Tenth grader Xiao Li and fourth grader Xiao Huang and thousands of children like them in Henan Province have experienced more pain in their lives than most children in other places. Their fathers died of AIDS several years ago; and less than a year after their initial loss, their mothers left to remarry elsewhere.

This human disaster began in the early 1990s when illegal blood buying stations induced farmers to sell blood. For poor families, this extra income meant a more balanced diet and warm clothes for their children and money for school fees and supplies. Unfortunately, the unsanitary means used in drawing blood put many at risk for HIV infection after even just one unknown HIV positive donor. As a result, tens of thousands have been infected and many parents have died, leaving their children essentially orphaned. Sometimes, both parents died of AIDS. Other times, the child’s mother left to remarry in another area after her husband died.

Xiao Li lives with her 80-year-old grandmother and 19-year-old sister. Her sister does the farming and cares for both of them. Xiao Huang lives with her uncle’s family because her grandfather is too old. Her uncle seeks odd jobs in the city, so his wife does the farming and cares for the three children, her own and Xiao Huang.

Early on, our brothers and sisters in Christ in Henan Province became concerned that children like Xiao Li and Xiao Huang might have to drop out of school and might not have proper nutrition and clothing. Through IM's partner -- the Amity Foundation -- you began supporting three AIDS orphans in late 2003 and are currently supporting 75. Some of the support has come from individuals or individual churches, while the rest has come from STEP and from One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) development funds. For example, Xiao Li’s support comes from OGHS, while Xiao Huang is specifically sponsored by FBC Madison, WI.

What a privilege it was to visit 34 of the children last December, to see their smiles, to feel their gratitude, to sit in their simple homes, to walk to school with them, and to let them know we care!

-Judy Sutterlin