On November 11th, the Church will be recognizing Orphan Sunday. It is a day that churches all around the world take time to pray for vulnerable children. Here at Summit, we spend time each year on Orphan Sunday acknowledging the plight of the orphan and praying for children who are marginalized and in dire situations. We do this both in the weekend services and in a Sunday evening worship service.
We, as the church, have the privilege of being entrusted with the call to care. Not only does this call allow us as believers to step out and grow in faith, but it also puts the gospel on display for a world that is desperate to see true hope and love. Because of the extravagant way that the Lord has loved us, we are compelled to care and we are sustained as we respond.
As the church, it’s important for us to be aware of and engage with the need. Here are just a few numbers to give you an idea of our current situation:
Globally
• 140 million children estimated to be orphans
In the United States
• There are approximately 427,910 children in foster care
• There are 111,820 children in foster care waiting to be adopted.
• The average age of a child waiting to be adopted is 7 years, 6 months.
• Every year more than 20,000 children age out of foster care, without families.
In Florida
• There are 24,390 children in foster care.
• About 791 of these children are available for adoption.
In Southwest Florida
• There are 569 children in foster care just in Lee and Collier counties.
• Because of the lack of court appointed volunteers who represent the best interest of the child (Guardian ad Litems), only 63% of the children in the system in SWFL have this very necessary aspect of care.
Number of caring adults it takes to make a life-long difference for a child - 1
These many needs provide the Church with an amazing opportunity to step into difficult and hopeless situations and bring the light of Christ. At Summit, we partner with some great ministries that are actively engaged in helping to relieve the suffering of vulnerable children. Several of our partners will be with us at each of the weekend services, as well at the evening Every Child Initiative Worship service. They will be sharing about opportunities to get involved and answering questions. We hope to see you there.
November 11, 2018, 6-8pm at our University Campus
Things to pray for:
Orphans in impoverished countries
Orphans whose births are unrecorded and therefore remain uncounted
Children who have been forced into militias
Children who are victims of human trafficking- globally, domestically, and locally
Children who are in the foster system
Children who are waiting in orphanages
Children who are unborn and face an uncertain future
Children who are forced into child labor
Ministries who are on the front lines of orphan care
Individuals and families who care for the vulnerable
For more about the Every Child Initiative at Summit, visit us at www.everychildswfl.com