His name is Charles, a common enough name in Zambia for a boy. But this little guy does not have a common enough story and it needs to be told to those of you that are investing your time, prayers and resources in the House of Moses.

Charles is 9 months old, but looks like a new born child. He has sores in his mouth and on his face. Due to lack of formula he is starving. His mother is a street girl and just had her 17th birthday. She came off the street two years ago and entered a rehab program that we partner with called The Cannan center. She left the program when she learned that she was pregnant and HIV positive.

With no where to go she travelled back to her village, a 12 hour grueling bus trip with Charles. Arriving back to her home tow, she was immediately asked to leave for the shame of having brought a child into the village with no husband.

At the end of her strength she visited a local clinic where she was started on ARV's the medicine for HIV positive people. Now homeless with a child she managed to get back to Lusaka where she went to the Department of Social Welfare for help. We got the call yesterday. Charles and the mother were on the way to House of Moses.

The nurses went into action quickly. He got a warm bath and a bottle. He went right to sleep and did not wake till almost morning. His mother was offered a place to sleep and rest for a while till she recovers. It is likely that she will return to another part a Zambia where she still has family who do not know about Charles or her HIV status. Please pray that Charles is not infected with HIV and that Daisey, our social worker can eventually manage to have Charles released for adoption.