Happy Birthday Mandela!

Last year during my visit to Ethiopia I had the amazing honor and wonderful privilege of meeting Mandela, an twelve year old boy living in the Guraghe region of Ethiopia along with his father. Mandela is our family's World Vision sponsored child and over the past nine months we have exchanged letters, pictures, and prayers. Well, today is a very special day - today is Mandela's thirteenth birthday. Happy birthday Mandela!

Our sponsorship of Mandela is part of World Vision's Hope Child Initiative. The AIDS pandemic is the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time. This fact does not imply that the developmental issues are unimportant; it simply recognizes that AIDS makes everything else worse. AIDS endangers a family's health, a child's future, and a community's efforts to have a reliable food source, clean water, education, and economic development. As people become sick and die, there are fewer teachers, workers, and community leaders available. This pandemic impacts the entire community but is especially devastating for the children. Each month our $35 sponsorship helps bring real change for Mandela, his family, and the people of his community. Access to clean water, education, food security, health care, and real help and hope for people living with the reality of HIV and AIDS. (You can learn more about our partnership by visiting Venti Africa).

Recently, in honor of Mandela's 13th birthday my son Sam made a special gift of $135. Through this gift World Vision was able to bless both Mandela and his community. Mandela received a sports uniform, plastic shoes and rubber boots and best of all - a goat! As well his school received building supplies that will help them provide a quality education to the boys and girls of his community.

Last evening I read these convicting words from Mother Theresa, "You may not be able to feed 100 children, but you can feed one."

Would you consider sponsoring a Hope Child in Guraghe? You can learn more about it on the World Vision site. Or drop me a comment and I would be glad to help you make the connection. And if you already are a sponsor, make a special gift to your child and his or her community. Together we can create a better future for the children of Guraghe.

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