A Fatherless Generation

At church today I was taken back at how many children are
present. The first 5 rows are filled
with children. My first thought was, that’s incredible that there are so many
young people in church…how wonderful of their parents to have them grow up in
the church. Then all of the sudden
it hit me. It is wonderful that they are
growing up in church, but it’s not because their parents are bringing
them. Come to find out, all of these
kids are orphans due to AIDS. There is
literally quickly becoming an orphan generation here in Swaziland. 

 

A quick census of the congregation today
results in the following:

        ·       
at least 50 of them are under 10 years old.
        ·       
30 or so are ages 11-18
        ·       
5 people are in their 20s-30s
        ·       
10 people are in their 40s
        ·       
5 people that are older than 50.

This breaks down to about 80% of
the group falling under the age of 18. The generations of parents ages 25-40 are quickly dying off to leave no one to care for all these children.  Kids as young as 7 are running households
caring for younger siblings, cousins, and neighbors who are also orphans. It’s one thing to hear about the effect of
AIDS, but when it stares you face to face something changes.