The Seventh-day Adventist Church is observing Sabbath, November 21 as Orphans & Vulnerable Children’s Day.
Tragically, millions of children all over the globe have become orphaned for many reasons: war, famine, displacement, disease, or poverty. Of more than 155 million children classified as orphans, 15.1 million have lost both parents. Throughout Scripture, God had expressed his concern by asking that His people show concern and care for orphans. He pictures Himself as “A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation” (Psalms 68:5).
The Orphan Crisis1
- An estimated 153 million children worldwide are orphans (UNICEF)
- 140 million children have lost one or both parents
- 15.1 million children have lost both parents
- 60% of girls fall into prostitution to survive
- 40% of boys enter a life of crime when they are out of orphanages
- 50% of orphans use drugs and abuse alcohol
- “Orphan Nation” is the 7th largest nation in the world
Some of the Ways You Can Help
- Select an orphanage to support
- Volunteer for a day with an orphan
- Befriend an orphan: Write him/her notes or cards, send birthday/Christmas gifts, etc.
- Take a children’s choir or singing group to visit orphans on Sabbath
- Consider fostering or adopting an orphan
- Sponsor an orphan on a monthly basis
- Donate clothes and personal items to orphans
- Organize programs for refugee children
- Host orphans on special days like Children’s Sabbath, Creation Sabbath, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Children’s Day, etc.
- Host an ice-cream night, pizza night or any special treat to get to know orphans
- Work with local NGOs to run a Street Children Project
- Run a special weekly program for orphans
- Make welcome packages for orphans when they attend your programs
- Pray for the orphans and adopted children
- Donate children’s Bible/mission story books and DVDs to orphans
- Involve church kids in writing letters to children of incarcerated parents
Promotional Resources
- Downloadable Booklet
- Devotional
- Sermon Outline
- Sermon PowerPoint
- Children’s Alphabet Activity
- Children’s Crossword Activity
- Children’s Word Search Activity
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All information courtesy Adventist Possibility Ministries.
1The Orphan Crisis Source: legacy.afamilyforeveryorphan.org/orphans.