What is an Orphan?
The word “orphan” has a different meaning around the world than it does in the USA.
Globally, a child is an “orphan” when they are abandoned, abused, neglected and vulnerable. These children typically live with one biological parent or a relative. But their families are so poor that they cannot provide the basic necessities of food, clothing or school. So these kids often have to fend for themselves on the streets begging or scrounging for food.
Parents will sometimes “sell” their children for money to traffickers who offer a false promise of education. But the kids end up being trafficked for sex or labor. They have a hopeless future and no opportunities.
These are our Matsiko kids, the most needy ones that you support. The ones whose lives, and even their families, are radically transformed through your monthly sponsorship. They are precious to the heart of God! So we’re keeping the word “orphan” in the choir name to raise awareness of the nearly 600 million kids around the world who fit this description.