Today, I’m spending time in Zimbabwe, a place where AIDS has devastated the lives of countless people. It’s a country with one of the lowest life expectancies on earth and little opportunity for the future.
But through the investment of child sponsorship, along with community and faith development, things are starting to change.
I started the day by meeting dozens of children in our World Help Child Sponsorship Programs who have lost one or both parent to AIDS. Nine-year-old Lancelot quickly became my new best friend. He was happy, healthy, and thriving—all because of the generous help of sponsors.
Our sponsorship programs in Zimbabwe have plans in motion to become sustainable through raising chickens. This is an incredible first step in ending the cycle of poverty by providing a food source and an educational project for the children there.
Senior Vice President Tom Thompson, the rest of the World Help team, and I were able to pass out school uniforms and supplies to these children . . . you would have thought it was Christmas morning. The smiles on their faces said it all . . . I’ll never forget it.
There’s so much more I could tell you about today, but I think it’s best to show you. Take a look at the images below to get a glimpse of what your support is doing.
I can tell you one thing—it’s changing the world. Starting with Zimbabwe.
With our partner, Albert Mavunga, and our new friend, Lancelot.
The chicken run our partner is using to foster sustainable solutions.
Gifts of Hope allowed us to distribute uniforms to the students–the first they’ve ever had.
Lancelot–his smile is contagious.
These AIDS orphans can attend school now that they have sponsorship!