Have You Ever Wondered...

...what it would be like to live with HIV, yourself, or with someone you know having it, or parenting a child that has it? There are people that do every day.

Not too long ago, not even as long as last week, I was contemplating the thoughts of adoption as I continued to make an adoption site for a friend of mine and found myself realizing I could handle adopting any sort of special needs child, Downs Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Blind, Def, FAS, Missing Limbs - any of them, they are children of God here the same as a 'typical' child and were put here to teach and learn just as much as the rest of us, ... but, shamefully, flipping through more pages of possible disabilities I found myself thinking I would have to draw the line on adopting an HIV positive child - that, was something I thought I could not do.

I afraid at the thought, as some people are, at the thought of that 'impossible'. And yet, there were all these little faces of kids born hiv positive - that road was for someone else, I thought.

The hardest part I thought those kids would go through was being an adult, as a child you live in a child's world - you don't realize people's fears of you or the 'limitations' society sets. But as an adult you do. That, for these kids, is when they will need family for them most.

Within a week, I found myself wondering, what if I had HIV? What would I do then? How would I live? What if someone I knew did? The thought went to - What about those kids?

That idea went to - could I ever adopt a child with HIV, in a matter of days, people, I went from seeing it as impossible to wondering if I ever could.

A face of one of the little HIV positive girls flashed through my mind. Instantly and then gone again. I already knew that likely she would never be adopted, being older in the first place made it hard.

Today when I got in from work I went to the page and looked at her again. I found myself thinking - yes, I could do this. Then I opened up the links that led to Project Hopeful, read what was there and then I went back to the page again. Okay, I told myself, if this child is still available within the time its going to take to get my life together, I would do it.

Amazing. In less than a week, a change of heart? I honestly don't even really know what got me to thinking about HIV adoption in the first place? Except maybe somewhere a seed was planted that was getting ready to take root. Am I still scared? Terrified. I am about the most paranoid and anxious person I know. But there is this, I know to trust God. I know if this is what I am supposed to do one day it will happen. Am I saying I am committing to this child now? No, I am not. Right now, the physical constrictions of this world will not allow me to. What I am saying is my heart is opening to the possibility that one day, I don't know when, this could happen - for me and anyone else. You never know what children God will bring you. Don't allow fear to hold you back from those you love.

So what do you say we end the stereotype? HIV is a treatable condition these days and with the proper treatment people with it can live long and full lives. Lets give these little kids a chance? Think about it.
I'm a believer.

Here are the ones on Reece's Rainbow. The little girl Shannon, a bit of the way down this page is the face that opened my heart. Lets see if we can get her a home.

http://www.reecesrainbow.com/angelhiv.htm

Here are some more little angels needing families too:

http://www.adoption-link.org/list-of-children.aspx

Its only a start, but check these links for more information about HIV and AIDS:

http://www.projecthopeful.org/


http://www.fromhivtohome.org/


PS: I need to add that I mean no disrespect for people with this condition, in fact it is written with a lot of respect and hope. Out of respect for them and these children, please don't twist it out of shape and form, such comments will be deleted immediately before publishing to this blog. Thank you.

PS AGAIN: To clarify: yes, hiv is the virus that causes aids and they are different things, and living with one is different than the other. Thank you for pointing that out, btw. :D