November is National Adoption Month. I obviously believe in adoption. But each year only 250,000 of the world’s orphans are adopted. That’s less than 1%.
It is estimated there are between 143 and 210 million orphans worldwide. That’s half the size of the US. If all orphans formed their own country, it would be among the 10 largest nations in the world.
Every 2 seconds a child loses a parent somewhere in the world. Every day 5,760 more children become orphans. HIV/AIDS alone has orphaned 15 million children in sub-Saharan Africa. Millions of children are refugees, asylum seekers, stateless and internally displaced by conflict, violations of their human rights, and natural disasters. Every year, 2 million more children become orphans in Africa alone. When children age out of the system—usually at 16–they often walk out the doors and are expected to find something to eat, find a place to live and find a job.
You may not be called to adoption, but you are called to pray. This month, I’ll share ten ways you can pray for the world’s orphans.
If you want more information or wish to share this information, you can download these resources:
Infographic – 8 Ways to Pray for Orphans
Infographic – 9 Practical Ways to Help Orphans
