URGENT: Cry Out for Congo and the desperate need for help in Ledia, DRC

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to let you know about something very important. World Vision is doing something rather unprecedented for them, and choosing to focus on one specific area for child sponsorship with their Cry Out for Congo campaign.

In Ledia ADP, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a child sponsorship program with 2,000 children in desperate need has been started. In Ledia, the situation is severely worse than anywhere else World Vision is working right now.

Very sad and severe statistics for the region are that 9 out of 10 mothers will lose a child, most from preventable causes. 1 in 6 children will not live to the age of 5.

Only 6% of the population has access to clean water, and only 1% have access to sanitation.

Ledia is near Gemena, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. To get there, you either must fly by helicopter, or take a 4 day boat ride from the capital of Kinshasa.

It is absolutely staggering to consider the circumstances in which these children live. You don't have to be a mother for your heart to break for the precious children that are being affected by this extreme poverty.

God is calling me to raise awareness for this cause, and for the children in Ledia who are begging for the chance to live. The success for World Vision in this province is riding on being able to find sponsors for these 2,000 children.

If child sponsorship is something you've considered in the past, but haven't acted on, I implore you to consider it now. Please pray for the children in Ledia, DRC to find hope, health, and happiness. Pray that they may come to know God and the blessing of a sponsor who cares.

Thank You for taking the time to read this. As always, please ask any questions if you have them.

Katy

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

Hello Everyone!

Just wanted to let the team know I have changed my sponsorship page to reflect children in Ledia that need help as part of this campaign.

You can go there to connect with the children through the My Sponsorship link on the left side of the team homepage.

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

Hi Team.

This campaign is so important to me. I wouldn't ask anyone to do something I wouldn't do myself. And so I am proud to say I have decided to sponsor Parfaite, a 7 year old girl from Ledia ADP in the Democratic Republic of Congo that us Child Ambassadors are trying so hard to raise awareness for right now. Her sweet smile touched my heart and I hope that another child may be blessed by one of you, too.

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

I just wanted to tell you about a phone call I was on with child ambassadors from around the country on Tuesday. We spoke with a man who has been working for World Vision for decades, especially in the Congo where this campaign is located. The things he had to say were both sad and amazing.

I was so saddened to hear about one story in a clinic where children were being treated. They didn't have enough medicine for the children inflicted with malaria, so they weren't giving the doses to all of the children, just some. Could you imagine if your child was one the staff thought looked more sickly, so he or she didn't get the treatment and then died?...simply because there wasn't enough? It makes my heart sad indeed to hear of little ones who have died from no medicine. It's so easy for me to see a doctor or go to my pharmacy and pick something up to treat my ailments, what if I couldn't?

I've thought about the parents who have had to make the decision to let their children go thirsty or give them the poisoned and filthy water that is the only water source they can draw from. That makes my heart very sad too.

But one thing that makes me happy is to hear about how excited the congolese are that there are other christians out there who care about them and their children. They can't wait to find out all about us, and they really do hold on to every little thing that a sponsor sends them. For years and years. The man we had the privilege of listening to told us about his experience with a special gift he had sent to one of his sponsored children there. A few months after giving he was able to see a picture of the mattress and goats the family were able to purchase, and how happy they were.

I received 3 picture folders of children who need sponsors from Ledia in the Congo today, and it really just touched me to see their little faces, and to think of how hopeful they are that someone's heart and generous spirit will open up to them and change their lives.

Our speaker told us about how just in the last couple weeks about 50 sponsored children had died from preventable causes, just because World Vision wasn't able to start helping them soon enough. I hope that number continues to go down and we can prevent more deaths. I am praying for these kids and I hope you will join me in doing so.

Please know there are still many children available in this community, and I would be happy to talk to you about them, about the Congo, or to answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to ask your questions here or to send me a private message if that makes you feel more comfortable.

Blessings,
Katy