Here's a great video that I highly recommend any of our family or friends to watch:
And if you have any further questions about HIV/AIDS and adoption, there are lots of great resources out there. Please do not hesitate to ask us ANY questions! We're completely willing to answer anything. Also, I highly recommend checking out Project Hopeful! This website was one of the biggest things that helped us with our decision to adopt a child with HIV. They have lots of really great programs, one of them being HOPE+Sisterhood.
"This program seeks to offer HOPE to HIV+ mothers and to prevent unnecessary loss for their families.Everything begins with keeping HIV+ mothers alive and healthy so they can parent their children. With their health intact, HIV+ mothers can begin to acquire the means for self sufficiency through job skills training, micro-loans for small businesses, and a host of other resources. HIV+ mothers can also benefit from "sisters" in the US who will pray for them, write to encourage them, and stand with them as they raise their families."
Basically a "sister" in the US sponsors an HIV+ mom from Ethiopia for just 6 months at a small fee of $32 per month and helps these women get back on their feet and learn a new skill and learn how to provide for their family. It's a way to keep mommas and their babies together. I read about it and immediately fell in love because it is something that Michael and I had dreamed about doing eventually. Of having a home in Ethiopia for single moms to live and learn a skill and get the medical help they need at no cost until they "graduate" with a life skill to provide for themselves. So to find something that was doing that exact same thing, except specifically for moms with HIV meant SO much to me and there was no way I could not participate! I immediately signed up and am so excited to pray for and get to know my "sister" Sintayehu! I can write her letters, emails, and stay in contact with her and maybe one day meet her. It's absolutely incredible, and I encourage anyone who is interested in contacting Project Hopeful for more information!
That said, to follow up with my previous post on why we are choosing to disclose the HIV status of our future child... Some argue that the child should decide who they want to tell and when they want to tell people. While that may work for some, we knew that would not work for our family. We want this entire adoption to be a testimony. A testimony of God's love, God's faithfulness and God's ultimate perfect plan. We want this to be a story for all to know. To help advocate for the orphans with HIV. To teach the truth and facts about HIV. To teach about the millions of orphans worldwide in desperate need of adoption who have HIV, and that adopting them is definitely do-able and safe for families to do it. We could certainly advocate for adoption of HIV+ children without disclosing the status of our child, but we felt it would not have as much of an impact. We want our story to be told and we want the truth about HIV to be spread!!! We also didn't want our child to grow up feeling ashamed or like their HIV was something that needed to be hidden from the world. We want our child to feel loved and accepted JUST the way they are without having doubts...
Lastly...
YAY for 42! ... Thanks for sharing the video! It is so very sad, but mant people are very closed minded, and uninformed about how AIDS/HIV is transferred. There is a bad stigma attached,
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