They play like ordinary children.
They like ice cream like ordinary children.
They are HIV+
They have a BRIGHT future!
Once again I stare into the eyes of children living in this world, wondering if they will ever have opportunities like I have in life. Wondering if living 30 years will ever be in their future. As this year draws closer and closer to an end, the reality of what I’ve seen this year and what I’ll see in the years to come is heart-wrenching. I remember Swaziland, where the average life expectancy is less than 30 years old in a nation terrorized by HIV…over 50% of it’s population is infected with the deadly virus. Now I’m in Cambodia, dealing with the same type of issues. The problem is worldwide. Children who have done nothing to deserve the cards dealt to them in life are facing a life of difficulties.
The reality of staring and playing with the kids today was somewhat too real for me. They played on the swings just like I did as a kid. They practiced writing letters just the same as I did when I was learning to write. I don’t think they realized the life that is extremely likely coming their way, a life of hardships resulting from AIDS. As I played with many of these kids, I prayed over their lives. Will they suffer from the various effects of HIV…or will I pray to the point of having faith that they are healed? Will God instill the knowledge in someone to finally find the cure for AIDS? What if I actually had the faith to stare into these children’s eyes and see a bright future? Well, today I decided that I did. I can no longer push children on swings and write their future off as a disaster…instead I am going to pray over them and believe that their future is full of health and long life!
Am I crazy? I sure hope not! The human life is too precious. The human life is too unbelievable to give up hope. What if we all had the faith to move mountains? What if we all joined together and asked for more miracles? What if we demanded signs and wonders from God? What if He gave them to us? Then what would you do?
