Why Ethiopia?

Ethiopian Orphans from Simon Scionka on Vimeo.

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What the statistics say:

~ One in ten children die before their first birthday

~ One in six children die before their fifth birthday

~ 44% of the population is under 15 years old

~ 60% of children in Ethiopia are stunted because of malnutrition

~ The median age in Ethiopia is 17.8 years old

~ 1.5 million people are infected with AIDS (6th highest in the world)

~ There are roughly 4.6 million orphans in Ethiopia

~ Per capita, Ethiopia receives less aid than any country in Africa

~ Half of the children in Ethiopia will never attend school

~ 88% will never attend secondary school

~ Coffee prices (Ethiopia's only major export) declined 40-60% from 1998-2002

~ Ethiopia's doctor to children ratio is 1 to 24,000

~ Severe drought struck country from 2000-2002 (first year no crops, second year no seeds, third year no animals)


What God's Word says:

Psalm 82:3-4
Defend the cause of the weak and the fatherless; Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Deliver the weak and needy from the hand of the wicked.

Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.

Jeremiah 22:3
This is what the Lord says: Be fair-minded and just. Do what is right! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. Quit your evil deeds! Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans, and widows. Stop murdering the innocent!

James 1:27
Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Deuteronomy 10:18
He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing.

Psalm 10:18
[God] will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them.

Psalm 146:9
The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.

(So... that's "Why Ethiopia")