“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” – James 1:27 (NIV)

There is a reason that James 1:27 resonates so much with our staff at Sunrise. That wonderful passage of scripture reminds us to take care of the orphan in their affliction. The orphan is one of the most vulnerable segments of our population, and to care for them is one of the purest ways to show the love of Christ.

Many of the orphaned children we care for have faced atrocities that one can only imagine. They are like the dented can of peaches on the shelf at the grocery that is passed over time and time again because of the damage to its outside. But we know those peaches taste just as sweet if we only put a little more effort into opening the can.

Today’s most vulnerable children in Kentucky are being overlooked time and time again, to the point of having to sleep in state offices because they have nowhere to go and no one who understands what they have experienced. Because of our annual Thanksgiving Offering, Sunrise is able to show these children the healing power that only Christ can deliver.

This offering truly makes a difference in the lives of hurting children and their families. By giving, you can provide hope to a child who has lost all hope. You can build a brighter tomorrow for a child who fears there is no future. You can help a child find a loving home.

That’s why we are asking again this year for 1,000 churches or organizations to give $1,000 to Sunrise’s Thanksgiving Offering. Will your church or organization commit to being one of these 1,000 groups helping thousands of children find a home?

You can give today at sunrise.org/thanksgiving (Please put “Thanksgiving Offering” in the comment section on the online donate form).

We know that your Thanksgiving Offering may be given any time throughout the year, but it is most helpful when we receive that gift between the months of November and April.

It’s a critical time for our Kentucky children.  Will you prayerfully consider giving to Sunrise’s annual Thanksgiving Offering this year? – because every child deserves a home.

Article written by Dale Suttles, President of Sunrise Children’s Services