HIV/AIDS More than statistics Part 1

In Tanzania alone it is estimated that there is 1,400,000 people living with HIV/AIDS. 110,000 of them are estimated to be children between the ages of 0-14. 1,100,000 have lost one or both parents to the Virus

I never thought that I would be riding in a suv with a tiny baby on my lap going to a clinic to get a blood test to find out if the precious child I am holding is infected with AIDS, but here I am. Hallie, Heath and I accompanied Davona the director of Cradle of Love to the clinic with three beautiful children. When we arrive at the clinic they take the babies to measure and weigh them. They then ask Davona their names and ages. This proves to be more difficult then one would assume as we don’t have their paperwork with us and honestly most of the information we would have had is a guess at best. Names: Bahati, Clinton, Helena Last name: No idea! How about Cradle of Love? Whereabouts of the parents: Mother died (probably from AIDS) father abandoned child and mother after birth or was unable/unwilling to look after the child). This is extremely typical here in Africa. After waiting a little over an hour in the waiting room (an area outside with plastic chairs covered by a tin roof) they call Helena. Bahati & Clinton have already gone and from the sound of it this is not going to be fun.
They undress her as three doctors/nurses hover over her to take her blood. They take off her diaper and inject the needle in her groin. She cries but they make sweet faces at her to try to distract her from the pain. I’ve only known Helena for a few weeks but I am overwhelmed by the realization that the outcome of this blood test could change the projectory of her life forever. There is a sweet missionary named who has been approved by Tanzania and the US to adopt so if Helena’s tests come back negative for the Virus then she will have a baby and sweet Helena a mother. Adopting a baby outside of Tanzania is difficult and is only increased (basically impossible) if the child tests positive for HIV/AIDS. AIDS is still looked down upon here in Africa so the chance of a child being adopted that has Aids by a Tanzanian is highly unlikely. To add insult to injury there are also only a few orphanages that will take children who are HIV positive so even when it comes to institutions their options are limited. Please pray for loving families for these babies regardless of the outcome!
Christy