We took the kids to the AIDS/HIV Experience this past weekend. It was put on by World Vision. There were several different paths you could have taken to experience the story of one individuals life in Africa. You actually walk into the story as part of the experience. Tammy took Bobby and Rebecca down one path and Joey and I went down another. By the third part of the experience, I was holding back the tears. The story was so tragic. It was about this young boy named Emmanuel that lost both of his parents to AIDS/HIV. Emmanuel and his brother were abandoned by their relatives and left to die in the banana groves of the village that they lived in. We experienced the loss, the burial of their mother, and a life of desperation as these two young boys (ages 9 and 3) survived by themselves for 2 years before they were taken in by missionaries from World Vision. Near the end of the experience, you walk into this room filled with pictures of boys and girls that have been orphaned as a result of AIDS/HIV. You are asked to pick a picture and pray for that person. So, Joey and I picked pictures and prayed for these two little boys. Joey (5 years old) was so serious through the whole thing, especially when he was praying for the little boy that he had picked. I was so touched by seeing him pray that a snapped a quick photo with my iPhone. It is so tragic to see what happens to the children of the parents that are lost to HIV/AIDS - It is my prayer that God continue to keep his hand on these children and that they are given hope. I can not imagine how alone they must feel and how hard it must be to go on day after day in an environment that is filled with darkness. As part of our gifts to our children this year, we sponsored one child for each of our children and one child for Tammy and I. Our hope is that our children have a better appreciation for what they have and where they are. We also pray that our kids are humbled by the this experience and will truly embrace the sponsorship of their child. I was certainly humbled by the whole thing and look forward to traveling as part of a missionary team one day. Here is the pic that I took - God Bless him.
I walked through Emmanuel's story as well. They were 9 and 3, actually. That was one thing that seemed so tragic to me--that a 9-year-old would suddenly become the parent for lack of any other option. It was a really powerful experience.
ReplyDeleteWe had that experience here in PA, too. It was incredible. It is amazing to even begin to comprehend the life of children outside of our country...or even some of the less fortunate kids living in our country.
ReplyDeletePS. I gave you a bloggy award. You have to visit my website to see it :-)
Did Grandma Sandy make it safely?