Orphan Sunday 2023: Date, History, 5 Facts About Orphans

Orphan Sunday 2023: Since 2015, Orphan Sunday has been observed on the second Sunday of November. This year, it occurs on November 12. From 2010 to 2014, the first Sunday of November was designated for the occasion. Orphan Sunday originated in a Zambian local church and is now observed globally by churches as a means to raise awareness and funds for orphaned. Additionally, tens of thousands of caregivers who assist in the caring of these children are honored during this observance.

Orphan Sunday 2023: History

Orphan Sunday is a designated occasion to bring attention to the plight of the 153 million orphans in the world and to encourage families, churches, and para-church advocacy groups to observe and raise awareness about this issue. The preponderance of these children are regrettably never adopted. They comprise the ‘Orphan Nation,’ the tenth-largest nation in the globe. Numerous congregations and organizations have observed Orphan Sundays throughout the years to bring attention to the issues and needs of orphans in our communities.

Gary Schneider, a Christian Alliance missionary in Africa, was the inspiration behind the organization’s creation of an original Orphan Sunday program. Schneider was moved by the congregational reaction to a pastor’s entreaty for assistance towards the numerous orphans residing in a nearby community beset by poverty, AIDS, and famine that was approaching starvation, as he observed a church service in Zambia.

Orphaned children were frequently left to fend for themselves, which placed them in an especially dire situation at the time. This compromised the lives of numerous children, as they were unable to acquire sufficient funds to attend school with the expectation of obtaining an education and a suitable job in the future.

Despite the fact that a considerable number of the attendees were themselves indigent, a number of them proceeded to offer their support by walking forward at the conclusion of the service. A few of them even presented shoes and clothing as donations to aid the children.

Schneider, moved by this act of compassion, resolved to aid Zambian leaders in their efforts to provide for orphans in Zambia by disseminating information about this novel practice. The word quickly spread like wildfire. By 2003, this initiative had expanded to the United States.

Schneider’s visit to a Zambian church to present Orphan Sunday and the worldwide inspiration it generated to care for orphans are both commended by the Christian Alliance.

Orphan Sunday is frequently described as “a gift from Zambia to the entire world.” Currently, the Christian Alliance is comprised of over 150 renowned ministries, and in excess of fifty countries, hundreds of congregations observe Orphan Sunday.

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5 Facts About Orphans

Elevated global figures

Approximately 80% of orphaned children worldwide have at least one surviving parent.

An endangered demographic

As they mature, orphaned children face an extremely elevated vulnerability to abuse, trafficking, and exploitation.

Runaways

Suicide, destitution, and mental health issues are all more prevalent among care leavers.

A foreign concern

In 2016, American families adopted 5,372 children from other countries, as reported by the U.S. State Department.

An acute arc

Orphanages can incur expenses that are as much as ten times greater than the cost of rearing a child within a family.

Orphan Sunday 2023: Date