Have you ever considered that there is a child living
with HIV in the United States or around the world who is outside of parental
care, waiting for a family of their own?
There are 163 million orphans worldwide. It is accurate
to say that millions of these children are living with HIV. Without a family to
care for them, their risk of death is inevitable. Their deaths are preventable.
Not only can the church care for children living with HIV, they can provide
what every child needs most: they can help children reunite with their families
(if they are separated because of orphanage care), and they can help them get
adopted into legal, loving, lasting families of their own either within their
country of birth, or within a family beyond their borders who will welcome them
as their own child through adoption.
In 2015, in the United States, less than 6,000 people
adopted from other countries, and tragically, of that small number who adopted,
only a handful of children living with HIV were adopted. Families report that
stigma, fear, myths and ignorance keep them from adopting children who are
living with HIV.
There is hope. You can explore our site,
www.HIVAIDSInitiative.com., You will learn what causes HIV and what doesn’t.
You’ll learn how a child with HIV is not dangerous for a family and that HIV is
not transmitted through ordinary daily contact. You’ll also receive hope and community
to find other families who have adopted HIV positive, who can share what it
means to have your child living with HIV.
Adopting HIV + children is part of the Orphan Care Initiative
(www.OrphansandtheChurch.com) at
Saddleback Church. Adopting children with HIV should be a well-informed
decision. There are many issues to consider. Access to good medical care, how
to deal with schools, friends, future relationships, and marriage are just some
of the issues that need to be explored. Adopting child living with HIV is not
like adopting any other child with a chronic disease. HIV affects the child and
family in multiple ways, and becomes more complicated as your child grows and
matures.
We believe that not everyone should adopt, but everyone
who names the name of Jesus should ask themselves, “How can I help a child get
into a permanent family of their own…every child-including those living with
HIV.” There are many ways you can help others adopt. You can also support a
family who is adopting a child who is living with HIV. We believe there are
millions of children living with HIV who need a loving, legal, life-long family
of their own. Could you be one of those families?
To learn more about adoption or how your church can help
orphans living with HIV, please visit our sister site, www.OrphansandtheChurch.com.
For more information, email HIV@saddleback.com or call the HIV
Initiative line at 949-609-8555.