Some children tagged “orphans” are not truly orphaned—many have at least one living birth parent.
- Birth parents leave their child at an orphanage and promise to return later to pick up the child. If they never return and do not relinquish their parental rights, the child remains in limbo.
- An orphaned child contracts HIV/AIDS.
The March issue of Adoption World eZine provides doable tips for how you can impact the life of an orphaned child. Since the eZine “went to press,” I’ve heard from several orphan care organizations. Each of them provided me a brief overview of what they do.
I hope the work these organizations are doing will inspire you to think about what you can do to impact the life of an orphan. Be sure to check out their Websites for detailed information.
Food for Orphans
www.FoodforOrphans.org
Food For Orphans is feeding orphans in Asia, Africa, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Gary VanDyke, founder and CEO, says:
We seek out and evaluate new orphan care projects that need assistance in providing food to hungry orphans. Our goal is to make sure that every orphan receives at least one nutritious meal per day.
orphanCare International/Dillon International
www.orphancareintl.org
For over 36 years orphanCare International/Dillon International has been dedicated to helping orphaned and abandoned children along with poverty-stricken families in some of the most neglected areas of the world.
Tonnie Dosser, Associate Director of Development, says:
“By providing educational support, medical care and daily care we hope to help create a brighter future for God’s children.”
Orphan Outreach and Mission Backpack
www.orphanoutreach.org
www.missionbackpack.org
Orphan Outreach has developed a clear mission to serve orphans and children at risk of being orphaned by providing a quality Christian education that prepares them for a fulfilling independent life in their community.
“Our school model focuses on advanced technology, economic development, bi-lingual education, spiritual development and community service. The focus of our educational program is to provide early intervention, quality education, and spiritual development, as well as improve the lives of orphans and children at risk of becoming orphans.”
If you want to get involved with Orphan Outreach, consider donating a school backpack to an orphan who lives in Guatemala, Honduras, India, or Russia.
Forever Families Foundation
www.foreverfamiliesfoundation.com (website coming soon)
A not-for-profit, 501C3 organization dedicated to bringing orphan awareness and education to the body of Christ in Northwest Arkansas. Director Joetta Schork writes:
“We welcome opportunities to speak to church groups, civic organizations, and anyone wanting to learn how to become involved in Adoption, Foster Care or Orphan Ministry.
Warm Blankets Orphan Care International
www.warmblankets.org/
Craig Muller, co-founder of this non-profit Christian mission, writes:
“With 140 homes on three continents, we are focused on restoring the childhood on the lives of orphans.” The ministry serves as a means to help indigenous villagers care for orphans in their own countries.
They work in partnership with churches, corporations, organizations and individuals who have a passion to help needy, parentless children. They use everything from cellular systems to satellites in coordinating efforts to rescue orphans from extremely remote and often life-threatening situations.
World Orphans
www.worldorphans.org
Abandoned-Orphaned Blog
1-888-ORPHANS
World Orphans is committed to rescuing millions of orphaned and abandoned children, the strengthening of thousands of indigenous churches, and the impacting of hundreds of communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ…through the cost-effective empowerment of church-based orphan prevention, rescue, care and transition programs in the least reached areas of the world.
Paul Myhill, President of World Orphans, writes:
“We have funded over 500 projects in almost 50 countries in the developing world. The majority of these projects have involved the building and running of family-style homes for orphans, built on the property of indigenous churches.”
More orphan care organizations coming in the next post! If you’d like your orphan care organization featured this week, please e-mail me a brief description.
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