Did you know there are over 150 million documented orphans worldwide?
For context, that is more than Russia’s entire population… and Russia is the 9th largest country in the world. Imagine if their whole population was orphaned children.
150 million children.
Let that number sink in for a minute or two…
150 million children without a mom or a dad.
150 million children who probably weren’t tucked into a warm bed last night with a hug and a kiss from someone who loves them recklessly.
150 million children whose birthdays may not be celebrated or even recognized.
We want to highlight this because today, November 12, is World Orphans Day.
The Lord has given Allen and I a burden for orphan ministry and it is a key component of how we are planning and preparing to serve in Togo (read more about it here). In fact, just the other day, we started talking about what it would look like for our family to still adopt internationally, rather than simply running an orphanage in Togo. And we don’t know the answer to that yet, but we’re excited to see how God could use our family, should He choose to do so.
In addition to providing the graphic below that highlights the Global Orphan Crisis, we wanted to share some other resources that could jumpstart your involvement in helping end this crisis (at least for one kiddo):
- Books we have read and loved:
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- Orphanology by Tony Merida and Rick Morton
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- Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis
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- Adopted for Life by Russell Moore
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- The Lucky Few by Heather Avis
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- No Biking in the House Without a Helmet by Melissa Fay Greene
- Consider applying to be a foster parent in your state/hometown
- Sign up to sponsor a child through a program like World Vision, Compassion International, or other trusted program
- Volunteer at a local crisis pregnancy center, teen support program, or other outreach ministries that target at-risk and vulnerable children.
Do you have other ideas? Share them in the comments!
