Here is a story of HIV.
A 21 year old married female with three children. She just delivered her youngest by repeat C section two weeks ago. She was re-admitted yesterday because of a wound infection. I am not posting pictures due to the sensitive nature of her situation.
She was diagnosed with HIV in 2009.
She is not taking anti-retroviral medication and neither is her newborn baby.
Her other two children have never been tested or treated for maternal exposure to HIV. Their chances of transmission are ~ 45% without the treatment.
Her husband does not know about her diagnosis. He is her second husband. She was very vague about what happened to her first husband. Only that he is “not around.” In Kenya, widows are “inherited” by brothers of the husband. Is her new husband her former brother- in- law? Are they even married? Not sure.
Nevertheless, this man provides for her and the child from her first husband and his two subsequent children. She does not take the treatment for HIV because he might find out about her disease. If he finds out, he will kick her and her children out of the house. They will have no food or shelter, she says. He will blame her for bringing this sickness to his house. As a woman she can own no land. And she has 3 children to support with very little education herself. So she lives in secret, her children at risk, all for the price of shelter, food and pride.
Please pray for this woman and some many others like her who live under the yoke of fear. Also, please pray for me as I struggle to find some way to help and encourage them.
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