November is National Orphan Awareness Month. It’s a time when Christians around the world stand in solidarity to observe “Orphan Sunday” and champion the cause of the vulnerable.

By definition, an orphan is a child bereft through death or disappearance of, abandonment or desertion by, or separation or loss from both parents or one parent. Global organizations tend to place orphans in three categories: a maternal orphan is a child whose mother has died (such as Ryan’s story), a paternal orphan is a child whose father has died, and a double orphan has lost both parents.

As Christ-followers, we are a people called to defend the fatherless and motherless… to care for the child who has no family… to visit orphans in their distress.

Here are 5 ways you can get involved:

1. PRAY. Ask God to show you how you can get involved in your community. Pray for your church leadership as they seek ways to care for vulnerable children and families. Pray for Christians to reflect God’s love at home and abroad. Pray for the needs of the orphaned.
2. PROMOTE. Champion the cause of orphans in your local community and around the world by being a voice and sharing resources. Bring “Orphan Awareness Sunday” to your church. Spread the word on social media!
3. SERVE. Look into how you can become more involved with serving vulnerable children in your community. Breakaway Outreach has many opportunities to serve the needs of orphans locally, regionally, and globally. Contact us to get involved!
4. SUPPORT. You can help provide Christmas blessings for Dominican and Haitian orphans when you purchase Bed Boss pillow covers and mattress sheets. GET MORE INFO HERE
5. WORSHIP. We worship a God who is the “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows” Psalm 68:5 (ESV). Take time to celebrate the goodness of our Father:

We’re children of God. We should celebrate that we are no longer orphans. We’re loved by this Father. We’re in this eternal family. And this overflow of joy makes us want to rescue these other kids. I want to do a little bit of what God did for me. Francis Chan

When I think about Orphan Sunday, I think about a celebration of worship resounding to the Father in churches around the world who are saying, ‘We are your people adopted by your grace, brought into Your family, and we’re worshiping You for that together—as Your children—as a global family.’ And at the same time, we’re standing together, we’re praying together, and we’re committing ourselves together. David Platt

Would you prayerfully consider becoming an active voice of support to champion the cause of vulnerable children in your community and around the world?