When I was ten years old the world was a different
place. Snow banks were much higher, and thunderstorms
much louder. And prices were slightly
less than today. I could get an 8-track
tape for a couple bucks, a candy bar for about a quarter, and a gallon of gas
for 50 cents (though my dad was paying, so I didn’t really care).
My, how times have changed.
But for those we serve in Congo, Uganda, and Ghana, some things never
change. Generations come and go in the
village with little progress. Parents die of disease and war, children struggle
without proper care or an opportunity for education. To these, the cost of a candy bar at any price is out of reach. The main concerns of life are summed up in
the need for water, a simple meal, family relationships and good health. But none of these are a given. Nine-month-old baby Lesa died of malaria because
her mom didn’t have the funds or the knowledge to seek timely treatment. Seven-year-old
Florence is an albino child who is discriminated against in her
community and school because people are uneducated regarding her
condition. At ECM, we hear stories everyday
of children unable to attend school; children who lack proper medical care and
good nutrition; children who live without hope.
But there is hope! Four-year-old
Henry was found wandering in a village in Ghana, with no memory of his parents
and no reason to live. Henry was brought
to ECM’s Haven of Hope Academy, where his smile quickly won over his
caregivers, and his perseverance led to academic success. Thanks to a caring sponsor, Henry is now a
hard working eight-year-old boy who respects others, studies in school, and
recites Bible verses in church! In Uganda, four-year-old Angolere watched
helplessly as first his mother and then his aunt died while caring for
him. ECM stepped in to take him off the
street and into boarding school, where he could be loved and cared for.
Typically, summertime at ECM is marked by fewer and smaller
donations. The need to bring hope to the
forgotten children of Africa, however, does not lessen. Won’t you help meet this need with a special
gift this summer? Your financial
support will help to ensure that children like Henry and Angolere continue to live
in hope, and that the countless children we encounter everyday without hope, can find hope in Jesus and in the loving arms of His followers. To make a gift today, simply follow this link
to give online, or click
here to print a donation form. Your
partnership in bringing the Gospel of Jesus to the forgotten children of Africa
is a great blessing!
