When you look at a child, whether healthy or not a lot of emotions go through your mind. You could start imagining what type of family that child comes from or what type of future he or she will have. The orphans that Be a Christ to the Poor Foundation helps are children with very few smiles on their face. Besides having no father and mother to help them learn about the world around them, they often find an environment around them very difficult and challenging. Many of them have to rely on grandparents, whose own financial and health conditions are suspect. But this is all the child has.
An ‘orphan’ is defined by the United Nations as a child who has ‘lost one or both parents’. Worldwide, it is estimated that more than 16 million children under 18 have been orphaned by AIDS. Around 14.8 million of these children live in sub-Saharan Africa. Many of these children experience many negative changes in their lives and can start to suffer neglect, including emotional neglect, long before they are orphaned. Eventually, they may suffer the death of their parent(s) and the emotional trauma that results. In this case, they may then have to adjust to a new situation, with little or no support, and may suffer exploitation and abuse. In one study carried out in rural Uganda, high levels of psychological distress were found in children who had been orphaned by AIDS. Anxiety, depression and anger were more found to be more common among AIDS orphans than other children. 12% of AIDS orphans affirmed that they wished they were dead, compared to 3% of other children interviewed (Atwine B., Cantor-Grace E. and Banjunirwe F. (March 2005), ‘Psychological distress among AIDS orphans in rural Uganda’, Social Science & Medicine 61 555-564).
Such sentiments can change if these children get the support to feel wanted and loved. Be a Christ to the Poor Foundation believes that the struggles of these children is the proper setting for people of faith to show that they care. Most Christians are looking forward to Easter. How appropriate it would be to look at what Jesus Christ achieved for us through his suffering, death and resurrection as an invitation to invest our everything into the future of these needy orphans. The Son of God was not afraid to become part of our sinful nature in order to free us from the slavery to sin. Let us look at the children before us as human beings who need a savior like you to experience life once again.
Please look at the faces in this slideshow, look at the letters they have written. Think of the love they have for the donors. Think of the hopes they have in you and your help. Like Jesus Christ, the Son of God, become part of their struggle; become their savior. With a donation of $50.00 you can get them started with a piglet; $100.00 get them started with a goat (special breed) and if you want to give a cow (local breed) $250.00. There other things you could do with as little as $20.00. You can get them a school uniform or one semester of school supplies.
Join us. Become a partner with Be a Christ to the Poor Foundation.