Narciso and his grandmother used to live in this dilapidated lean-to.

Protecting Vulnerable Children

Samaritan’s Purse trains churches to provide loving care for AIDS orphans

Narcisio watched as his mother’s body grew weaker. She had been living with HIV. When she also contracted tuberculosis, her frail body and weakened immune system simply couldn’t fight off the disease.

When she died, the 10-year-old boy became an orphan, another child left in the wake of HIV/AIDS.
When we hear the words “global pandemic,” it’s easy to believe there’s nothing individuals can do to stop the spread of HIV. But there are practical ways to be involved. To learn more about what you can do, visit our BE THE VIRUS homepage.

Narcisio began living with his 70-year-old grandmother in a rundown hut made of rotting palm leaves. To survive, his grandmother worked in neighbors’ small garden plots, trying to earn enough to feed her grandson. Narcisio also grazed village cattle before dawn and well after dusk in exchange for small portions of maize and beans.

One day, Narcisio was discovered by local church members who had completed a Samaritan’s Purse course that focuses on mobilizing the local church to care for AIDS orphans. They recognized the family’s needs and immediately enrolled the boy in the orphans and vulnerable children program.

This program works through communities to offer comprehensive care for children by providing school fees and supplies, food, clean water, spiritual care, health care, and legal services.

Church members quickly set to work building a new hut, using zinc sheets for the roof and a sturdy wooden door to protect the family during the rainy season.

“The love of God is something that spreads to all of us and makes us care for one another in a way we did not before,” said 32-year-old Isabel, a church member who regularly visits Narcisio and his grandmother.

Narcisio is back in school, and he and his grandmother know that they won’t go hungry.

Although Narcisio still misses his mother, he no longer worries about what will happen to him in the future. He knows that he is loved by God, and he is supported by a loving community ready to meet his needs.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP

PRAY:

Please pray for our ongoing HIV/AIDS ministry in Mozambique. Pray that churches and local Christians will continue to reach out to children affected by the disease with God’s love and compassion.