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Six million orphans in Ethiopia are in need; a Christian group is helping

HIV/AIDS, food shortages, poor economy and other issues are having an incredible impact on children and women in Ethiopia. Bethany Christian Services is doing something about it through sponsorships, and they need your help, reports MNN.

Bethany started the sponsorship program in Ethiopia last August, says their Ethiopia director Milkiyas Kando. He says the orphan situation is staggering: "There are over six million children who are orphans due to HIV/AIDS as well as other related diseases. These children have to go to school. They need to be fed, but nobody feeds them. As well, they need to have shelter and clothes."

However, the government can't supply their needs. While Bethany is offering adoption, Kando says, "Adoptions are not the basic solution for the problem. Now Bethany is helping children in the country in order to go to school and get basic needs."

They're able to help through your sponsorship of $25 a month. It's needed because "the extended family cannot take care of the children. They also have to take care of their own children. Their living conditions are already low, so they can't do that."

You can also sponsor a poor woman who can't earn a living to take care of her children. "Bethany helps the poor women to be skill trained in several activities such as sewing, knitting and baking breads." That helps them generate income for their families.

Bethany is different than secular programs, says Kando. "We have connection with the local churches around us. There are churches that have the training program in their church and (help with) screening the needy children as well as the women." That connection allows these women and children to see God's love lived out in real life, says Kando.

Bethany is currently assisting 65 children and eight women in their program, but the need is so much greater.

[05/21/2008]

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