Story number 1 for 14 Feb 2003

(South Africa)–We begin today in Sub-Saharan Africa where 13-million children have been orphaned because of HIV/AIDS. Jacqui Bond is with AIDS, Orphans and Street Children, a partner with Teen Missions International. Bond says AOSC is helping Teen Missions reach out to these needy children physically. “We have built five of what we’re calling orphan rescue units. We have 10 members of national staff that have been through the Teen Missions Bible School and their training. And, they reach out to these children. So, the children have somewhere to come to have their basic medical needs met. We also teach them how to garden and grow food for themselves.” According to Bond, they’re also sharing the Gospel with these young people. “We have Sunday school. We have, once a month, a Christian camp. The children will come in and they have like a little vacation Bible school if you like.” Bond says many children are turning to Christ. This weekend they’re holding a barefoot walk-a-thon in Florida to raise money for this program which currently costs 25-hundred-dollars a month.