| Sister Mary Elizabeth Lloyd has been helping the | | | | Sr. Mary Elizabeth: These children are resilient. You |
| orphans and the Child Headed Households of the | | | | have to see it in action. With the proper help and |
| missions of the Religious Teachers Filippini for the | | | | schooling these children can rise to greatness. At our |
| past 12 years. Her experiences in Albania, Brazil, | | | | mission the CHH that has an older child leading them |
| Ethiopia, Eritrea and India have spurred her on to | | | | live out in the city. We pay their rent, give them |
| produce this work. Sister Mary Elizabeth holds a | | | | food and education until they can start providing for |
| doctorate degree in Nutrition and Public Health from | | | | themselves. The book gives several of these stories |
| Columbia University. | | | | but let me give an example. One CHH has 4 |
| Tyler: Thank you for joining me today, Sister Mary | | | | members, a 17 year old girl, a 15 year old girl, and |
| Elizabeth. I'm excited to have you here today. The | | | | two boys 13, and 11. The boys go to school all day. |
| number of children who are orphans because of the | | | | The girls attend elementary school in the morning and |
| AIDS epidemic isn't a topic many people have | | | | then our home-ec school in the afternoon. In the |
| probably considered. To start, would you tell us just | | | | program, they work at our Pizza and Gelato |
| how serious this situation is? | | | | Café. They make enough money that soon |
| Sr. Mary Elizabeth: The U.N. predicts that there will be | | | | they will be able to support themselves. But for now |
| 25 million orphans from AIDS by 2010-Every 14 | | | | we pay the rent, help feed them and provide all their |
| seconds a Child Headed Household is formed! You are | | | | education. These girls are on their way to one day |
| right Tyler, very few are aware of the staggering | | | | owning their own café ! The boys will receive |
| statistics. When I say CHH-Child Headed Household-I | | | | an elementary education and enter a local vo-tech |
| mean little brothers and sisters usually 5 to 8 of them | | | | high school where they will learn marketable skills. |
| under 18 years of age trying to survive without a | | | | Tyler: Sister, will you tell us a little bit about these |
| mother and father. | | | | children? What are their daily lives like? |
| Tyler: Sister Mary Elizabeth, how did you become | | | | Sr. Mary Elizabeth: The children all want to go to |
| interested and concerned with the issue of orphans | | | | school; they know it is important. They all want to |
| who were left parent less because of AIDS? | | | | learn a trade; they know this is vital. Each classroom |
| Sr. Mary Elizabeth: My first encounter with these | | | | has about 60-70 children and they sit perfectly still |
| orphans was in 1995 at our mission in Adigrat, | | | | and do all their school work as they know if they |
| Ethiopia. At that time 50% were orphans from war | | | | misbehave a child who is listening at the window will |
| and the other 50% from HIV/AIDS. We had to | | | | jump in and take their place. You see the school has |
| figure a system to help these children. | | | | only so many desks so children who are not |
| Tyler: What specifically led to your desire to bring this | | | | admitted into the school sit outside the windows |
| matter to the public eye by writing "AIDS Orphans | | | | hoping to hear some lessons and learn that way! |
| Rising"? | | | | These are not your street orphans! Yes, they exist |
| Sr. Mary Elizabeth: I fear for these children and the | | | | and that is another whole book. But the CHH are |
| world. The numbers are staggering, when you walk | | | | fighting desperately to stay as a family, get |
| through villages that were once filled with families | | | | educated and grow into normal adulthood. |
| you find only children, or just abandoned huts...More | | | | It is not easy. Let me speak about something as |
| than 75% of the orphans are girls with no education | | | | simple as getting water. At one of our missions |
| and nowhere to go. Most have only prostitution to | | | | where there are hundreds of orphans trying to make |
| turn to. | | | | it on their own, there was a terrible drought. The |
| Tyler: Where is this situation most prevalent? Is it | | | | World Food Program came and left a huge canvas |
| where the AIDS epidemic is especially bad? | | | | sack filled with water, and containers were given to |
| Sr. Mary Elizabeth: India and China are the places to | | | | the adults! So the kids had no way of getting the |
