do something, please

If you haven't heard about it, I would check out World Vision's Step Into Africa Experience. As you may or may not know, God has put a passion on my heart to do something about extreme poverty and the devastation lying in the wake of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This month, Justin and I were supposed to go to volunteer with a school for orphans called ROHI in Narukru, Kenya. We did not get our applications completed in time and the trip has been postponed. We feel that God didn't want us there during all of the political unrest going on right now, but are still aiming to go (this year or early next year).

The Step into Africa exhibit is a life-changing experience. You see life in Africa through the eyes of one of four children. There are 15 MILLION orphans (from HIV/AIDS) in Sub-Saraharan Africa today. That number is expected to be 20 MILLION in 2010 and 50 MILLION by 2020. Currently, 1 person is dying every 3 SECONDS from AIDS. An entire generation of parents, chilren, head of households, providers and the main work force is being wiped-out - causing catastrophic emotional and economic repercussions. The number of households led by children is rising every day. I refuse to do nothing. I don't know what kind of story or what kind of number would affect people to DO SOMETHING. But I do know that LESS THAN 3 PERCENT of American Christians have been moved into action. Less than 3%...

I am not putting out this post to give you a sense of the staggering numbers, because if you just look at that, you're going to be overwhelmed. If you feel moved by ANY of this information, I encourage you to check our programs that sponsor children living in these areas. You can make a difference in one life. Check out World Vision or Compassion International.

"You make a living by what you get...But you make a life by what you give."
- Winston Churchill