The Reality Of The Orphan Crisis

Every day millions of children wake up without a family.

This reality should shock us, right? That is a staggeringly high number, and every single digit represents a real, unique child—a child with hopes and dreams and fears and struggles and a fundamental desire to be known and loved.

But for so many of us, we are no longer shocked. The orphan crisis has become an accepted and tolerated element of our reality. It is, in a way, normal.

This should not be.

We should be taken aback that any child is living as an orphan. Those of us who have the means, talents, and abilities to provide care in some way should be incredibly motivated to do something—anything—to help each of these children. We should seek the will of God for our lives, and ask him to lead us to greater love.

Our lives are not our own. Because we have been loved by God, we are connected to the rest of humanity and called to share love and hope to those in need—specifically to those most vulnerable among us.

We see so many things in our age of social media. We’re bombarded with calls and causes, heartbreaking news and tragic events. The massive and consistent exposure to these things can have a numbing effect. We often accept the tragic and horrific as unremarkable because after a while it begins to seem normal.

Sometimes we need a wakeup call.

The orphan crisis can’t become an accepted part of life. It can’t be normal to us. When we hear of it, we must be moved to action. We must care.

If you want to find a place your gifts can be used in the movement to care for orphans, here’s a good place to start.