Scenes Overseas: A Look Into the Chiang Mai Refuge for Children with HIV/AIDS

Agape means unconditional love.

The smiles worn on these girl’s faces would lead you to believe they are like any other kid, filled with the joy of child-like splendor. They are – except for the fact that they are living with AIDS.

Photo taken by Scene photographer Lindsey Crown.

All the children at Agape Home, from infants to age 21, were born with HIV. They are seen as unclean and unworthy of love by their families and villages.

The children are taken care of by house mothers, woman usually age 25-35 who have also been infected with AIDS.

These woman offer support and an excellent resource for the kids to learn how to properly protect themselves and others from the disease.

The Agape children were a highly spirited bunch. They didn’t let the the upwards of 100 degree Fahrenheit temperatures stop them from playing games in the sun.

The Agape children cool down with ice cream sandwiches.

Ellie (young girl holding the baby in the foreground) is part of a family of missionaries from Australia who are staying on site to teach the children English for five months.

The lack of resources available to poor Thai families leaves children much smaller and younger than their Western counterparts. The girls pictured above are 13 and six years old.

Since Agape Home opened in 1996, this is the first time they have ever had deal with the children growing into teens and are now faced teenage rebellion and pregnancy.

Though the deterioration of HIV is often physically clear on the children.

They never let it affect their spirit. These children truly left one both humbled and inspired by their joy and resilience.

If you are feeling compelled to learn more or donate the the children of Agape Home, you can do so here at http://www.nikkisplace.org/.

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