In Hải Phòng, Caritas helping AIDS children
by J.B. Vu
Diocesan Caritas last year opened the ‘Thanh Xuân Warm Shelter’, now home to 20 children who contracted HIV/AIDS from their parents. The facility also helps people in remote, poor and mostly non-Catholic communities.
Hải Phòng (AsiaNews) – Caritas in Hải Phòng last year opened the Thanh Xuân Warm Shelter, a place for children living with HIV/AIDS as part of its outreach programme to help the poor, orphans, children and youth in trouble. The new facility is home to 20 patients who contracted the disease from parents.
Speaking to AsiaNews, Nguyen T.T.M, 14, said, “My parents are dead. Where I lived, I was discriminated, and my relatives could not raise me or help me. Now I am staying at the Warm Shelter where I feel loved by the Catholic nuns. They help me and take care of me. Volunteers do the same.”
Fr J.B. Vũ Văn Kiện, director of the diocesan Caritas, and members of the organisation visit remote communities on Cát Bà and Cát Hải Islands where they work with local residents who earn a living mostly from fishing, salt production and tourism. Most are poor, some living even below the poverty line.
Most islanders are not Catholic, but with the sentiments of a pastor, Fr J.B. brings them gifts sent by benefactors living elsewhere in Vietnam or abroad. Although small, these gifts are a token of the affection and interest the diocese’s bishop, priests, religious and parishioners have for them.
The diocese also runs a ‘Safe and compassionate house’, a name familiar to religious and others involved in charity and social work in the diocese. Established in 2004 on the initiative of Mgr Nguyễn Văn Thiên, bishop of Hải Phòng, the house’s purpose is to help orphans.
Some children have already left the facility and are now back in their community. “We are happy to have lived at the house and experienced the love the sisters,” they said. “The nuns helped us discover our potential and realise our hopes. We want to become doctors, teachers or religious.” Their dreams may be simple but they want to rise in life.
Caritas in Hài Phòng diocese cooperates closely with local doctors and its sister organisation in Sài Gòn to help the poor and the sick, Catholic or not, without discrimination.
“We are still discriminated in society,” some people living with HIV/AIDS told the diocesan paper. “I feel sad sometimes,” Mrs V, a volunteer added, “but when I think about the love of the bishop, priests and Caritas members, I can overcome the difficulties and feel happy again.”
“When our brothers and sisters visit locals and work with them, they must bring the love of Jesus to everyone, everywhere,” Bishop Nguyễn Văn Thiên said.
Speaking to AsiaNews, Nguyen T.T.M, 14, said, “My parents are dead. Where I lived, I was discriminated, and my relatives could not raise me or help me. Now I am staying at the Warm Shelter where I feel loved by the Catholic nuns. They help me and take care of me. Volunteers do the same.”
Fr J.B. Vũ Văn Kiện, director of the diocesan Caritas, and members of the organisation visit remote communities on Cát Bà and Cát Hải Islands where they work with local residents who earn a living mostly from fishing, salt production and tourism. Most are poor, some living even below the poverty line.
Most islanders are not Catholic, but with the sentiments of a pastor, Fr J.B. brings them gifts sent by benefactors living elsewhere in Vietnam or abroad. Although small, these gifts are a token of the affection and interest the diocese’s bishop, priests, religious and parishioners have for them.
The diocese also runs a ‘Safe and compassionate house’, a name familiar to religious and others involved in charity and social work in the diocese. Established in 2004 on the initiative of Mgr Nguyễn Văn Thiên, bishop of Hải Phòng, the house’s purpose is to help orphans.
Some children have already left the facility and are now back in their community. “We are happy to have lived at the house and experienced the love the sisters,” they said. “The nuns helped us discover our potential and realise our hopes. We want to become doctors, teachers or religious.” Their dreams may be simple but they want to rise in life.
Caritas in Hài Phòng diocese cooperates closely with local doctors and its sister organisation in Sài Gòn to help the poor and the sick, Catholic or not, without discrimination.
“We are still discriminated in society,” some people living with HIV/AIDS told the diocesan paper. “I feel sad sometimes,” Mrs V, a volunteer added, “but when I think about the love of the bishop, priests and Caritas members, I can overcome the difficulties and feel happy again.”
“When our brothers and sisters visit locals and work with them, they must bring the love of Jesus to everyone, everywhere,” Bishop Nguyễn Văn Thiên said.
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