Cry of the Orphan Receives Letter From the White House

November 12, 2007

Dear Friends in the Christian Alliance for Orphans,

It is with pleasure that I express my deep appreciation and respect for the Cry of the Orphan Campaign.  It is nothing less than faith expressing itself in vibrant love.

The needs of orphans today are staggering.  An estimated 143 million children face the world as orphans in the developing world.  In the U.S. alone, 514,000 children live in our foster care system, and approximately 115,000 of them are waiting to be adopted. Without parents, children are often deprived of the love and protection they need and are often susceptible to abuse, illness, poverty and other injustices.

In the face of such tragedy, there is no more poignant expression of love than for a mother and father to receive an orphan as their own child.  Just as beautiful is the work of caring foster parents, faith-based and community organizations that serve orphans, and the many individuals that give of their time and money to support these efforts. 

By waking Americans to the needs of orphans and the challenges and joys of serving them, you are undertaking work that will carry impact far beyond our own brief lifetimes.  As a result, boys and girls who would otherwise have faced the world alone and destitute are receiving the care, nurture and love each of us so deeply need.  This, in turn, will echo in the lives of their own children and countless others for generations to come.

May your efforts continue to bring new life and hope to orphans, as well as to the families that welcome them home.

Sincerely,

Jay Hein, Director

White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives