In Mark 10:13 the gospel writer states:
"13People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them."
Because of the AIDS pandemic Swaziland has one of the highest instances in the world of "children as head of families." Teens and pre-teens, abandoned by the death or prolonged hospitalization of the parents, struggle to look after their siblings, nephews and cousins.
I look on Braden and Kaelly, my spirited thirteen- and forteen-year-olds, and try to imagine them as the only lifeline for Georgia, our beautiful four-year-old. But my imagination fails. I'm sure they'd be willing, but how could they cope? It would be impossible without abandoning their dreams of an education, or an art, or a better life.
They need to know we're here, and that we care, and that there is help: http://aids-children.org/
As the web site says, the situation is tragic but not hopeless. And you are part of that hope, for where the Body is, Hope will be there as well.
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