Hope for HIV

Hi, thank you so much for clicking my link!

I’m Hannah, a 2nd year medical student in Scotland. Long term I would love to work with those in poverty, providing healthcare whilst living out God's kingdom values of love, hope and transformation. This summer 2014 I am volunteering with Tearfund, to help those with HIV in Thailand. It will be a great opportunity to share God's love and to also learn more about future healthcare in the mission field.  

Children are our most vulnerable population, affected for reasons in which they are uninvolved- abandoned, suffering, helpless. I want to contribute to the work of Siam Care in providing care, education and love to those who are victims of their illness.

ABOUT HIV in Thailand:

• HIV is a chronic and complex destructive illness that weakens the body overtime. It means that normally mild infections can become life-threatening quickly.
• After Sub-saharan Africa, S & SE asia have the greatest number of people living with & dying from HIV-AIDS. Thailand have the highest prevalence of HIV within this continent.
• 440,000 living with HIV in thailand- ~5.8x estimated with HIV in uk (2012)
• "Leading cause of premature death in Thailand" (2013)- 21,000 deaths/year due to HIV in Thailand- 3rd highest in south & SE asia (2012)
  • Excludes hidden statistics of those who haven’t been accounted for (i.e rural and homeless)- actual number likely to be higher!
    
• BUT it is a manageable AND preventable disease which many don’t seek the right care for.

TRIP’s FOCUS: daily care & prevention for those with HIV.

 Physical, educational and spiritual support to families living with HIV through: 

• Teaching healthcare so families can look after themselves
• supprorting & visiting families with HIV
• Providing temporary homes
• Teaching english (children's camp) to enhance their opportunities
• Prison ministry & befreinding
• Helping local churches

15th July - 14th Aug: 10 days Bangkok, 3 weeks Mukdahan (NE)

Why Tearfund exist: "Poverty does more than exhaust, starve, trap and kill people. It destroys their sense of worth, limits their horizons, robs people of the chance to reach their full potential. Tearfund’s call is to follow Jesus where the need is greatest. We do whatever it takes to end poverty and rebuild poor communities. We work through local churches, because they're Jesus’ body on earth, ready to care for the whole person - and the whole community - inside and out."

http://www.siamcare.org/PROJECTS.html

http://www.tearfund.org/en/about_us/how_we_work/tearfund_quality_standards/

Cost- £2135:

• £1,300 trip *Excluding flights, visas, injections and optional extra activities
  • Pre-trip orientation (food, accommodation, resources) 
  • Pre-trip medical and CRB screening
  • Basic medical supplies
  • In-country travel, accommodation and food
  • Insurance (including 24-hr emergency cover)
    
  • Global Volunteering fee
• £762 flights

SUPPORT

Impacting commmunities through voluntary work is made possible through kind supporters.  If you are at all in any position to support this trip for the work in Thailand (but PLEASE don't feel obliged,) I would be so grateful. Every little helps and your support means so much to me.

So you're aware of the impact of your generosity, I'll send a newsletter detailing the work of Tearfund in Thailand once I'm back.

God Bless you all :)

"Learn to do good; seek justice,
    correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.." 

Isaiah 1:17

Resources:

• http://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/thailand/
• http://www.unaids.org/en/dataanalysis/knowyourepidemic/
• http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/what-is-hiv-aids/
• http://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2013/04/03/hivaids-sector-results-profile