To Think About...

Every 15 SECONDS, another child becomes an AIDS orphan in Africa*

Every DAY 5,760 more children become orphans

Every YEAR 2,102,400 more children become orphans (in Africa alone)

143,000,000** Orphans in the world today spend an average of 10 years*** in an orphanage or foster home

Approximately 250,000 children are adopted annually, but…

Every YEAR 14,050,000 children still grow up as orphans and AGE OUT**** of the system

Every DAY 38,493 children AGE OUT

Every 2.2 SECONDS, another orphan child AGES OUT with no family to belong to and no place to call home

In Ukraine and Russia 10% -15% of children who age out of an orphanage commit suicide before age 18.
60% of the girls are lured into prostitution. 70% of the boys become hardened criminals.*****

Many of these children accept job offers that ultimately result in their being sold as slaves. Millions of girls are sex slaves today, simply because they were unfortunate enough to grow up as orphans.


Reliable statistics are difficult to find, even the sources often list only estimates, and street children are rarely included. But even if these figures are exaggerated by double, it is still an unacceptable tragedy that over a Million children would still become orphans every year, and every year 7 Million children would still grow to adulthood as orphans with no one to belong to and no place to call home. They are totally vulnerable and easily fall prey to predators and slave recruiters.

The disastrous outcomes of most children who age out of institutional care is evidence that these
children don’t know the meaning of love, and are unable to comprehend God’s love. Receiving Jesus Christ makes no sense and too many of them will never have a chance to become adopted children of God.

The Christian Response

The Christian solution for this tragedy is to give orphan children the good news they really long to hear:

The Gospel of Adoption

The good news that orphan children need to hear is not only the fact that they will be adopted by a loving family, but also the good news that Jesus Christ died on the cross to make it possible for them to become adopted children of God. Our adoption by God is the ultimate expression of His love, and was the ultimate purpose of Jesus’ life on earth and death on the cross. This is truly the Gospel of Adoption, and it is written in Galatians 4:4-5 and John 1:12

If orphan children never experience a family’s love, how can we expect them to comprehend God’s love? Adoption by a Christian family is the best way for orphan children to become adopted children of God. Not all are called to adopt, but anyone can love and minister to orphan children by helping other families adopt.



* http://www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk/current_appeal.htm
** According to figures from the United Nations. These statistics include children in the American Foster Care system
*** This is an estimate. Infants may stay as long as 18 years while children who become orphans at an older age stay a shorter time.
****To AGE OUT means to grow to the age where a child is forced to leave the orphanage or foster home with no place to call home.
***** http://www.hopefororphansoftheworld.org/default.aspx?id=30



Courtesy of the Home For Good Foundation www.hfgf.org