As a result of the AIDS crisis in Nigeria, women and children are left as widows and orphans—leaving them to fend for themselves to obtain their basic needs.

This year, the ECWA, Evangelical Church of West Africa, Women's Fellowship Conference focused their attention on this significant problem. In March 2009, a conference was held that centered around women and children who have been abandoned because of HIV and AIDS. Part of the focus centered around HIV and AIDS education which explains what the virus is and does in the context of the body, as well as how it is transmitted, and the need for counseling and testing. Six hundred and forty-five people were tested by the "Spring of Life Team" at the conference and of those, only three tested positive.

The other part of the conference centered around the Bucket Project. The Bucket Project introduces the idea of "Iri na Kauna," meaning "the seed of love." Each Nigerian woman takes a handful of grain each time she prepares a meal and stores it in a five-liter bucket. Then, on a day agreed to by the women leaders, the buckets are taken to the church or women's fellowship gathering for distribution to widows and orphans in the church—who became such as a result of HIV and AIDS.

Dorothy Ardill, the founder of the Bucket Project and a member of SIM Nigeria says, "I continue to get amazing feedback from the women leaders after the conferences and requests for more conferences." Dorothy is looking forward to hosting three Bucket Project conferences in 2010 and it seems as if she is not the only one ... "We were graced by God to participate in such an activity, which does not come as often as we wish it would ..." remarked one of the staffers from the ECWA conference. "In all, we give God the glory and are looking forward for more opportunities."

Pray

• For the 3 conferences that are scheduled for 2010.
• That God will supply the funding needed for about 15 more conferences.
• For strength for the teams that do the drama and AIDS testing.

Give

Help relieve some of the stress for the widows and orphans—give a gift that will help provide for their daily needs.

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