Why Should We Care About Orphans?

Have you heard of Orphan Sunday?

Did you know, in many places, today was recognized as Orphan Sunday?

Do you realize that for too many children around the world, every Sunday is Orphan Sunday?

Life is busy, life is complicated. The fears, concerns, and cries of orphans around the world are easy enough to ignore . . . or, at least, I found them easy to ignore until I had my eyes opened.

It is true, there are some amazing groups around the world, possibly even in your backyard working with orphans and children in state care to improve their prospects and help them to prosper in their home countries, a vital need in some third world countries. It is true that some of these children go on to lead successful lives. This summer, my husband and I helped send a child to camp in the Ukraine with a group that will continue to work with the campers throughout the year where they live. Yet, even a small bit of research will reveal that this is not the case for every child and in some countries, especially for disabled orphans these success stories are far too rare.

One of my least favourite parts of Reece's Rainbow is their page "In Loving Memory". Here, each child who had been shouted for, prayed over, cheered on, and perhaps even had a family committed yet passed before making home is remembered.

Some people wonder why they should be concerned about orphans in other countries when there is so much need at home.

A society is gauged on how it cares for those who are weakest - the young, the old, the disabled, the voiceless.

In faith religious that is pure and faultless is said to  be found in looking after widows and orphans in their distress. 

I recall a family that brought their daughter home from an overseas orphanage where she was cared for, loved, and treated well. Not a picture of distress. Yet when you look at her today she has grown, she has flourished, and accomplished more than would have been possible without the unique love of family. Though not apparent until a family was present to most, this child was "distressed."

The children on RR's memorial page were in obvious distress but they weren't in our backyard, or were they?

I think of the parable of the good Samaritan. The neighbour was not the respected officials, or the kinsmen. It was the one who showed mercy. The one who stopped and loved became the neighbour even though culturally he began an enemy.

When we stop to care, even if the child is an ocean away, in China perhaps, they become our neighbour, our care shrinks the world and they become are back yard.

We are all called to care, to love, and have mercy. We are called to be human in the midst of our brokenness. 

Today, on Orphan Sunday, I challenge you to shrink your yard and gain a few neighbours while remembering a 12 year old girl named Tara.