RRL Family

Family is a single word, with many different meanings.
People have many ways of defining a

family and what being a part of a family means to them. Families differ in terms of economic,
cultural, social, and many other facets, but what every family has in common is that the people
who call it a family are making clear that those people are important in some way to the person
calling them his family (Michelle
Blessing).The dictionary defines the family in a number of ways.One definition is "it
consists of one or two parents and their children." While this definition is a good starting point, t
his definition excludes several modern family structures, such as childless couples or other variat
ions on the family unit.Another definition is "Two or more persons who share goals and values,
have longterm commitments to each other and usually reside in the same dwelling." This definiti
on covers the vast majority of modern family units; the second definition will be used for the pur
poses of this article.
Millions of orphans around the world have no family to love and support them. Over 140
million children classified as an orphan and 15.1 million have lost both parents. Majority of the
orphans are living with a surviving parent grandparent, or other family member. 95% of all
orphans are over the age of five. (UNICEF). The most frequent causes of separation of children
from parental care include poverty, lack of access to basic services, abuse, neglect, disease,
disabilities, and emergencies. Looking at each of these factors of vulnerability in detail is
beyond the scope of this paper, but additional information can be found in many of the
referenced documents (The faith to action, 2014)
Bereft of parents, the orphan is a child who requires protection, care, and guidance. It is
defined by the deprivation of parents, and is commonly understood to be a child who has lost
both parents to death. However, historians and organizations such as UNICEF include the child
who has lost one parent, often termed a “half” or “single” orphan, in the definition of “orphan.”
The category of “orphan” can thus encompass numerous types of parentless children, ranging
from children who have lost both parents to children who have living parents but live separate
from them, such as the foundling (typically an abandoned child found and cared for by non-kin
or an institution), the ward (typically an orphan cared for by a legal guardian), the pauper
apprentice (typically an orphaned or abandoned child consigned to labor and cared for by an
apprentice-master), and the street child (typically a child who has left his or her family to live
and work on the streets). (Cheryl Nixon, 2017) Oxford Bibliographies. Children who are
deprived of the parental care and a secure family environment often become vulnerable to a
host of psychological problems and psychiatric disorders. These children are then usually reared
in institutional homes set up by the government or private agencies, which provide some
semblance of order into their lives. In these homes also, the problems of overcrowding,
inadequate personal attention, poor academic environment, and frequent moves may affect
the psychological health of these children.
According to the article posted in featured that there are four of the many reasons why
orphans need a family. First is to restored health. Throughout the world, the orphan crisis
affects children in ways that have a direct physical impact on their lives. The medical challenges
facing children who have been orphan can include malnutrition, parasitic infections, and
HIV/AIDS. The gift of receiving the love and nurture best provided through secure family
attachments is the best way to bring healing and restore the child’s physical, mental, and
emotional health. Second is to restored future. When a child is able to grow up in the
protection, love and nurture of a secure family unit, these responsibilities are held by the
parents. This nurture allows the child to develop healthy trust and attachment patterns that will
provide a basis for all future relationships. The stability and support of a family provides a
strong foundation which allows children to dream and explore what is possible and to look at
their future. Third one is to restored education. While many children impacted by the orphan’s
crisis may continue to have access to an education, the reality for most is that the hope of
gaining an education and the long-term benefits that follow it are often very much at risk. A
family can uniquely influence and advocate for increased educational opportunities as well as
nurture a lifelong love of learning for a child at home and at school. And lastly, is to restored
hope. There is no greater gift to restore the presence of love, security, and connection to a
waiting child through adaptation. Through the support and stability of a loving forever family,
children can begin to heal and flourish within the security and firm foundation of a family.

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Family is a single word, with many different meanings.

People have many ways of defining a

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