Widows and Orphans

I have been thinking a lot about the church's call to serve widows and orphans. What makes someone a widow? How about an orphan?
This started from a post from a celebrity here in Korea, who is a known Christian, who posted on Instagram about world hunger and joining Unicef in helping to end world hunger. I began thinking about how often I see celebrity's joining with projects like Unicef, but never posting about the need or the programs here in their own nation. So I began to ask why?
While I can not speak for these celebrities, I do know Korea does take care of their orphan's until the age of 18, so maybe many assume there is no need.
But does an orphan stop being an orphan at 18?
I think for a long time, I believed, and maybe even was taught, that God calls the church to care for the poor and weak and to care for those who will struggle to care for themselves, because of their neediness.  If I use that mindset to lead my loving and caring for orphans and widows, the call becomes very specific; I can limit this call to love and serve to a mostly financial burden that needs to be met. But if we spend even a minute dwelling in the Word of God; we see God, who is all powerful, to whom all things belong, calling his Church to love and serve orphans and widows. If the Lord can provide quails and manna to the Israelites in the desert, then I can know that point of the Church being called to love orphans and widows is not primarily a resource and financial call.

So then, what need is God calling us to meet?
I fully believe, God has called the church to love the widows and orphans because they are alone, and it is not good. When God created existence as we perceive it, he called all in his creation good, all but one thing. Even in a pre-sin creation, God knew and claimed that is is not good for man to be alone. (Gen 2:18) We can confidently claim that the Lord does not want nor intend for man to live in isolation and that family is a gift to man from God the Father. Thinking on that, while reading verses like this: "Honor widows who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day..." 1st Timothy 5:3-5
Just as we in the Church are to value and strive for biblical community, becoming one in mind and spirit, being one family as adopted children of God; I believe we are to serve widows and orphans as family would serve one another.

So Church, lets continue on, loving and serving widows and orphans. But, let us not stop after providing financial support, but let that be the start. May we strive to draw those without families into our own families and communities, pointing them to Christ along the way, showing them his love and design for their lives. May we stop believing the lies that an adult cannot be an orphan or that a financially stable widow does not need the service and love of the church. Let's do better Church.