USA (MNN) — A ministry touching the hearts and lives of children is excited about a new tool to help take care of needy kids in Africa.
Lorella Rouster at Every Child Ministries says it's a new e-mailable movie, Share the Gift of Love. "It's only three minutes long. It can be easily be forwarded to friends just by attaching it to an e-mail. It's designed so that it does not clog up people's inboxes when it comes in their e-mail."
The movie tells the story of two children in Uganda who have found new lives after being sponsored by ECM partners. Share the Gift of Love shows the difference sponsorship has made in the lives of these children.
One of the children was left as the head of her family responsible for three younger siblings several years ago when both parents died of AIDS. Now 14, Harriet's dreams have come true. She and her siblings have all been able to return to school through ECM sponsorship, and they are learning about Jesus and getting other kinds of help in weekly sponsorship club.
Henry also lost his parents to AIDS. Then he found that his new step-grandmother feared and rejected him. Treating him virtually as a slave, she refused him care. His clothing turned to rags barely hanging on his body. He was assigned complete care of his invalid grandfather from a very early age, and was denied schooling. ECM workers were able to work with local authorities to remove Henry from this abusive situation and find him a home with a caring aunt. When Henry learned that he would finally be able to attend school, he jumped for joy. The most important part of ECM sponsorship is giving the child a chance to find out what Jesus can do for him. Henry's been feeling His love and hearing about His love through ECM's weekly sponsorship club.
Rouster says the program "enables the child to go to school, and in many cases, especially in Uganda, children go to school for the very first time after receiving sponsorship. That was not previously possible."
While education is important, Rouster says your sponsorship does something even more important. "We share the message of Christ with them, and we pray for them and do everything we can to demonstrate the love of Jesus so that they can really feel and know that it's real. So we present Him, and many children do choose to come to Him."
ECM sponsorship costs $30 a month. Last year, 96% of all funds were used in direct ministry to help the children, so sponsorship is a very wise stewardship investment. Most people know someone who has thought about sponsoring a child. We're hoping people will enjoy the movie and pass it on to friends by e-mail.
You can watch the presentation by going to http://www.ImpactMovie.com/ecm.
