"It's a Nice Night for a Neck Injury"

So what on earth have we been up to that has me not posting for 20 days?!

Oh just a little breaking and entering....

Come on, kid, open up. It's Santy Claus...and his elf!

So here's the story: I was sitting in the living room yesterday eating an apple, minding my own business, when my dad came in the house. "Alyyyyyy," he says, with his bottom lip stuck out and batting his eyes (no doubt mocking me as that's what I do to him when I need something). He then proceeded to tell me that he had locked the neighbor's door (we're keeping an eye on their house)...the door that has no key, and there's only one unlocked window and I'm the only one who can fit through it. So I throw on my boots and walk up to the neighbors, hoping the other neighbors are too busying watching The Talk to call the police.

I stood in the driveway as my dad "secures" the ladder into the snow, then made my way to the window that goes into the bedroom. I climbed up the ladder and wedged myself in between the top of the headboard and the window and asked my dad to take my boots off (just because we're breaking in doesn't mean I need to make a mess). But without the extra weight of the boots, and the addition of my dad's references to Home Alone sending me into fits of laughter, my bottom half went flying up and top half went tumbling down onto the bed and before I knew it my neck was bent to a position where I could hear my heart beating through my back. I yelped, curled up, and the rest of me crashed through.

And I didn't even break a lamp! I walked right out the back door. Never a dull moment around here!!

Happy first day of winter!

I'm off to the chiropractor.

- Aly

(I should note that we were given permission to enter the neighbors' house this way. Don't want any problems with the feds this close to Christmas.)

World AIDS Day

In the last hour, 240 people have died of AIDS. But the impact of those deaths reaches far beyond those 240 people. Mothers have lost sons and daughters. Children have lost friends. Young adults lost mentors. Schools are missing their teachers. Shops are closed, leaving food and other goods unsold. Crops are left unattended. And children are left orphans without any hope.

And over the next hour, 240 more will die of the terrible disease. Over the next year, approximately 2 million people will die of HIV/AIDS.

That's one person every 15 seconds.

Out of all the areas of the world, sub-Saharan Africa has been affected the worst. This area of the world holds just 10% of the world's population but is home to 67% of people in the world living with AIDS. Most people can't afford to buy the medication that will save their lives, leaving over 14 million AIDS orphans in Africa.

Today is World AIDS day, and I'm wearing red in honor of my sweet brothers and sisters at Camp El Har, all of whom have been affected by the AIDS epidemic in some way (some have lost one or both parents, others are positive themselves).

While we were in Uganda, the kids from Camp El Har had family visitation day. During that special time with their families, they sang a song of warning about AIDS. You'll see as they're singing that it becomes more and more difficult for them to finish the song.

These are the kinds of things these children are worried about - not only for themselves, but also for their friends and family. They know the impact AIDS makes because they've felt it first hand. They know what it means to lose a mother or father to AIDS. They know what it means to lose a teacher, mentor, or friend. And some of them even know what it's like to sit in a doctor's office surrounded by others but never feeling more alone and receiving the news that they are positive.

The impact of AIDS reaches far beyond anything we can imagine. It seems so foreign to us, just something that happens to people far away. But to these children it's real and its impact lasts a lifetime.

Will you consider helping one of these children? We currently have bios for 2 children from Camp El Har who need sponsors:

Fred is a young boy who lost both of his parents and has no brothers or sisters. He was under the care of his grandfather, but despite this old man's hard work he is unable to earn enough to care for Fred and his other grandchildren.

Josephine's father passed away in 2002. Her mother struggles to provide for Josephine and her four sisters.

Your sponsorship of $28 a month would allow these precious children to be in the care of Camp El Har. They would receive 24/7 care and the opportunity to hear and experience the love of Jesus.

If you are unable to sponsor a child at this time, would you consider making a one time donation to Camp El Har? The building of the new Camp is in progress, but funds are still needed to get it up and running. Money is needed to purchase things such as school and office supplies, kitchen items, food for the children, furniture, medical supplies, and books.

If you are interested in helping, please e-mail us at housers4uganda@yahoo.com.

Will you consider bringing hope to these children who have felt the impact of AIDS? You could help bring hope to a child today.

"Sympathy is no substitute for action." - David Livingstone, a missionary to Africa

- Aly

The statistics used in this post are taken from poverty.com and avert.org respectively.