We are very glad to announce the 3rd Global Forum for a World Without Orphans, February 29 – March 4, 2024, in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Although the crises of the last few years interrupted each of our plans, God continues to multiply hope for orphaned and vulnerable children and families, and for us.
At the 2016 Forum God highlighted the VISION He has given of every child in a safe and loving family and knowing their Heavenly Father. By the 2019 Forum we sensed God calling us all to understand more deeply WHAT WORKS to accomplish the vision He gave.
Then covid hit, and the world experienced a crisis together that we hadn’t experienced in our lifetimes. Yet we saw God use it to teach us how He can work through a crisis, what a catalyst virtual connection can be both for the vision and for equipping, and to highlight how much hunger there is for parenting help, especially when families are in crisis. He also showed us how much the Church can do as we offer His Hope to the world.
The war in Ukraine only increased our recognition of the impact of crises. Our WWO community felt heartbroken that over a third of all Ukrainians and two-thirds of all children in Ukraine have had to leave their homes. Ukrainian parents and children are experiencing unimaginable trauma. And this is being repeated all over the world, whether from pandemics, floods, earthquakes, disease, or war.
Yet the response of the Church in each crisis is a testimony to the world. It reminds us that the Church can make a huge difference for children and families. In the crises, we are learning to equip parents to heal from their own trauma and to care well for their children. And we see HOPE! We see the hope God brings in individual situations, and the Hope God can bring through the Church, along with the difference for a family when they are given hope in their crisis, whatever it is.
For a child, whenever THEIR family is struggling, whether it is from poverty or lack of education, or violence or a pandemic, or a disaster or war, that child will be vulnerable, but if THEIR family is strong and has HOPE, that child will be able to thrive through the crisis. Thankfully, God has given us the solutions! He is calling us to engage the church, strengthen families and pursue every child in a safe and loving family, knowing their Heavenly Father and reaching their God-given potential.
Together, we are on the journey from crisis to hope and God is giving us tools from and for crises. We are seeing real change and we are asking God to help us multiply that hope.
We highly value all who contribute to and participate in the movement towards a world without orphans and are inviting all those engaged on this journey to join our upcoming Global Forum. More information regarding the location, program, and application to attend will be available later in 2023. Please save the date! February 29 – March 4, 2024, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Zechariah 4:6b “‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”