Children around the world are facing oppression in a way that demands us to do something. It’s an oppression that leaves children motherless and fatherless. It’s an oppression they face, not for anything they have done, but because of the brokenness of the world around them. It’s an oppression characterized by unimaginable extreme poverty, diseases easily treatable by modern medicine, and the perverse effects of this broken world. It’s an oppression we must answer to by who we are and what we do.
Children are becoming orphans at a rate far faster than we can protect them. Over two million children are orphaned each year. This needs to end. This is the orphan epidemic.
While caring for orphans is a worthy and necessary pursuit, it often times does not address the root of the problem. At the core of the issue, children are becoming orphans due to extreme poverty and treatable diseases. Over 1.4 billion people live on less than $1.25 a day. Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of diseases, which are usually treatable, is responsible for over 1.5 million deaths per year. Children are being orphaned every 15 seconds by HIV/AIDS alone. These are some of the basic facts on why many parents will not be around tomorrow to care for their children.
Orphan Epidemic is about preventing children from becoming orphans by addressing the root causes of extreme poverty and treatable diseases.
We have a vision of a world that is redeemed by the compassion of Christ. We see people who were once in a demoralizing poverty rise out of it with our help. We see families filled with hope as they confidently drink clean water that we provided. We see people healed of disease through our efforts so that they may provide and care for their families. We see hope expressed through what we do.
There’s one thing for children to die, but it’s entirely different for parents to die leaving children behind and orphaned, especially when it is preventable. We must be proactive in protecting children from becoming orphans and we must act now.
We will be the ones who inspire compassion in people to the point that they are moved to take action. We will be the ones who will stand in the face of obstacles of great magnitude and overcome the impossible. We will be the ones who will promote individual initiative to live out life changing dreams. We will continuously improve to find better ways of addressing the root causes of orphans. We will exhibit honesty and integrity through financial transparency. We will end the epidemic. Protect children. Prevent orphans.
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