| watch. This year alone it is estimated that there will | | | | water. One of the children ran up and tried to drink |
| be 3,700,00 orphans from AIDS in India. China has | | | | from the spigot; he almost got killed by adults |
| not come up with a number, but I am certain it beats | | | | beating him away with sticks. Thank God we were |
| India. 4 million children walking around without a | | | | able to dig a well solely for the children. |
| mother, father, little food, poor shelter...picture if Al | | | | Tyler: "AIDS Orphans Rising" provides many |
| Qaeda befriends them before good people do! | | | | resources for readers to use to help Orphans of |
| Tyler: Why should readers in the United States be | | | | AIDS. What are some of these resources? |
| concerned about AIDS in foreign countries? | | | | Sr. Mary Elizabeth: Some advice -Always help a group |
| Sr. Mary Elizabeth: We are all in this world together. | | | | that will give 100% of your donation to the children. |
| When anyone on earth suffers we should all be | | | | The Religious Teachers Filippini is the only group I |
| concerned. No matter your belief I think the world is | | | | have found that can give you that promise. |
| beginning to realize whether it is a Tsunami, hurricane, | | | | Frank McKinney's Caring House and Habitat for |
| earthquake or assassination...we are all affected and | | | | Humanity are great for providing housing for the |
| we all have a responsibility to help each other. All | | | | children. |
| countries are pulling together for global warming...let's | | | | And I would recommend setting up your own family |
| pull together to help the children...they need love | | | | foundation-that way the money goes for the area |
| most of all, then food and education. | | | | you are most interested in. Jillian Coleman Wheeler |
| Tyler: What about AIDS overseas do people in the | | | | has many resources and ideas for setting up your |
| United States especially need to understand? How is | | | | own foundation. |
| the situation in foreign countries different from in the | | | | Another great way to help the children is to use the |
| Western World? | | | | talents you have. If you love to run, run for the kids. |
| Sr. Mary Elizabeth: Access to good effective | | | | Get sponsors; send them the money. Lisa Smith |
| medicines is the key. We are so lucky in America. | | | | Batchen has raised thousands of dollars just for food |
| Remember when Pope John Paul II would kiss the | | | | for these children. Go to her site; she can help you |
| ground when he would arrive at a destination. We | | | | get started: |
| should all kiss the ground of our great country. Just | | | | Marshall Ulrich climbed Mt. Everest and the seven |
| travel to a foreign country and get sick; you will | | | | highest mountains in the world for the children. Go to |
| quickly see the difference. And traveling to remote | | | | his site and see all the good he has accomplished for |
| parts of Africa, India, Asia...the children do not stand | | | | the children of this world: |
| a chance. There are just too many to treat. The | | | | Tyler: How do you use the money raised for the |
| International Community ignored the issue from | | | | orphans? |
| 1991-1997 hoping they could stop the epidemic! It | | | | Sr. Mary Elizabeth: Food, clothing and education. Most |
| was too late. | | | | of the children eat one roll a day! We are working to |
| Tyler: Sister Mary Elizabeth, these children whose | | | | provide a hot lunch program for them. Do you know |
| parents die from AIDS are often left as child-headed | | | | what ended hunger in the USA? The school hot lunch |
| households. Why is that? Don't most of these | | | | program. This is a big priority for us but an expensive |
| children get adopted or go to foster homes? | | | | one. Many say why don't you get these big groups |
| Sr. Mary Elizabeth: At first that is exactly what | | | | to help you? We have tried and their answer is |
| happened. Most children went to extended family | | | | always, "We only help the Government. You have to |
| members. But the extended families are either | | | | get the food from them." Many of these |
| maxed out, or died out. Many countries, like | | | | Governments have their own agendas as to what to |
| Guatemala, are halting international adoptions for | | | | do with the food. In Eritrea the World Food Program |
| political reasons. One grandmother I met in Ethiopia | | | | is forbidden to distribute its food. |
| had ten children. They all grew up and got married | | | | Tyler: Sister, where do you personally find the |
