Principles CST Curriculum (ages 4-7) Citizenship and Children Growing Up Catholic in the Midst of Affluence Materials for Mission Education Stories for Just Kids Work for Children

You can find this story and others like it in To Love Tenderly: Teaching Compassion and Justice Through Stories and Activities published by Twenty-Third Publications.

For grades 5-8

Introduction: The sickness called AIDS has left millions of children orphaned. While AIDS can be found around the world, areas of the continent of Africa have been especially hard hit. Children left without family face tremendous problems with hunger, education, housing, grief and loneliness. Organizations to help AIDS orphans are bringing hope to many of them.

Story:
My name is Beverly. I am sixteen years old. I am both mother and father to my two younger brothers and little sister.

Often at night, when they have finally fallen asleep, I sit by the window, looking out at the darkness. I cannot sleep because, like the others, I am hungry. I am also sad. And very worried.

In the dark, I can remember the face of my dying father. “Take care of them,” he had said to my mother. We could barely hear his voice, it was so weak. “They are good children and will need you to be both father and mother.”

My mother had stroked his thin face and kissed his bony hands. Tears flowed down her cheeks and onto his.

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