AIDS and Orphans in China

AIDS in China is quickly reaching an epidemic level. It is estimated that in a few years time, the severity will reach that of South Africa, if not exceeding it.

While I was waiting in my dentist's office, I read this article about this small town in China that infested with AIDS. It all happened when a while back, the government encouraged the residences to sell their blood in exchange for money so they can build houses for their families. Sharing needles have infected majority of the residences of this small farming community. Now that most of them have a better house to live in, almost every household has an AIDS patient. Among 3,864 residences, 1,800 had sold blood, so far 300 had died of AIDS and there are 450 known HIV carriers, majority of them between the age of 16-55 (click hereto view source, source is in Chinese). Along with the epidemic are an increase in AIDS orphans. Most of these orphans are freed of AIDS, but lost one or both parents. When I was reading the article, I would love to be able to adopt one of these orphans, preferrably an older boy. I am not even sure if one can adopt boys from China, but this was surely the first time I've ever considered adoption, from China.