November Is Orphan Awareness Month

17 posted on November 17, 2010

POSTED IN: Blog Posts, Social Justice

I just found out that November is Adoption Awareness Month. It’s fitting because I’ve just heard so many amazing adoption stories in recent weeks.

Just last week I was up in Fort Wayne having lunch with a fellow church planter and listening to his stories of adopting 3 brothers from Latvia – an amazing story I hope he turns into a book some day. And just this afternoon my blog buddy Adam Owens got the final approval they were waiting for to add little Angela to their family.

Lisa and I have always had a heart for adopting. Right now we’re in a different phase of life where our children and this church plant is requiring all of our spare time but we have both said we would love to adopt some day.

When I start talking about adopting I can’t help but think about God’s heart for the orphan. Did you know that there are 143 MILLION orphans on our planet today? 143 million children who have neither father nor mother to take care of them or love them.

Earlier this year when I was in Kenya this young orphan’s story melted my heart.

Eliud was a young man – 18 when I met him – whose way of life is unlike anything we could possibly imagine here in the United States. He lived in a slum in Nairobi after losing both parents and a sister. He was an orphan in the truest sense of the word – completely on his own with no one to take care of him.

In the midst of a situation that would have broken most people down, Eliud was able to connect with his true source, his heavenly Father. Those words he wrote on his cardboard wall above his store still humble me every time I read it.

Oh to have that kind of perspective.

If you haven’t already, please read the post I wrote about Eliud called Father To The Fatherless and especially watch the video of Eliud thanking his Compassion sponsor. I dare you not to cry when you watch it.

To commemorate Orphan Awareness Month, please take a moment to pray and ask God how you can help make a difference in an orphan’s life today. Perhaps you know a friend who is in the process of adopting who needs some financial support. Maybe God is calling you to invest in the life of a child like Eliud by sponsoring a child through Compassion. Or perhaps you are or have already adopted yourself.

God is called in the Bible a “father to the fatherless“ and the purest form of religion according to James 1:27 is to serve the fatherless and the widow.

Please pray this month for the 143 million children who have no father or mother but instead rely on their heavenly father to protect and take care of them.

If you have adopted, are in the process now or know someone who is, please share a brief story so we can pray and celebrate together.

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November 17, 2010

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1 JD said:

Eliud’s story was one of the most unforgettable stories from that Kenya trip… I wonder how he is doing today?

Adoption has been a part of our family for as long as I can remember. My mother was given up for adoption at the age of 15 months. Before she married my father, my mother had a child out of wedlock, a baby girl, and back in “those days”, that was absolutely scandalous, so rather than to shame the family, she gave my sister up for adoption. Both my mother and my sister now have a relationship with their biological families.

Like you and Lisa, I’ve always had a heart for adoption, and given my family’s adoption history, I knew we’d adopt in time.

That time for us has come. We’re in the midst of the adoption journey right now. We have three children, ages 14, 12 and 9, and we’re adopting a little girl, age 5. It’s been such a God story, the Gospel in such a messy, beautiful, breathtaking way.
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November 17, 2010

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2 Jenny said:

We just returned back from Burundi, Africa via Ethiopia. It was SO cool on the plane back to see the couples adopting Ethiopian kids. There must have been 15-20 couples with kids of all ages… I’m way huge on adoption too, so it warmed my heart. I had no idea Nov was orphan awareness month… so cool. Thanks for writing this!
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November 18, 2010

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3 Rebekah Pinchback said:

When I was 3 or 10 or 16, I never imagined that my life would take the path it has. I don’t blame God for my barrenness, but rejoice in the extraordinary vision he’s given Ben and I to parent the fatherless.

Our sweet Tyrus has given skin to God’s grace, but the truth of the matter is that adoption comes in many forms. It’s not exclusive to babies and orphanages.

We’re excited to give little Ty a sibling through foster care, but we’re equally excited to watch him grow alongside our sponsored child in Kenya and our scholarship student in Uganda.

Adoption is about expanding our hearts to their widest capacities and allowing God’s unparalleled love to roll down.

Whether it’s through sponsorship, scholarship, mentoring, fostering, or adopting, please consider readying a room in your heart for another mother’s child. It will change your life.
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April 22, 2011

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4 Jack Wellman said:

Our church elder adopted a young child and years later, you would never know the difference. A father and a mother is as a father and mother does. One of our eldest church members adopted 12 children because they saw the need. I believe this woman and her deceased husband have many crowns awaiting them. As a bi-vocational pastor, I have yet to hear one negative experience either in our church or at work.
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August 1, 2011

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5 Amy said:

This is such a touching story. It’s always so wonderful to hear of people opening their homes to children and offering a helping hand in any way, shape, or form.
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September 14, 2011

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6 Nathan said:

Every month should be “Orphans Awareness Month”. The thing that is so troubling to me about seeing kids in need is that kids don’t have a choice. They are brought into the world by adults who are supposed to protect, teach and nurture. Through no fault of their own, that system has broken down in far too many lives of our young people. It’s truly heartbreaking. I commend everyone who reaches out and helps. Which is what I’m going to be doing after reading this post. Thank you for reminding me again things that I too often take for granted.
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November 7, 2011

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7 bible scriptures said:

Enjoy reading your website. Good information keep up the good work.
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November 7, 2011

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8 bible scriptures said:

Continue to do God’s work and be bless.