Every child is precious: World Day for War Orphans
“No matter their scars or their limitations, every child is precious”
– Dr Karyn Purvis
Have you noticed that the war in Syria has been in the news for more than 10 years now? The coverage has been so constant that we probably haven’t even realized that it has been this long. Have you ever pondered how many civilians might have been affected, and in turn so many children orphaned, due to it? Most often in such wars and conflicts, children become the primary victims who are left clueless with their future in shambles. According to UNICEF, nearly 6 million Syrian children were born since the crisis began, and more than 2.5 million have been displaced and forced to flee to neighboring countries in search of safety. These little ones have known nothing but war and displacement.
World Day for War Orphans is marked every year on January 6 and was first started by the French organization, SOS Enfants en Detresse to raise awareness about the suffering of war orphans and to work towards the betterment of their future. It reminds the world that taking care of children who have lost their parents in such scarring circumstances should be made a priority, by highlighting the harsh conditions that they experience in their lives.
Children who have lost their parents in untimely, violent incidents like war, ethnic strife or conflict over resources, are usually forced to stay with a surviving family member or enter into the foster care system and face adverse conditions like malnutrition and diseases. Many of them are forced to look after themselves and their younger siblings as well. A large number of them become victims of violence, trafficking and sexual exploitation. Children also form a large part of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Such children need utmost care to help heal the psychological wounds of war, so that they can restart school and lead a normal life.
It is often easy to talk or write passionately about such topics and also to feel sympathy towards someone going through such situations, but how often are we moved to action? The Bible tells us that God is specially concerned for orphans, and other marginalized and destitute people. And it also says that he wishes those who seek to have fellowship with him to show the same concern – “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” In a world where religion has so often been misused and abused as an instrument to oppress and exclude, how refreshing and life-giving it would be if this is how it came to be understood and practised.
Maybe we can’t do much, but we can do our bit to give to these young ones, who have lost everything, a sense of belonging and love. Our mere presence at a local orphanage or refugee camp may mean the world to these orphaned children. Make plans to visit one today, taking gifts or games, and bring smiles to their faces. There are a lot of organizations working towards making these children’s lives better, and they have massive financial requirements. Our donations, even if they are small, can go a long way. On this World Day for War Orphans, let us vow to do something, no matter how small, towards this pressing cause.
