My name is Tristyn,

and I had the opportunity this summer to intern at Lifesong.

I saw all the children that are being adopted into amazing families, but I also saw the critical need for more waiting children to be welcomed into a loving home.

And as part of Gen Z, I know there is a desperate call that needs to be answered.

Here’s what I would love to say to my peers:

“In a world where Gen Z is craving to be different and to make a difference, what if this longing could be directed into something that has an eternal impact?”

With over 150 million orphaned and vulnerable children around the globe, Gen Z could answer the call to adopt and also fulfill our desire for connection, belonging, and impact in the world today.

Gen Z has both the qualities and resources needed to close the gap in these numbers and provide safe, loving homes to children in need.

Here’s why Gen Z could be the world-changer we need:

1. We want to create change.

Gen Z is driven by the desire to make a positive change in the world. So with the need and the desire to impact, Gen Z can be this change in the staggering number of children who are in need of a loving home.

One child at a time, we can lower the number of children who are without a home. And we can create change.

2. We have access to digital resources.

More than any previous generation, Gen Z has unlimited access to information on childcare, adoption, parenting, and trauma.

With this information so widely available, Gen Z is well-equipped to parent orphaned and vulnerable kids.

3. We desire connection.

Because of the digital age we’ve grown up in, one defining trait of Gen Z is our deep longing for connection and for creating authentic relationships.

So this internal desire can help us empathize with people in need and creating a lasting bond. Adoption can fulfill not only the need of children who want a loving home, but the need for individuals who hunger for worthwhile connection with others.

4. We have abundant ways to communicate.

Gen Z is the most connected generation yet as a result of social media and other digital tools. These resources make it possible to share experiences, give advice, and advocate for orphan care.

So with the ability to communicate, we can be a community committed to caring for the orphaned and vulnerable. All while providing support along the way.

Gen Z also has an immense amount of influence within the digital space. So advocating for adoption could encourage others to join the cause to make a difference.

5. We have a biblical call to provide care for those in need.

By answering the call to adopt, individuals are not only serving others, but they are fulfilling an opportunity to bear the fruit that the Bible calls out to believers in James 1:7—

“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.”

Above all, we have this call to serve and care for God’s people and to expand His kingdom. Adoption is a way for Gen Z to embrace our purpose in life that so many individuals search for and to answer the call on our lives.

You are invited.

Gen Z has the abilities and resources to make a profound impact on orphaned and vulnerable children. Our desire to create change, our access to to digital resources, our longing for connection, our many avenues of communication, and our calling as Christians … position us to lead the way in transforming orphan care.

So by answering this call, we can pave the way in providing loving homes for children in need of family.

And you are invited to join us.

To learn how to get started or to find more resources available, visit lifesong.org.