| The visitor to Haiti
is immediately moved by the faces of the nation's children.
4 out of every 5 children are illiterate. 1 out of every
4 children attend school. Approximately 80% of the children
are malnourished. The malnourished children are not
only struggling with starvation, but also with a deadly
disease of tuberculosis, the second killer of children
in Haiti.
The unsanitary conditions, the lack
of clean accessible water and the weakened condition
of the children due to malnutrition make them very susceptible
to dehydration caused by diarrhea and tuberculosis.
The death and suffering of the children
in Haiti is totally unnecessary and preventable. The
international community is beginning to recognize the
plight of the Haitian people and assistance is starting
to come in the form of health, education, agriculture
and technical programs. The church has long been the
friend of the poor by providing them with a holistic
approach to the Christian gospel and ministering to
them spiritually, emotionally and physically. The church
has provided schools, hospitals and clinics, and various
programs in areas of agriculture and training projects.
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