Why One Gift Means the World to an Orphaned Child
- ajoyce140
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Gifts are something non-essential. Yet, they have the potential to uplift an orphan and create memories that an orphan will cherish for their whole lives.
Why does a gift mean so much to an orphan?
When a child grows up with parents, even a simple gift carries layers of love; someone chose it, wrapped it, and waited eagerly to see their smile. Someone said, “This is for you,” with warmth and a sense of belonging behind every word.
For an orphaned child, that moment often never comes.
Many of the children LIFE serves have never had a birthday celebration. Some have never owned a toy. Others do not remember the last time they received something chosen especially for them. Their daily lives focus on survival, including food, safety, shelter, and education.
That’s why one single gift means so much.
A Gift Is a Message of Belonging
For a child who has lost everything familiar and dear, the deepest longing is not for a toy, or a treat, or a surprise, it’s for the feeling of being loved the way other children are loved.
They see other children receiving affection, care, and attention. They watch classmates proudly show new backpacks or toys.
This is especially painful in foster care systems, where children often witness their adoptive siblings being celebrated in ways they are not.
I recently recalled a story shared with me by a woman who grew up in the U.S. foster care system. She said that every Christmas morning, her foster parents’ biological children were allowed to eat Captain Crunch, a fancy, more expensive cereal, while she had to eat no-name brand cereal.
A terrible experience of favoritism and exclusion that would be difficult for anyone to experience, let alone a child. This experience made that woman feel as if she was less than and not worthy of love like other children are.
We can’t protect children from being exposed to such experiences, but we can help ease that pain by providing special events and gifts that are designed just for them, like LIFE’s One-Time Orphan Gift Program, Orphan Sponsorship Program, or Global Orphan Party.
Your Gift Can Change a Memory, a Season, and a Childhood
A gift tells orphans:
“You matter.”
“You deserve kindness.”
“You are worthy of love.”
These are inner beliefs shaped by our childhood, which then subconsciously affect our relationships as we get older.
Just like the viral Angel Tree videos of children in the U.S. opening Christmas gifts, their laughter, tears, and excitement, except the children LIFE serves often stand alone when they open theirs.
A single gift carries a profound emotional weight for an orphan. It’s not the object they remember - it’s the feeling associated with it.
“At the orphan party, I felt like I belonged. It was the first time I laughed that much in a long time.” - Amina, 9
“I never had a real toy before. When I opened the gift, I felt so happy, like I could fly, thank you!” -Yusuf, 7
Your Gift Reaches the Children Who Need It Most
Through LIFE’s Orphan Special Gifts Program, thousands of children receive gifts that bring warmth, dignity, and joy into their daily lives, often for the first time all year. Gifts can be given at any time of year, including Christmas, Eid, and LIFE’s Global Orphan Parties.
Help a child feel cherished during a special season.
Give an Ongoing Gift
Gifts create memories that soften the ache of loss and give children an anchor of hope during the hardest seasons of their lives through the ongoing gift of sponsorship. Give a child food, shelter, healthcare, and education – for just $60/month ($720/year). Over 12,000 orphans already have a brighter future thanks to sponsors like you.
