Can you imagine what it would be like to be infected with HIV, rejected, never touched—and just a child?
Can you imagine what it would be like if people in your city avoided you? If you had to live on the streets? If you had to sift through garbage for food?
For 2-year-old Raj-Kumar, that’s real life in India.
For this child—and for the millions around the world who are just like him—being HIV positive is like a curse. Nobody wants to go near him. Nobody wants to care for him. Nobody wants to even see them. Except for his 10-year-old sister, Anitha.
But the horror of being infected with HIV doesn’t end there. These two little children, full of life, now face a trial you and I will never face. Both of their parents are dead.
The Worst Is Yet to Come
This is a tragedy when it happens to one child. When it happens to tens of millions of children—it is a crisis.
In India alone, 5.2 million people are HIV positive. The United Nations thinks that number could be 5.7 million. But India isn’t the only country where a catastrophic storm of disease and death is brewing.
A 2006 report by UNICEF says that 48 million children in Africa have been orphaned by AIDS, war, malaria, tuberculosis and malnutrition combined.
That’s 1 out of every 8 children.
By 2010, more than 20 million children will be orphaned by AIDS in Africa. But that’s not the worst of it.
In countries like Swaziland, 1 out of every 4 children is orphaned by AIDS. And in South Africa, Dave Ohlerking, Founder of Children’s Cup International Relief, said, “If you walked through our camp and killed every other child—your name is AIDS.”
That’s 1 out of 2 children killed by AIDS. The situation looks bleak.
What Are We Doing to Help?
Currently, there is no cure for the AIDS virus. It mutates rapidly, making it impossible to create an effective vaccine.
Regardless, we are praying for total healing for anyone sick with the virus and doing everything we can to help these vulnerable children.
That’s one of the reasons we founded the Chandrakal hospital—and across the street built the AIDS campus, which is devoted entirely to children with AIDS.
Unconditional Love
At the campus, the children receive shelter, food and AIDS medications. But they also receive comfort and education and learn about the love of Jesus Christ.
Margaret Barbour, patient counselor at Chandrakal says, “These children will have a great hope for their future because if Joyce Meyer would not have built this home…these children would never get the care…these children would never get touched…it’s their only haven of hope for these kids.”
We’re so grateful to you, our generous partners for enabling us to play a role in these children’s lives. If not for your help, these children might still be in the streets—all alone.
Because of your generosity, these children are surrounded by people who love and care for them. We will offer a legacy of love to those who have been rejected by the world.
But there is so much more to be done to fight this disease. There are so many more children out there who need rescuing, and with your help we will reach more together.
Won’t you please consider helping us and give a special donation?
Other Crises Still Loom
Another growing crisis we are fighting concerns the refugee and street children in South Africa.
South Africa is home to refugee camps full of people fleeing neighboring countries because of civil unrest or soaring food and energy prices.
Over 1,500 people—including 450 children—live in these refugee camps. More people stream in daily.
Unfortunately, they can’t work because they are illegal immigrants. That means they live without fresh water, nutritious food and sanitation.
That’s one of the reasons we built a feeding center in this region—to help innocent children and vulnerable families get fed, educated and cared for.
A Hopeless Life for Children
Just around the corner in Durban—a popular tourist area of South Africa known for beautiful beaches and robust economy—something more sinister is happening.
Over 5,000 children call the streets of Durban home. Most fled abusive and violent homes. Others left their villages to beg for food. Some simply came to Durban because AIDS killed their entire family.
Whatever the reason, these children are exposed to the traps of drug abuse, prostitution and violence.
To fix this problem, we partnered with Umthombo. Its purpose is to get these children off the streets, fed and educated. Our hope is to keep them off the street—forever.
From Misery to Happiness
In Southeast Asia, your support helps Pastor Surapong to carry the Gospel to Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, countries historically known for oppression.
Surapong is planting churches throughout these countries by training up leaders in the Indo-China Bible School in Thailand.
Furthermore, with the help of your support, we helped Surapong open the Bethel’s children’s home in Thailand—fully funded by Joyce Meyer Ministries—where children get food, shelter, education, Bible teaching and hope for their future.
Why would anyone risk their life to share the Gospel?
Men and women like Surapong risk everything in Thailand to take care of the children who are often discarded by their families—and who become prey to the atrocities of child prostitution.
We want to give these children a place where they can grow up with good food in their bellies, a nice place to sleep and a loving family to care for them. We are doing that now, but we want to do so much more. Will you help?
How You Can Help
We encourage you to pray and donate now to support our vital worldwide outreaches.
Your support will help us in this ongoing journey of saving lives and restoring people to the heart of God…through the message of the Gospel and practical, life-changing acts of love and service.
Please consider doing everything you can.
Thank you for caring and helping rebuild the shattered lives of innocent children, helpless women and desperate families.
