They found some of the 55 children under bushes. Others had been sold into slavery. All of their parents have died of AIDS.
Members of Mount Airy?s Calvary United Methodist Church went to the lands along the Zembezi River in Namibia to give the children hope, education and wisdom from the Bible. The church members erected buildings, provided the children aboat and brought them books.
Now, the White House has taken notice: President Bush plans to visit the church Friday to commemorate World AIDS Day.
Church members have traveled to the AIDS-ravaged village to help children several times over the past few years.
There, they found children who had never seen a book until church members arrived, said Sarah Dorrance, a seminary student and missionary advocate who has visited the village twice.
“The kids are really having an opportunity to have a normal life now,” Dorrance said.
Calvary United members teach the children in a home opened in January 2003 by Mount Zion United Methodist Church in Bel Air. The home offers children from several different tribes and languages a chance at a successful life and career and was featured on an ABC?s “20/20” this year.
Bush wanted to recognize Calvary after hearing about its trip taking 18 people to Nimibia last summer, said Alex Conant, a White House spokesman.
The president is to talk with the Rev. Dennis Yocum, head pastor at the church, before holding a news conference, Conant said.
Mayor Frank Johnson said it will be the first time a president has visited Mount Airy, which has a population of less than 9,000.
When he first heard rumors Monday that the president was coming to town, Johnson said it was hard to believe.
“There are rumors that you hear: ?Hey did you hear the president?s coming??
“And you kind of say, ?Really? OK.?”
