Our Mission
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"To impact the outcome for abandoned children, and to raise the status of the orphan in the eyes of the church and the world, to a level consistent with biblical principles."
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| The word 'orphan' is frequently heard these days, but it is also commonly misunderstood and misused. Some people define it as 'a child whose parents have died'. Others, desensitized by emotive television appeals see it as simply referring to any child who lives in poverty. Many translations of the bible use the word 'orphan', but other (some would say, more literal) translations use the word 'fatherless'. This would indeed appear to be a more complete reflection of God's heart since it indicates concern for the present circumstances of the child, rather than merely acknowleging a past event such as the death of his or her parents. We believe that God's heart of compassion for the fatherless has not declined over time and that James 1:27 still holds true today: "True religion in the sight of God is this: To go to the aid of widows and orphans in their distress, and to remain untainted by the world." We consider an orphan to be: "A child whose parents are unable, or unwilling, to continue to provide for his or her needs". From this definition, we consider children who have been legally adopted to no longer be orphans. While adoption is the outcome for many abandoned children, many more will spend their childhood on the streets, or within an institution. There are over 16 million orphans in the world today, and they are the most exploited group in society:
Despite this, they are largely ignored by the church. If we want to participate in the good works that scripture says should flow from our response to the Gospel, we must understand the real needs of the orphans, and align our response with God's heart for their plight. ©2003 Restoring Hope. All Rights Reserved. |
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