Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:
to look after orphans and widows in their distress
and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27
There are approximately 145 million children in the world who have lost one or both parents.[1] In the Philippines, there are an estimated 1.5 million street children – those who spend most or all of their time on the streets. Of those, approximately 400,000 literally make their homes on the streets.[2]
Scripture is clear about God’s heart toward the orphan or the fatherless. He is a father to the fatherless (Ps 68:5) and the helper of the orphan (Ps 10:14). His Word tells us to “defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed” (Ps 82:3).
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to defend the fatherless and not turn our eyes from the problem. The Church (comprised of worldwide believers in Jesus) has a great privilege and responsibility to bring about change regarding the condition of the orphaned. And change is possible! In the United States alone, if only one family in every church adopted only one child out of the foster care system, there would no longer be any children waiting for adoption. [3]
We believe that God loves families and that this Father to the fatherless puts the lonely in families (Ps 68:5-6). Our desire is to see godly fathers and mothers bringing in orphans who would not otherwise have a family and raising these children as their own sons and daughters. In fact, we believe that the greatest need of orphans is not food or clothing, shelter or education. Instead, it is the love and affirmation that comes from a father and mother. We who have been adopted by God Himself as His children have been given the ultimate model of the love of an adoptive parent. Although we may not all be called to adopt a child of our own, we can all make a difference.
How can you make a difference? Here are just a few ways:
1. PRAY! Ask the Lord to show you what you can do to be a defender of the fatherless in this generation. Pray for those who do not have a family.
2. Consider adopting a child into your own family. What would prevent you from adopting? Is God calling you to adopt?
3. Partner with Hope For All Children or another organization that is actively involved in the plight of the orphan. We need the Body of Christ working together to see the global change that we desire.
To contribute financially to Hope For All Children, Click Here.
To find out what our current needs are, email us at info@hopeforallchildren.org.
Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
Isaiah 1:17
It’s time!