By Grace Fox

“HOW would you feel if your parents dumped you in a garbage can after learning that you’d been infected with HIV? How would you feel if neighbours set your house on fire when they discovered you had AIDS?”

Treasha McKnight’s shocking questions underline the blatant discrimination suffered by thousands of Romanian teenagers. The American nurse decided to do something about it, and co-founded The Joshua Project for that purpose.

Many Romanian youngsters were infected when medical personnel vaccinated them against childhood diseases, pricking one boy or girl after another with the same contaminated needle. Others were infected at birth after their mothers received contaminated blood transfusions.

When physical symptoms persist and a diagnosis confirms the disease, these teens often face abandonment by their families. They’re not allowed to attend school, and they’re rejected from the workplace. A fortunate few receive life-extending medications donated by the German government. Many die alone, buried as paupers in unmarked graves.

The Joshua Project was founded in 1999 after McKnight met Romanian counsellor Claudia Udrea at a bus stop. As they chatted, they discovered they shared Christian faith, and a passion for helping the defenceless.

They decided to help teen AIDSvictims – and soon encountered their first obstacle.  “The local infectious disease hospital required official nametags for entry,” says McKnight. “A gatekeeper stood guard to keep everyone else out. We waited until he wasn’t looking, and then we walked in unnoticed.”

The pair became regular visitors, taking nutritious food to patients. Eventually they earned the nurses’ trust and were allowed to take sick children home – where they bathed, clothed and fed them, and took them to church on Sundays.

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God blessed the women with husbands who shared their passion, and with funds to purchase and completely renovate a dilapidated HIV orphanage with dirt walls, no heat, and no hot water. Today the building has bright walls and big windows. It has a room for socializing, a counseling room and state-of-the-art dental office.              

The debt-free facility nestles on a residential street in a small city, and serves teens living with HIV/AIDS. To respect their privacy, no sign hangs on its grey exterior.

The teens eat snacks, joke with their friends, do crafts and play ping pong. They also hear about the unconditional love of Christ.

And they sing about it, lifting their voices to the One who holds their hand as they travel a journey they did not choose.

Since The Joshua Project began, it has touched the lives of several thousand teenagers. Many of those have already died – but not without hope.

“To our knowledge,” says McKnight, “only five have passed into eternity without Christ.”

She and her colleagues testify to the intensity of this ministry. Building relationships with young people destined for an early death can wreak havoc on one’s emotions.

But they consider this a calling from God, a lifestyle which demands their time and availability.

Each year, 25 kids attend a week-long camp. The Joshua Project is hoping to have a team of Canadians volunteer at the camp this fall.

They are also looking for medical personnel – including doctors, nurses, a dermatologist, a nutritionist and a dentist.

This team will travel to Romania in the autumn to provide education to national medical workers about HIV/AIDS awareness and possibly teach in the public schools.

To join a team, contact International Messengers at: 604-755-8285 or im-canada.ca

May 2008