Unfortunately I come to you today with a very solemn message. Usually just the presence of old man Baba is enough to lighten a room. Everyone looks forward to my uplifting stories from generations past. Children rush up to me and gather around my robes as if I were a summer campfire. Well, let me tell you why I am coming to you today in such a different manner. While everyone is preparing for their holiday festivals and family gatherings, shopping for loved ones, and celebrating in whatever way that each of you wishes to, it is also very important to remember those who are not as fortunate.
Yes, this is a very charitable time of year. Unfortunately, we tend to think about those less fortunate only around such time of year when everything else seems to be so abundant. I am here to tell you about a situation that does not go away simply after the last of the eggnog is had, after the decorations are taken down and put away into storage for another year, or after you send off that final thank you note to a loved one for the generosity that they shared with you during the holidays. I am here to talk to you about a very serious problem in my home country of India.
The problem is Child Survival:
- Were you aware that of all world’s malnourished children, nearly one in three lives in India, and about half of all childhood deaths are attributed to malnutrition?
- Did you know that in India where there is a population of almost 1.2 billion people, that 35% of the population lives below $1.00 per day?
- Of every 1,000 babies born alive, 52 die before the tender age of 1.
- Nearly half of all children younger than 5 are malnourished
- Every year in India, 1.5 million children die before their 5th birthday because of unsafe water, inadequate sanitation, or poor hygiene.
- Nearly 30% of all newborns have a low birth weight
- About 46% of children younger than 3 are too small for their age
- 74% of children younger than 3 are affected by anemia
- Only 15% of mothers receive complete prenatal care
But there is some good news underneath all of these dire statistics that I have shared. I would like to make you aware of an organization called Compassion International. You can sponsor a child for just $38 per month which will go a long way to helping children in need. By becoming a sponsor with Compassion International, local church partners provide nutritious food, prenatal care, health care, education, and faith for those in the most need of help.
Your tax-deductible contribution of just $38 a month connects your sponsored child with a loving, church-based child sponsorship program that provides:
- Food and Clean Water
- Medical Care
- Educational Opportunities
- Important life-skills training
When you sponsor a child, you will receive your child’s photo, personal story, and a child sponsorship packet by mail in approximately 15 days. You will be able to correspond directly with your sponsored child through letters that both of you write to each other. When children find out that they have been sponsored, the joy they feel is indescribable. Just knowing that someone across the globe cares means more than you can imagine. Sponsoring a child will profoundly change the future for your child – and you.
I am providing you with a direct link to Compassion International where you can make a profound impact on the life of a child today. God bless you and your generosity.
Peace, Baba
नमस्ते
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