03/06/2026
A Reflection on Seeing a Thousand Orphans and Vulnerable Children
These past two weeks I have had the experience of seeing and serving with others at least a thousand orphans and vulnerable children in the country of Malawi, one of the poorest places in the world. It was a campaign and a group effort. Our non-governmental organization had social workers, mental therapists, nutritionists, pharmacists, nurses, and doctors, all willing to pitch in. It was a joy to join with others in a common goal, helping the children.
Some of the children were orphans with no identifiable family members to take care of them. They were living in institutions that could take them in, feed and clothe them, and help them go to school.
Some of the children lived in their own homes in conditions of difficulty because of poverty and lack of resources. They were part of the childcare institutions that help with food supplements, early childhood education, and spiritual support.
Some of the children were “street kids,” children living on the streets of Blantyre, Malawi. They had joined with other street kids to sleep together in the rough at night. During the day they begged for money and food on the streets.
In Romans 8:22 we read “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” The Apostle Paul reminds us of the suffering of human beings since ancient times which is still present today.
As the astronauts reminded us, the earth is just a small ball in a vast universe. My reflection is that we humans should slow down from striving for more wealth, possessions, and power. These things are only fleeting. Let us turn to supporting the vulnerable and in this way we will enrich ourselves.
