Their parents have died and taken with them the most important details of their lives; their names and their birthdays. They are AIDS orphans and there are over 1,000,000 of them in Africa. They are very young and sleep openly on the streets. No one is surprised by the sight anymore, for it has become a common one. Their only hope for survival is crime or prostitution. For these children, their basic needs are unaffordable luxuries. They give no thought to childish things like play or love. Opportunities to realize their potential or their purpose are nonexistent unless someone intervenes; unless someone chooses to make a difference in their lives.
Changing the world - one individual at a time. Helping others discover and fulfill their God-give purpose in spite of their circumstances. That is the dream, the vision that God put on our hearts here at Courage to Be You, Inc. There are many tangible ways you can help us do just that one is by personally volunteering to go to Africa and touch the life of an orphaned child there. You need no special skills except the desire to see your life make a difference in the life of these forgotten, invisible children. It could be your purpose - your destiny.
Every Courage to Be You volunteer that comes to Africa comes with the same desire to make a difference, reports Theresa Grant, C2BU's International Director. Little do they know, that they begin making a difference long before they even arrive at the orphanage. The sense of abandonment that these children have experienced in their young life is so intense.
Many were left on the side of the road as infants, others losing both parents to AIDS - some come to the orphanage without a name or even a memory of their birthday. When I announce to these children that people from around the world are coming to help them, to love and care for them - I begin to see hope in their eyes.
Hope is something few of them have experienced in their young lives. The gift of love and hope that these children receive from our volunteers is a priceless one - one that I have watched change lives over and over. The children at the orphanage go from being extremely timid, lonely, hurt, sick and hungry to feeling loved, appreciated, strong and healthy. It would be a gross understatement to say that the children's self-esteem; their self-worth has improved - skyrocketed is a better description!
"I hear more singing and laughing in this nation full of poverty and death than I have ever heard on the streets of any city I have visited in the U.S." These life changes occurred only because a group of individuals - one by one - had the courage to listen to their hearts and travel to a place far from their home, step out of their comfort zones and love a child.
So simple yet so profound. In the two years that we have been serving in Africa, we have had volunteers from 7 different countries around the world. They ranged in ages from 18 to 70. They were grandfathers and grandmothers who have retired, professionals using their vacation time, students on break, moms with their children, friends, and church groups all changing lives one child at a time. However, each would tell you that they were blessed more than they blessed".
"This experience changed me forever. I will never be the same" one volunteer emotionally explained.
These kids have experienced so much pain and death in their lives yet they are the most loving and appreciative children I have ever met. We went to impact lives (and we did) but my life was impacted so much more." C2BU volunteer
While Courage to Be You, Inc. is a Christian organization we welcome volunteers of all faiths, all countries, ethnic backgrounds, and experience levels. However, we must ask that volunteers be 18 years of age. Plans are currently under way for an International Courage to Be You Exchange Program to Africa for 14 to 17 year olds. Please continue checking the website for future details.