Why Should I Care?

Lately, I've had a couple people ask me why I care so much. It's not like I've ever met the kids I advocate for. I've never seen any of these circumstances firsthand. I've never even been to an orphan home. So how can I possibly be so passionate about this? First of all, if your heart doesn't hurt for dying kids, there's something wrong with you. Second of all, God has put this on my heart - and there's no quenching that fire. Also, it's a commandment, it's what God likes, and it's what he wants us to do. And I can back it up:

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

- John 14:18

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

- James 1:27

There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.

- Deuteronomy 15:11

I was a father to the needy;

I took up the case of the stranger.

- Job 29:16

But the needy will not always be forgotten;

nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.

- Psalm 9:18

"Because of the oppression of the weak

and the groaning of the needy,

I will now arise," says the Lord.

"I will protect them from those who malign them."

- Psalm 12:5

For he will deliver the needy who cry out,

the afflicted who have no one to help.

- Psalm 72:12

I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor

and upholds the cause of the needy.

- Psalm 140:12

He who despises his neighbor sins,

but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.

- Proverbs 14:21

He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,

but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

- Proverbs 14:31

Speak up and judge fairly;

defend the rights of the poor and needy.

- Proverbs 31:9

She opens her arms to the poor

and extends her hands to the needy.

- Proverbs 31:20

"The poor and needy search for water,

but there is none;

their tongues are parched with thirst.

But I the Lord will answer them;

I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them."

- Isaiah 41:17

"He defended the cause of the poor and needy,

and so all went well.

Is that not what it means to know me?"

declares the Lord.

- Jeremiah 22:16

'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.

- Ezekiel 16:49

Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.

Do not forget the helpless.

- Psalm 10:12

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

- Matthew 9:36

There are 147,000,000 orphans in the world today. That's more than the entire population of Russia.

Every day 5,760 children become orphans.

2,102,400 children become orphans each year in Africa alone.

A child in Africa becomes an AIDS orphan every 15 seconds.

There are 14,000,000 AIDS orphans in Sub-Saharan Africa. That's more than the total of every under-eighteen year old Canada, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Ireland combined.

About 250,000 children are adopted annually, but...

14,505,000 grow up as orphans and age out of the system each year.

38,493 age out each day.

An orphan ages out every 2.2 seconds with no family to belong to and no place to call home.

In Russia and the Ukraine, studies have shown that 10%-15% of these children commit suicide before they turn eighteen.

These studies also show that 60% of girls become prostitutes and 70% of boys become hardened criminals.

Another Russian study showed that of the 15,000 orphans aging out of state-run institutions every year, 10% committed suicide, 5,000 were unemployed, 6,000 were homeless, and 3,000 were in prison within three years.

These kids need help.

And I'm gonna be the one help them.