Garden of Mercy

In my last post, I shared how I am feeling more and more "at home" here in Taiwan. As I've become more settled, I've been able to start pursuing more of the passions God has given me. One of these passions is to care for orphans.



About a month ago, I started volunteering each week at a Christian orphanage called the Garden of Mercy Infant Center. We provide care for newborns to infants up to six-months old who are suspected to have HIV infection. Currently we care for nine babies. When I go, I usually help a nurse with feeding, changing diapers, giving medicine, doing laundry, cleaning, and playtime. (And I thought twins were a handful--imagine 2-3 volunteers caring for nine infants at one time!) It's noisy, chaotic, and tiring, but God has given me such a love for these babies that I always look forward to my time with them.


FAQ: Infants and HIV

Do all mothers with HIV/AIDS pass it on to their children?
Mothers infected with HIV/AIDS do not necessarily give birth to infants with HIV/AIDS, but preventive drug treatment given during the month before the baby is born is crucial for lowering the possibility of HIV infection. In the past, many mothers with HIV/AIDS abandoned their babies after birth. As a result, many infants didn’t receive drug treatment or received it late which decreased the effectiveness of the prevention drugs.

How long does it take to find out if a baby is infected with HIV/AIDS?

Newborns carry their mother’s antibodies and it takes at least three months before it can be determined whether they are HIV infected or not.It is critical, therefore, to assist them with treatment to lower the rate of infection (It could be lowered to 1% or less.) Three months after infants are born, about 99% are confirmed uninfected and can be taken home.

Please pray for these babies...pray that they would know the love of their Heavenly Father through those that serve them. Please also pray that they would find foster and adoptive families.

-Kayt