Friday, November 30, 2007

statistics

I gotta tell you, I run into this kinda stuff and it just makes me itch my head... Makes me wonder if we can afford more children (I know... trust me, I know what you're gonna say). But COME ON! Did you read that crap? Throwing money at the problem just doesn't make me feel any better. must. do. more. But since adopting more kids seems nuts and donating money doesn't feel like enough - what to do? I mean, we aren't talkin' National Geographic here... we're talking about real human beings. Real human beings that coulda been us. Afterall, who chooses where or to whom they're born?

  • Every 15 SECONDS, another child becomes an AIDS orphan in Africa
  • Every DAY 5,760 more children become orphans
  • Every YEAR 2,102,400 more children become orphans (in Africa alone)
  • 143,000,000 Orphans in the world today spend an average of 10 years in an orphanage or foster home
  • Approximately 250,000 children are adopted annually, but…
  • Every YEAR 14,050,000 children still grow up as orphans and AGE OUT of the system
  • Every DAY 38,493 children AGE OUT
  • Every 2.2 SECONDS, another orphan child AGES OUT with no family to belong to and no place to call home
  • In Ukraine and Russia 10% -15% of children who age out of an orphanage commit suicide before age 18.
  • 60% of the girls are lured into prostitution. 70% of the boys become hardened criminals.
  • Reliable statistics are difficult to find, even the sources often list only estimates, and street children are rarely included. But even if these figures are exaggerated by double, it is still an unacceptable tragedy that over a Million children would still become orphans every year, and every year 7 Million children would still grow to adulthood as orphans with no one to belong to and no place to call home.

What to do?
What to do...



P.S. If you randomly ended up here because of some of the words used on this post, please check out Bryan Post.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh Raquel,
You're killing me. I wonder if Rocky would consider adopting a Russian orphan?

Jeromy said...

I'd say just keep doing what you're doing, keep speaking, keep it out there in front of everyone. If even half (heck, even an 1/6th) the "Christians" worldwide (2.1 billion) adopted one child---problem solved.

Anonymous said...

Wow,I love Jeromy's comment. I had never done the math to figure out how few Christians(worldwide) need to adopt to solve the problem. Now we just need to find the right 1/6th, and convince em! I think you should make bumper stickers and t-shirts on cafe press that say that. I would buy one!
Susie

VBK said...

Blessings to you and your family! Thank you for making a difference in those children's lives. In India, we are often awed by the tremendous need, but when we focus on individual lives that are being transformed it brings great encouragement to just keep on going for it!

Aly Cat 121 said...

I like Jeromy's comment too. Umm. . .kinda makes you wonder at what's REALLY going on? Ask too many question, could end up at Guantanamo Bay.

Jeromy said...

Well, if we do all end up in Guantanamo Bay, at least we'll be wearing cool T-shirts from a cafe press. ;-)