By Alice B. Sweet
This year Orphan Sunday observance is on November 13, 2022. It is estimated that 123 nations will come together on this day to advocate for orphans. Will you join us as we raise our voices for the ones left behind?
Each year Haven of Hope International actively supports Orphan Sunday with a continued focus on the un-adopted. We pray that every child is placed in a loving family. However, the reality we know and live in each day is that not every orphaned, abandoned, or abused child will be adopted. Orphanages around the world continue to receive the children that are left behind. These children are who we focus on every day of the year. We not only have been called to serve but to raise the standard of orphan care globally.
The orphan crisis deserves our attention and, more importantly, ACTION. The crisis is REAL and BIG—153 million children. If we were to gather them together, they would be the 9th largest country in the world—the Nation of Orphans. Pause for a moment and think about that fact…larger than Russia, Mexico, Japan, and 223 other countries and territories, according to the United Nations Population Division.
The harsh reality is 99% of these children will never be adopted. They are a voiceless nation in need of ambassadors—people who have the heart to pray, advocate and provide support to help them achieve their dreams. Survival is their challenge. Orphan care homes are often their only safety net, one step away from a life on the streets. Even with the best intentions, most orphanages are barely surviving.
Haven of Hope International empowers orphan care homes to create an environment for the children to thrive through training and strategic support. Providing programs and funding that meet the complex needs of these children will prepare these children for adulthood.
We invite YOU to become an ambassador for the Nation of Orphans and advocate on their behalf, raising awareness of their situation. It is important to remember these children are orphans through no fault of their own. So, we ask…what better time to make a commitment to become an ambassador than on Orphan Sunday? Here’s how:
PRAY: We ask that you pray for them with us— praying for His plans to be established in their lives.
ADVOCATE: Become a voice for these children. Raise awareness by sharing the facts of this crisis with families, friends, and colleagues. Sign up to be an ambassador, and we will send you a flag for your church and graphics you can use to be their voice. Visit our website: https://havenofhopeintl.org/orphan-sunday/.
SUPPORT: Haven of Hope is committed to setting a new standard of Orphan care. We invite you to join our Family of Hope by making a commitment to one of our partner homes or one of our children. Churches and their members are finding great joy in seeing how they can be the extended family to these children. You can provide stability with ongoing support, no matter how small, and be part of the restoration process for these children.
We invite you to become an Ambassador to the Nation of Orphans. Join the movement. If not the Church community, then who? These children need a voice, and they need family support.
Register now and become an ambassador. Learn how you can receive a large Nation of Orphans flag to display in your church, a tabletop flag for individual ambassadors, and our scriptural bookmark by clicking here: https://bit.ly/HOHI_Ambassador .