An e-mail we received from Milla Happonen of Caring Hands in Kampala, Uganda:

House Blessing Party - December 19, 2006 - Milla Happonen of Caring Hands in Kampala, Uganda with Gerald, Ronald, Grace, Salongo, and Babirye. Babirye has a twin sister not pictured here.

Babirye, the small HIV+ baby we took care of in the spring of 2006 is well. The ARV medication has kept her healthy. During the Christmas of 2006 they moved to Kanoni village in Ibanda where we had built a house for them. The widower father, Salongo has recently been sick. We sent him to Mbarara hospital to be examined where he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. His CD4 cell count was 3 (for a healthy individual it is between 500 and 1500). TB is a common ailment with people living with HIV. For the next 8 months he will be treated for TB and the ARVs will be started in three weeks. Once you start taking ARVs, you need to take them for the rest of your life. Another daughter of the family, seven-year-old Grace is also HIV+. She was examined and was diagnosed with her CD4s being low (85). She was started on ARVs also. With the medication and proper nutrition they have a good chance of living a full life. Remember to pray for them. The children still need a father.

Milla Happonen
Caring Hands