Uganda (MNN) — Orphan Sunday, a day set aside to recognize the needs of orphans, was yesterday. And although the day is past, efforts to raise awareness and provide orphans with hope and help continue.
Of the millions of orphans around the world, 2.3 million are in Uganda, and 45 percent of them live with HIV/AIDS, according to The NewVision.
New York Times reports, "Unless there is a drastic change in approach, the AIDS epidemic will still be out of control on its 50thanniversary in 2031."
While many rapidly-developing countries such as Brazil, China, India, Mexico and Russia should be able to fight their own epidemics, much of Africa, including Uganda, will need at least 30 percent of their support from outside donors, according to New York Times.
Thus, Every Child Ministries is concentrating much of their efforts in Uganda, the most recent country they provide aid to, as they try to ensure each child's needs are met specifically.
"We try to work with each child as an individual, rather than blanket projects," said John Rouster, founder of ECM.
If the child has medical or educational needs, or is just fighting to stay alive, Rouster said ECM focuses their efforts in that area of the individual's life.
ECM also cares for the spiritual needs of all the children and orphans they help.
"The children at the home have daily devotions; [at] all of our other sponsorship projects, the children are met with a national worker who gives them a Bible lesson and a very warm meal at least once a week … and they're introduced to the Lord Jesus Christ," said Rouster.
To sponsor one of these children costs $30 per month. This sponsorship will provide for the specific physical and educational needs of each child, as well as share with them the hope of Christ.
While the task may seem overwhelming, Rouster said each person who sponsors a child makes a huge impact: one soul could come to Christ through their support, which makes every dollar worth it.
"We have to win them one at a time. We come into the world one at a time, we go out of world one at a time, and we're won to Jesus Christ one at a time," Rouster said.
Click here to sponsor a child and to learn more about what ECM is doing in Uganda and other countries.
