Orphan Sunday is November 4th, 2012 this year. Orphan Sunday is a day where Christians come together to support, encourage and promote adoption, foster care, and other ways of caring for orphans.
There is a full range of resources for Orphan Sunday here. Which includes bulletin inserts, ideas for orphan sunday, posters, flyers and a lot more. You can get badges for your blog as well. It is getting late as we have 2 weeks(one Sunday) before Orphan Sunday, but there is also speakers for your church,you can find for orphan Sunday(keep that in mind for next year). You can also contact christian agencies such as Bethany Christian Services (they are now working hard for foster care in many countries as well as adoption) and AWAA- America World Adoption Agency (which just started up doing domestic adoptions as well as international) for information on how your church can help/programs that they need the most financial support for. Also Show Hope is a christian organization that financially helps christian families adopt through grants and fundraising as well as caring for orphans needs.
Orphan Sunday 2012 from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.
Steven Curtis Chapman from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.
Financial support is so very,very needed, but it is not just about that. It is about helping those families who have adopted get the spiritual and emotional help and support as well. For the adoptive families it may be, sending them a card letting them know you are praying for them, being graceful and compassionate (without judgement) when their child is throwing a "fit" or not being responsive or polite-realizing that there is much more going on than what you may see and that discipline may look very different for these children and care for them may look different as well, the rules of caring for a adopted child are not as cut and dry as they may be for biological children who have from the beginning been given the love and attention they need- so try your best not to judge or offer opinions. It may be picking up their other children from school or activities, or taking them for a few hours. Different families need different things, and I think some things may be more harm than good- so just ASK what you can do, and be open that you truly want to help- your not just asking to be polite, but also give them space if they just came home with their child. I am sure there is so, so much more that could be added to this and having never adopted myself I cannot say what is truly needed- but I do know that everyone needs prayer.
As you read and watch webinars/videos on adoption you may realize how many things can "go wrong" in adoption when you hear about disorders and fetal alcohol syndrome, aids etc.- which seems to be what I hear most if I am causally talking about adoption, people talking about everything that can go wrong as a reason why no one should adopt unless they want to put themselves in a bad situation. While, yes these kids can come from very terrible situations- not to downplay the very true fact that you might have a really really rough road, and no one can be fully prepared for what your child may need. I think it is important to remember that- if you are called to something by God- the fact that it is hard does not change the fact that you are called. It's not about who else is or is not adopting and what their reasoning is, its about your relationship with your creator and what He has for your life/your family.A little side note on the "horror adoption stories", you also hear numerous terrible stories when your pregnant about birth- but the fact is many many people have very healthy babies and perfectly fine labors. I would know the same to be true of those who have adopted- things can go wrong but over all that child is totally "worth it".
Russell
Lastly, Yes- everyone is NOT called to adopt, but please do not assume you are not just because it is not in your life plan. Pray about it, and pray about how you can help since as Christians we ARE called to care for orphans and widows(not just one or the other- both) and you can find some ways to help through the links above. So don't just talk about how you would "like to adopt someday", do something to care for the least of these Now, you don't have to have a ton of money, you can do a garage sale and give the money to Show hope or a family in need- or even choose to support a child from Compassion International- these children are often not orphans but they are some of the "least of these" and need basic need to be met and to learn about God.
In writing this post, I was starting to wonder- as more days have gone by since I had planned on writing it, and with all I have to do with projects and preparing for my baby coming( in about 3 months) and possibly moving soon- I wondered if maybe God did not want me to write it. Maybe I just don't have the time, it won't make any difference- who is going to read it etc. Then it hit me- it is not God who did not want it written, it is the enemy. I am in no way a amazing writer or a miracle worker, but I know someone who is and He helped me write this- when I wasn't sure where to start. (This is my disclaimer) Although this post may not be perfectly written, or maybe something is not politically correct etc. Please know that it is only with good intentions that it is written, to promote something that is very important to me and I feel the churches of America need some help with- and here is a great way to help.
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