Praying for Orphans - Day 1

In honor of the upcoming Orphan Sunday (November 4^th), we are hosting a Prayer Campaign to prepare our hearts and minds for the day set aside to honor the orphaned, knowing that PRAYER is the best place to start!

Sometimes it’s hard to put into words the plight of the orphan today. When we hear numbers like 153 million as the amount of orphans there are worldwide, it goes way beyond our understanding.  Or what about the number of orphans just in our country alone?  Over 107,000 children are waiting to be adopted from the US foster care system.* Again, we struggle to really comprehend what that looks like. Sometimes we become numb to the numbers as facts and stats go in one ear and out the other. 

Why don’t those numbers make us jump into action?  What do those numbers really mean?

They mean that ONE little girl in Guatamala has no parents to tuck her in at night…

..that ONE boy in Ukraine turns to drugs, alcohol, and violence because he has nowhere else to go…

...that ONE little boy in Africa starves because there isn’t enough food for his caretaker to feed him AND her own children.

 

The stories, situations, and sweet vulnerable children are endless.  Instead of being overwhelmed with the many, let’s commit to focus on ONE child.

To start our prayer campaign, will you join us today in praying for ONE child, ONE orphan that you know by name? 

If you don’t know any orphan by name, please join us in this prayer for Nellay, a sweet 12-year-old girl who is deaf and lives and attends school at Lifesong Liberia.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, we lift up Nellay to you. We pray for her health and safety. We pray that if it would be your will her hearing would be restored. Lord, please give her spiritual understanding and growth as she hears the gospel from our staff in Liberia. We pray for healing of her soul for the hardships she has seen and experienced at such a young age.  We thank you that YOU are her Father and that YOU have shown YOUR love to her. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

We encourage you to share the name of the child you prayed for in a comment so we can pray for them too!

*Source:  U.S. Government “5th Annual Report to Congress on Public Law 109-95” and affirmed by UNICEF

Orphan Sunday: One Day. One Voice. One Purpose.

On November 4th, as well as the surrounding Sundays, thousands of events will echo across America and around the globe, all sharing a single goal: that God's steadfast love for the orphan will also stir in our hearts.  From many sources, one voice.  Orphan Sunday is an opportunity to excite family, community, church and friends to God's call to care for the orphan. As Orphan Sunday approaches, we pray you will dedicate time on one Sunday in honor of the fatherless.  Here are a few helpful and practical recourses for how to spend an Orphan Sunday from Christian Alliance for Orphans' Orphan Sunday.org website: Partnership Packages - Ideas and action points from over 20 different orphan, adoption & foster care organizations so you can find an activity that fits your church. (Be sure to check out Lifesong's Partnership Packages as well!) The Orphan's Table - Experiences impact us more deeply than words. On Orphan Sunday, share a meal eaten by orphans around the world.  Gather with family, small group or church for the meal, discussion and prayer. More Resources - Check out OrphanSunday.org for other church resources such as sermon starters, worship songs, bible studies, bulletin inserts, prayer guides, and much more! We are hopeful you and your church family will honor orphans by participating in Orphan Sunday.

Orphan's Table - Orphan Sunday

Experiences impact us more deeply than words.

On Orphan Sunday, share a meal eaten by orphans around the world.  Gather with family, small group or church for the meal, discussion and prayer.

When you request The Orphan’s Table, you will be sent:

--An easy-to-cook meal package—the same food provided to feed orphans worldwide.  (Prepare by boiling, instructions included.)

--An Orphan Sunday Prayer and Discussion Guide to help you make the most of this experience.

As you join in The Orphan’s Table, we pray God’s love for the fatherless will grow in your heart as well.

Order Here!

The cost is simply a donation of any amount.  $5.00 will cover materials shipping for 1 food packet.  Please indicate the number of food packet needed as each packet contains 6 meal servings.

We’re extending “The Orphan’s Table” internationally! If you live outside the U.S. and would like to participate in the Orphan’s Table for Orphan Sunday please email us at info@cafo.org for more information.  You will be asked to cover shipping costs, but the meals and materials will be provided free.

PLEASE NOTE:  the first shipment of Orphan’s Table packages will not be sent until approximately Tuesday, September 11, 2012.  After that date, they will be shipped approximately bi-weekly. Place your order by Friday, October 12 to ensure the arrival of your meal in time for Orphan Sunday on November 4!

(**information taken from www.orphansunday.org)

Orphan Sunday Inspiration!

Orphan Sunday is just around the corner and it's never too early to start planning. November 4th will be a day celebrated nationwide in honor of adoption, orphan care and foster care.

But like all events there is a lot of planning, research, time & energy involved. Wouldn't it be great to have all the information you needed to host an Orphan Sunday event all in one place? 

We would like to introduce to you OrphanSunday.org.  This website is packed with resources from some incredible orphan/adoption/foster care organizations so you can pull off an event that will engage your church community.

We will be highlighting resources such as Partnership Packages, The Orphan's Table and many more! Stay tuned!

Orphan Sunday -- Testimony

 Orphan Sunday.

A day to stop. reflect. learn. serve. act. pray. 

A day that was recognized across the globe by churches, small groups, families, and individuals sending out the call of responsibility that is on the shoulders of the Church of God to defend the fatherless and satisfy the needs of the oppressed. 

We feel honored to partner with Houston's First Baptist & Legacy 685 Church Adoption Fund and share how they honored the orphan on Orphan Sunday... 

The leadership had prayed two things for Orphan Sunday; that we would be able to raise awareness for the orphan and second, that we all would respond to God’s leading on how He is asking us to care for the orphan.

We had a video showing the orphan crisis and how our church was responding to that crisis.  We had interviewed 6 couples that had either gone on a mission trip, adopted a child or foster-to-adopt, each sharing their testimony of the impact on their lives.  After worship and a message, about 14 families shared their 'before and after' story of adoption, foster or orphan-care mission trip through cardboard testimonies.  Following a final song, to close we had everyone go to a prayer fence that had been built using chicken wire and old wood. There were 200 pictures of either orphaned children that our church supports or adoptable children in Houston.  People were led there to begin to pray for the 163 million orphans worldwide and then were encouraged to take a picture with them and to continue to pray for them.

It was a powerful time, very moving for many people and the response was real and genuine.  Our prayer is that the seeds that were planted will begin to be cultivated and people will continue to seek God in caring for orphans and what that looks like in their life and family. 

-Steve Klein, Houston's First Baptist Church & Legacy 685 Adoption Fund

  Cardboard testimonies...

  Worship...

Orphan prayer wall...

Thanks for sharing Steve--what a special day! For more Orphan Sunday recap stories, see the Christian Alliance for Orphans blog!