AIDS HOME OFFERS NEW LEASE ON LIFE TO DYING STREET KIDS

THEN, JUNE 1993: Some of Brazil's abandoned children were being given the chance to experience the love and security of a home for the first time... in the last weeks of their lives.

Youth With A Mission workers opened the doors of The House of Refuge to the growing number of street children with AIDS - most of whom would otherwise be left to die without hospital or nursing care. The four-story "sanctuary" was believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

The center in downtown Belo Horizonte - Brazil's fourth-largest city - could take in up to 20 babies and teenagers, with as many staff on hand to provide personalized care and attention. The House of Refuge was the latest project by the YWAM team working among the city's street kids since 1986.

Experts predicted that Brazil was facing an AIDS crisis among its estimated six million street children, with widespread prostitution and promiscuity spreading the virus and poor health accelerating its effect. Referrals to the center came from local hospitals unable to take in AIDS patients.

"We hope to be able to create an atmosphere through which they will recognize God's live for them," said Jeannette Lukasse, one of the leaders of the work. "Although we will be facing death a lot, we hope it will be a place of peace and joy, rather than only sadness."

NOW: "Memory books" of photos and writings record the lives of the eight children who have died at The House of Refuge since it opened. Currently 13 babies and children - ages ranging from one to ten - live at the home.

"The doctors have told our staff repeatedly that they almost cannot believe how well the kids are," said Lukasse. "They came with the expectancy they would die soon, but lots of them are just fine and have been with us for several years. Heaven is a very real place for them; they talk very openly with the staff and among themselves about where they will go when they die."

Although it is not unknown for babies who initially test positive for the HIV virus occasionally to later record negative, there has been an unusually high number of such cases at the House of Refuge. "For us, it is a miracle. We are thankful for each one - for the others, we keep trusting that God knows best and will give all the grace needed."

Several children at the home have been adopted by YWAM workers and other Christian families - most recently an HIV-positive five-year-old girl was adopted by a single woman on the YWAM team. Despite the children's limited future, the atmosphere at the home is "not depressing at all - it's actually quite lively".

A school run at The House of Refuge for children refused admission to general schools has closed, because of a lack of teaching staff. Workers also want to see the children integrated into regular classrooms. "There is still so much discrimination," said Lukasse. "We had one school accept them, but they were sent away after two weeks because of pressure from parents and staff."

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