Keep a Child Alive

Day 2 - Angel: A Precious Life Lost

Keep a Child Alive never shies away from even the most difficult stories. And over the years, our work has born witness to stories of unfathomable human tragedy that play out every day in Africa.  Perhaps the most painful story of all though, the horror of child rape in South Africa, still remains to be told.  It is a story so outrageous in its depravity that it boggles the mind, yet it occurs at an alarming rate.  With fifty child rapes reported every day, and countless more going unreported nationwide, the scope of the problem continues to be masked, as is so often the case with crimes involving children.  While in Durban, South Africa a few years ago, we met a beautiful, 8 month-old baby girl called Angel.  Angel suffered unimaginably at the hands of her own father, who mistakenly believed that having sex with a virgin would cure him of HIV.  KCA’s Danielle Spitzer shares her story with us:

Angel was at Operation Bobbi Bear when we visited for the first time in December of 2007. I was there on my inaugural trip to see Keep Child Alive’s work in action in South Africa.  Away from home during the holidays for the first time in my life, and missing the comfort of my family and routines, I was a magnet for emotion of any kind and was instantly drawn to Angel.  To look at her beautiful, tiny face, so like a baby doll in its perfection, it was hard for me to imagine the unspeakable horrors she had endured. I simply held her in my arms and loved her throughout the entire day we were there. She had so much love at Bobbi Bear, everyone there wanted to hold her and love her, even the youngest children. I loved her without thinking she could die; but she did, not very long after our visit. She just didn’t have enough will in her little body to heal after the abuse she had suffered.  I cried as never before, knowing that her short life had changed mine forever.  I’ve lost something that I can’t begin to define without becoming overwhelmed with tears; and I’ve gained a gift from Angel that will stay with me forever: purpose.

Keep a Child Alive holds fast to the memory of Angel and to helping Operation Bobbi Bear protect the youngest victims of sexual violence abuse and neglect.

Angel’s story is another reason why we do what we do at Keep a Child Alive. Text BUYLIFE to 90999 to give $10 to help us continue these daily inspirational stories of hope, love and strength.

See all of our Daily Inspirations.