10 Things You Can Do for Orphans

1. Be aware.

The orphan statistics are staggering. The largest number that you see (148 million) refers to fatherless children . If one only counts full orphans those who have no known or living parents that number is thought to be over 13 million. In the US there are over 500,000 children in our US foster system. About 120,000 of those are adoptable. In the US 137 million people are said to be practicing Christians. If only 1 % of US Christians made a choice to adopt one child, there would be no more children waiting to be adopted here in the US, and a million orphaned children from other countries would join an American family. Knowing these numbers is a step towards awareness. More importantly, realizing that there are real children just like your own behind each of these numbers is what being truly aware means.

2. Pray.

Certainly, each of us have been comforted by knowing there are loved ones out there praying for us. James 5:16 says that The prayers of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Can you do that for an orphan, today? How about praying for one specific child? Go to an orphan photo listing site such as www.rainbowkids.com. Choose an orphan there that you can pray for. I print out the pictures of these orphans and put them up on my refrigerator where they will be seen by all of us so that we can be reminded to bring them to our Father in prayer.

3. Speak up for them.

Once you are aware of the need, you can hardly keep it to yourself. Don’t be afraid to speak up for them. Tell others about that child you are praying for . Find an orphan project or an orphan waiting for surgery and tell others about it. If your church or group is doing planning for giving, speak up for the needs of orphans. Proverbs 31:8 says “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves”. Here is a chance to do just that.

4. Giving to orphans through projects and shopping.

Sponsor an orphan project. Here in the US and around the world there are organizations who have committed to working to make life better for orphans. They may provide school supplies or build a school. They may pay for life saving surgeries or clean water. These organizations are funded by people (like you!) who care about orphans. Find a project that your family is interested in and GIVE. Raise funds. Get others involved. The Connect Community project in Swaziland through this site is one of these projects. Check it out here.

Buy stuff that supports orphans. There are businesses selling products and giving all or some of the profits to orphans. One example is Saint’s Coffee. When you buy one pound of their fair trade organic coffee you feed an orphan for a month. To date they have fed over 8,000 children in Africa. You can buy T-shirts and other clothing, jewelry, shoes, and more than one kind of coffee and support orphans at the same time. At Christmas time, why not give gifts that also support orphans? See our Known To Me purpose shop for some of these stores.

5. Provide for the monthly needs of an orphan.

Through many organizations you can choose an orphan to sponsor. Sometimes the total cost of care is divided up between several sponsors. There are varying degrees of involvement available through different programs. KnownToMe’s Community Building project in Swaziland will not only provide for the cost of care for an orphan, but it will provide for the development of a community depending upon the needs identified by the local people working there.

Here are some other organizations with child sponsorship programs. Please take a look.
http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/sponsorships.cfm
http://amazima.org/waystohelp.html
http://www.thestarfishfosterhome.org/sponsorchildnanny.aspx

For sponsorships of foster children in the United States, do an internet search on programs in individual states. Many states have special programs during the holidays and even other times of the year that allow you to give into the lives of US foster children.

6. Support programs that prevent orphans

Compassion, World Vision , Children’s Hope Chest and many others are working in countries all over the world in order to provide food, medical care and education for the children of families who are in need. When you sponsor a child in one of these programs, you are often helping to prevent a child from becoming an orphan.
http://www.compassion.com/default.htm

7. Go visit orphans

James 1:27 says Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

You can go to orphan camps where orphanages send children for a break from the orphanage life. What a difference 5 days can make for them and for you. http://www.bringmehope.org/about.html. Families can go work in orphanages to build playgrounds or new facilities. These type of trips are often sponsored by adoption agencies and other aid organizations. Medical trips that perform cleft surgeries take volunteers to hold children after their surgeries. http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/medical.cfm Visiting orphans is part of the holistic approach that the Known To Me community will employ as well. For more details, click here.

8. Support those who support orphans.

Hebrews 10:24 says Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
When you support an adoptive or foster family, you are supporting orphans. Can you mow the yard, organize meals or run errands for a family that has a new foster or adopted child? How about regularly giving support and encouragement to those who work with orphans or foster children? What about giving towards another family’s adoption fund? Can you join their fund raiser or give a gift that will allow a child to have a forever family? We (the King family) have experienced the flood gates of heaven being opened through the willingness of others to step out and give for adoption. What an amazing way to effect the life of another.
If you don’t know of anyone adopting, why not consider a gift to some of the organizations who provide grants for families?
http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/donation.html
http://www.showhope.org/ (donations can be made under Donate/Fund an Adoption)

9. Foster a child.

In the Us, foster child placements were intended to be temporary safe places for kids to go for a time before they can be returned to their own families or placed in an adoptive family. This is a very special job and a chance to be just what a child needs in a time of loss and distress.
http://www.beafosterparent.com/index.html

10. Adopt a child.

Statistics show that about 1/3 of all Americans consider adoption with about 2% actually adopting. Have you considered adoption? The Known to Me community would like to support and encourage adoption in any way we can. Under the orphan tab at the top of the home page is a menu for adoption. There is information there about how to adopt, tax credit information and links to financial assistance for adoption. Also, we are happy to answer questions and share our experiences. For general adoption, Ethiopia, older child adoption contact Jen@knowntome.net For general adoption, China Special Needs, older child adoption contact Barbra@knowntome.net US adoption web resources
http://www.adoptuskids.org/
http://www.adoptamericanetwork.org/

For local support also see the following adoption and orphan care ministry:

CHOSEN is a new ministry of First Christian Church (3601 S. Staley Rd; Champaign, IL 61822) whose purpose and passion is to walk alongside God's people as we seek to fulfill God's mandate to care for the orphan. We plan to do this by engaging in education and awareness, group study, orphan care projects, and providing support and community to those willing to open their hearts and homes up to adoption or foster care. For more information about this ministry, contact Kathy Garrison at klgarrison@comcast.net