Orphan Sunday 2020
Orphan Sunday has become a yearly, well-known event for churches, families, and nonprofits. But do you know where it all began? While attending a church service in Zambia, an American visitor witnessed the local pastor’s passionate call to care for orphans, in a community that had been ravaged by AIDS and poverty. During that first-ever “Orphan Sunday,” as the service ended, one after another the people stepped forward giving out of their own need, offering their food, and some even taking off their own shoes and placing them in the offering basket for orphans. That visitor, Gary Schneider, was so deeply impacted by what he had witnessed that he began to help Zambian leaders coordinate Orphan Sunday efforts across Zambia and also shared the vision in the U.S. as well.
In 2009, the Christian Alliance for Orphans began providing united leadership to make Orphan Sunday a catalyst for awareness and action across the U.S. and worldwide. Today, churches and organizations in more than 90 nations observe Orphan Sunday annually.
At America World, we’ve seen the impact of Orphan Sunday first-hand, year after year. Nealy 5,000 children once classified as orphans are now daughters and sons. Children and teens in Ethiopia, India, Haiti, China, and Uganda receive safe shelter, love, care, and nourishing food because of churches and individuals like you who stand in the gap through prayer, monthly support, and one-time giving.
Just as Orphan Sunday started with a story, stories continue to propel this movement forward. If you are looking for a way to share the power of forever family on this special day, consider this beautiful video featuring the Needham family.
At America World, we pray the global church body may be as faithful as those first Zambian brothers and sisters to reflect God’s heart for the orphan, both near and far. Giving to America World enables us to support vital programs around the world that provide resources for the most vulnerable.