Precious Kids...

Today, more than 6,000 children will lose a parent to AIDS

This past Friday (Dec. 1st) was World AIDS Day. It was a day to bring AIDS awareness worldwide as well as fight the stigma that is tied to the disease. I thought a lot about the kids that I work with in the Orphan Support Group (most of whom have lost their parents to AIDS) and was very aware of the fact that the pain, suffering, and sigma associated with AIDS doesn't just affect the person with the disease, but it affects his or her children as well. Many, many, children are left parent-less and alone to trying to make it in this harsh world. I know that God desires that we care for the orphans and it is so exciting to see people all over the world proactivly working to protect and care for orphans. I recently read the following in an article written by Chuck Colson:

"The United Nations reports that some 143 million children worldwide have lost one or both parents. That's roughly equal to the population of Russia. In 2003 alone, 16 million children were orphaned. Every fourteen seconds, a child loses a parent to AIDS. Genocide, war, famine: These are just a few of the reasons for so many orphans. And in our own country, more than 800,000 children pass through America's foster care system each year. Some 120,000 of them could be adopted.
This month, Focus on the Family, Family Life, and Shaohannah's Hope, founded by my good friend Steven Curtis Chapman, along with nearly fifty other organizations will join together in the Voice of the Orphan campaign to raise awareness and encourage Christians to become involved in this issue of global concern. If we truly value life, what better way to show it to the world than by caring for life in its most vulnerable forms"

Please pray for the kids around the world who are orphaned. Also, please pray for the group of 56 kids in the Orphan Support Group who are coming to camp this week! We have been working hard to get the farm ready for the kids and it is now prepared (bunk rooms, trampoline, playing field, library, game room, big worship room, ping pong, pool, etc.) I am very excited for this upcoming week and would love your prayers for each child and leader who will be present. Please pray that hearts would be softened and that lives would be changed. Pray that healing would occur, walls be broken down, and that the kids would know and experience the deep love of God. The children have all experienced a lot of hurt in their lives (more than I have ever known) and I hope and pray that God would meet them in their suffering and draw them to Himself. The theme of this year's camp is "Love Conquers All". I know it will be a memorable experience for all involved. I can't think of a better way to spend my last week in South Africa than with the kids that I love.

Thanks for your prayers!

Love,

Jen