| and had children. All of her ten children have died, all | | | | courage to carry on your work, despite a situation |
| of their spouses have died and she has more than 50 | | | | that must at times seem overwhelming? |
| grandchildren to care of! She is not the only | | | | Sr. Mary Elizabeth: These children are not giving up |
| grandmother in this predicament. In the book there is | | | | and they have been the ones facing incredible |
| a chapter on adoption and what's best for the | | | | suffering. How could you not help them? God does |
| children. | | | | provide. Sometimes He makes you wait, but He |
| Tyler: Will you tell us more about the political reasons | | | | always comes through. Just look, you are |
| for why many of these children cannot be adopted? | | | | interviewing me, not by chance, God sent you, and |
| Sr. Mary Elizabeth: Many say the children should not | | | | some good person will read this interview, then read |
| leave their native land and that the adoptions are | | | | the book and then take action to help these children. |
| draining the country from its future leaders. Usually it | | | | Faith gets you through all difficulties! |
| is the brightest child who will get adopted. These kids | | | | Tyler: What do you foresee for the future? Will the |
| are clever-they get all prepared when they know | | | | AIDS epidemic become worse, or are more people |
| people are coming to the orphanage to look for a | | | | being educated about it? |
| child. In the book "There is No Me Without You," the | | | | Sr. Mary Elizabeth: It seems to be getting worse but |
| author Melissa Faye Green does a great job showing | | | | will peak. The medicines in the developed nation allow |
| this side of the children. | | | | parents and children to live many productive years |
| Tyler: Are there possibilities to adopt these children? | | | | even though they have the illness. And the work of |
| If so, what difficulties might an American adult face in | | | | research scientists, I am praying, will soon pay off |
| adopting a child? | | | | with a vaccine. Education is the clue. But just not |
| Sr. Mary Elizabeth: It seems right now in Ethiopia you | | | | about disease and how you can catch it. These |
| might have a good chance of adopting the child, but | | | | children are in need of basic education and more. The |
| the window of opportunity is a narrow one. The | | | | government can teach you, but they don't love you |
| book has several sites that would help you in | | | | and they are not going to start teaching morals. So it |
| obtaining a child. The trick I feel is to do all the | | | | is up to NGOs and religious groups, and just good |
| paperwork, do your research, and pray. I have seen | | | | people to get out there to help educate these |
| so many times that often an adoption will fall | | | | children. If you have never been loved, do you think |
| through, but the next one the couple applies for is | | | | you could love? Picture the world without love. |
| just fine. Be patient, God knows what child you | | | | Tyler: Sister Mary Elizabeth, thank you so much for |
| should receive. I heard a beautiful explanation of the | | | | joining me today and allowing me to help spread your |
| difference between a real birth child and an adopted | | | | message. Before we go, will you please let our |
| child...the adopted child is conceived in the heart! | | | | readers know about your website and what |
| Tyler: Sister Mary Elizabeth, are many of the orphans | | | | additional information can be found there? |
| whose parents die of AIDS carrying the HIV virus | | | | Sr. Mary Elizabeth: Thank you so much Tyler. |
| themselves? | | | | The book "AIDS Orphans Rising" can be purchased at |
| Sr. Mary Elizabeth: There are many, but thousands | | | | Amazon or your local bookstore. |
| more are disease free. Usually the youngest child will | | | | Loving Healing Press also offers an ebook version of |
| die either before the mother or shortly after and all | | | | the book that allows you to access all of the sites |
| the other children are healthy. That's why these | | | | mentioned in the book. I would recommend this to |
| children can succeed if good people like yourself will | | | | anyone doing formal research in this area. |
| help them. | | | | Tyler: Thank you, Sister Mary Elizabeth, for joining |
| Tyler: How do child-headed households manage to | | | | me today. My best wishes are with you as you carry |
| survive? How does a child under eighteen manage to | | | | on your important work. |
| care for several younger siblings? | | | | |