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USA (MNN) 21 January, 2010
: A 6.1 aftershock shook the country of Haiti again on
20 January. Many aid agencies are unsure if the quake
caused additional damage.
It's been more than a week since the quake demolished
buildings, left two-million homeless and killed an
estimated 200,000 people. The deaths of those people
will create another disaster -- an increase in the
orphan population, says Al Lackey, President of Kids
Alive International.
"As the dust settles, there are always thousands of
orphans that nobody has made plans for. They get lost in
the shuffle," Lackey says.
He's concerned that not many are talking about them.
"Why should we allow all this attention and effort to be
invested in this country and then when everybody leaves
there are thousands of orphans that no one has concerned
the long term care that they will need."
Kids Alive cares for the whole child by providing for
the full range of spiritual, educational, social,
physical, and emotional needs, believing children should
have the opportunity to grow and develop to their full
potential. Currently in Haiti and the Dominican
Republic, Kids Alive supports over 1,000 kids in
children's homes. They will be expanding that by 300
immediately.
Kids Alive children are excited that they can introduce
these earthquake victims to Christ, just as they
received Christ's love when they entered the homes.
But Lackey knows that's not enough, so Kids Alive is
making a commitment. "We want to become the voice of
these kids," Lackey adds. "Right now, we know there were
at least 400,000 orphans prior to the earthquake. We
know there will be thousands more. But my passion and
desire is to see every child that has been orphaned by
way of this earthquake put into a family that will make
him or her secure, loved and prepared for a future to
make a significant difference as young adults in Haiti."
While it seems like a huge task for one organization,
Kids Alive is relying on God and His divine work. "We
have networks we have built over the years. We have
staff. We know how to raise children in homes. We can
train people. We have the ability to network to make it
possible."
As Kids Alive cares for children, they will hear the
Gospel of Christ. Many of them will come to Christ and
be committed Christians.
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