Back to the Clinic

Friday I met Fanny in Kabanana. We went to pay the school fees at two of the schools and then to pick up a few kids from different homes and take them to the clinic. As we were taking one girl, we said hello to her brother who was outside playing. We asked how he was doing and he said not good, he had a rash again all over his head, which looked like ringworm. So I said let's bring him too.

We had the follow up for the 8 yr old girl who we just found out was HIV positive. Her test results were good so for now she does not need to be on any medications, but to just try and increase a good diet. In 3 months she will need to go back for another test to check her levels.

The doctor then saw the boy and prescribed medicine for the infections and cream. Then he asked Fanny and I if he could do a blood test. We said yes that was fine, and so he did the HIV test. Then brought just us back in to the office to give us the results.
He was positive.

I think this caught us off guard because we were not even thinking it was anything other than a fungal infection. This boy is a teenager and so now we have to follow up on Monday with him and ask his mom to come to the doctor visit as well, in which point the doctor will then do further testing. This will be the first time he will hear the news along with his mother who also is positive and has AIDS.

It has been surprising though to hear in the compounds that even if a mother has it, and her child gets sick she does not necessarily think that it could be related.

In talking with the doctor who is aware of the orphan sponsorship program he suggested we bring all the kids in to get tested. And maybe do a routine exam in which the blood test will be taken as well. I think over the next few weeks and month we will try to bring all the children in.

Please pray for these children that are positive, the family members and the other children that will soon be tested.
There are other family members in the homes that very likely could also be positive.

It is a sad thought to think at the end of all the visits and testing, out of 11 kids, how many will be positive.
Please pray as well for wisdom as we deal with the children and their guardians, and emotional stability and Christlike love.