World AIDS Day is a day to remember. There are so many things to remember. We remember the millions who are infected with HIV and the millions more who have already died. We also remember the children. We often say, “You can’t care about orphans without caring about HIV, and you can’t care about HIV without caring for the orphan.” These are the sad World AIDS Day Statistics regarding children: - 16 million children are orphaned due to HIV.
- Every year about 330,000 babies will be born HIV positive.
- Without treatment, up to 40% of babies born to HIV positive mothers will start life infected, and almost half of them will die before they are two years old.
- Last year, only a handful of people living in the United States adopted HIV positive children.
Here is the hope: - There is treatment for mothers who are living with HIV which means that by 2015, with appropriate measures such as prenatal care and medications, the number of children born infected can get to virtually ZERO! This is not a pipedream. Everyone is working toward this goal. The church is at the center of helping moms receive care so that their babies won’t be born with the virus.
- There is treatment for children if they do become infected. Children can lead a relatively normal life with the advances in antiretroviral medications (ARVs).
- Families can adopt children who are living with the virus. If you’re interested in learning more, contact us at orphans@saddleback.com.
Every child deserves a family of their own. Here’s what you can do: - Would you pray today that more families will be willing to adopt children living with HIV?
- Would you give today to the child sponsorship program which is emptying orphanages in Rwanda to families in Rwanda who are being reunified or adopted by families in their own communities?
- Will you pray for the children today living with HIV? Pray that today they will be embraced by people in their church. Pray that they will receive treatment without stigma. Pray that they will be healed.
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