Photo via kidsalive.org

Millions of orphans at risk in wake of Haiti's earthquake

Up to two million children are feared orphaned or at least separated from their parents in Haiti. There are growing concerns about their safety as looters prowl. The prison also collapsed, and inmates are roaming the streets, reports MNN.

In this impoverished country, food prices will quickly escalate. Clean water will be at a premium. Gas prices will be exorbitant. Aside from U.S. troops and the United Nations, there is little effective government presence to prevent the mounting bedlam from going into anarchy.

As the search for food and water grows more desperate, the struggle for survival will take a violent turn. Already there are reports of gangs of young men and boys armed with machetes scavenging the ruins.

At the best of times, lone children faced abuse and attacks in the streets. With conditions deteriorating, the danger increases for the youngest quake survivors.

Al Lackey with Kids Alive International says, "Kids Alive hopes to cooperate with some of the other organizations there and rescue these children and bring them into temporary care, give them the counseling and care that they're going to need after going through this horrible experience."

Kids Alive ministers to children in three homes. They are first making sure the kids they're already helping stay safe. Plans are also underway to take in as many orphans as they can in the unharmed housing in the north of Haiti and possibly in the Dominican Republic.

Future plans also include additional homes for 50 to 100 children orphaned by the earthquake. Lackey says that when Kids Alive says 'Yes,' it's a lifetime commitment.

The kids hear this message: "We're going to care for you until you are a young adult. We're going to educate you, we're going to love you, we're going to teach you about Jesus Christ. We want you to be the Godly change agent of the future Haiti."

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TAGS: Haiti Haiti earthquake Kids Alive International orphans gangs anarchy

[01/19/2010]

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