As we near a day where we celebrate our country, I am very aware of how well we live here. And I am very thankful for all the freedom we have as well as all the comforts we so often take for granted. But this year I have become much more aware of how unbalanced the standard of living is in the world. Specifically, as I've researched international adoption, I have learned startling facts on the African AIDS crisis. Can I give you a few statistics from my blog friend, Jennifer's site From HIV to Home?
Today, 6,500 people will die of AIDS.
6,000 of those people will leave behind children.
Those children will join the already 15 million children who have lost parents to this treatable disease.
2.3 million children are infected with HIV world-wide.
Most pediatric infection occurs in mother-to-child transmission - the virus infects while the immune system is immature, making it easy for the virus to disseminate through the body.
It is estimated that, without treatment, 50% of HIV+ children in resource-poor settings will die by the age of two.
Sounds pretty hopeless, but please let me tell you about a wonderful non-profit organization called AHOPE. Their mission is to serve the children of Ethiopia, with a primary emphasis on caring for orphans infected with HIV.
AHOPE is very dear to my heart because they operate two Children's Homes in Addis Ababa, that are sister homes to the the ones our children will come from. However, AHOPE cares exclusively for orphans who are HIV+ who have no extended family to care for them. And the amazingly encouraging news: many of these children are now finding their forever families through adoption!
And now there's a really easy, cool way to support AHOPE:
AHOPE t-shirts are now available with 100% of the proceeds benefit the children of AHOPE. Click on the link below for more information on AHOPE and these great tee's! (These models are 3 of Lisa's 11 children from A Bushel and a Peck)
(By the way, those beautiful babes on the right are children waiting for families...)
Thanks for reading,
0 Creative People Had This To Say:
Post a Comment