During the following years more “joys” arrived and life became very difficult as the couple struggled to provide for their growing family. While Bopha strove to work and care for her family her husband found his pleasure elsewhere. Like most Cambodian men he frequently visited prostitutes. If Bopha knew, she kept silent. If she were to make a fuss he might leave her, she thought.
Inevitably the day came when her husband got very ill. A blood test revealed the sad fact that he was infected with the HIV/AIDS virus. It was too late now for Bopha to protect herself. She was also infected.
It was impossible to cope with the situation. As his condition worsened so did hers. First they gave their precious children into the care of relatives and then Bopha’s husband left her to go live with his mother since by now Bopha was too sick to care for him.
Sick and pregnant with her another baby Bopha realized she could never care for the little one soon to be born. She made the heartbreaking decision to give the baby away as soon as it was born.
A beautiful baby boy was born, seemingly healthy and strong. Kind friends told her of missionaries Mark and Rhonda Benz and interceded with them to take the baby boy into their care. Mark and Rhonda were not equipped to look after a newborn. The orphans they cared for were older. But they knew about Place of Rescue and it did not take long for arrangements to be made for the baby to be cared for there.
He was six weeks old when he came to stay. He came from the loving arms of Rhonda and Mark and today bears the name Marko (Mark in Cambodian) At Place of Rescue he is constantly wrapped in love and is everyone’s living doll.
It is too soon to tell if the legacy of AIDS will have been passed on to this armful of joy who has come to bless us. Whether or not he is infected he will be lovingly cared for. With the possibility of obtaining anti-viral drugs there is every reason to believe he will have a long and happy future.
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