The child, named Marshall, was abandoned at a shelter shortly after his drug addicted mother gave birth to him. He was suspected of being HIV-positive because his mother was positive.

Despite knowing this, a couple from Texas decided to go ahead with procedures to adopt him. During the adoption process, the boy was confirmed to be HIV negative.

“Marshall is special to us because he is now our son, “ the child’s adopted father Joshua Bush said at an adoption ceremony, adding that it did not matter to him or his wife whether Marshall was HIV positive or negative. “We are grateful that God has chosen us as parents of Marshall.”

Left at a shelter, Marshall was later placed in another shelter run by the Garden of Mercy Foundation (GMF), a local charity dedicated to limiting the spread of HIV and eliminating discrimination against those in society infected with the virus.

The Bushes, who already have a 10-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son, came in contact with Marshall through their volunteer work with the charity on weekends, Chang Li-shu, chairwoman of the charity foundation, said.

Commending the love of the Bushes as “without boundaries,” Chang said that even though Marshall was at one time suspected to be HIV positive, the couple never reduced their love for him and decided to have him as a member of their family.

After six months of efforts, including going through the Taiwanese and U.S. application process, the Bushes finally were allowed to adopt Marshall, Chang added.

Marshall’s birth mother is currently in prison.

Another four foreign couples are currently applying to adopt babies from Taiwan suspected of having HIV. The infants are currently being cared for at the charity.

Some 50 newborn babies in Taiwan are suspected of being infected with HIV or having full-blown AIDS through their mother every year, said Lu Chun-yi, a pediatrician at National Taiwan University Hospital.

“If we can provide appropriate medical treatment to the babies, the infection rate may be reduced from 40 percent to one percent,” Lu said.

In order to show more concern for underprivileged people, Liu Chun-hsiang, director of the Division of Welfare Services for Children and Youth, in Taipei City’s Department of Social Affairs said “the public should be educated.”

“Most people in our society misunderstand HIV/AIDS, and I hope everyone can join the work to take care of AIDS babies,” Liu said.

Chang urged people “to be brave enough to show concern about the HIV/AIDS infected babies because they need our love.”

Subscribe to The China Post and save.  Click hereSharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Enter your comments - 800 characters max

Receive China Post promos

Respond to this email