Meet Edison

Edison was the first baby we ever accepted into our care. Because of neglect and malnutrition, we were unsure of his age when he arrived in May 2017. Facing mental health issues and HIV, Edison’s mother and her two children lived in a charcoal shack in Croix-des-Bouquets. Fearing that Edison would not survive, his 12-year-old brother brought him to a group of Americans on a mission trip at a mobile clinic in their neighborhood. One of the team members, whom we now call Edison’s angel, took the child from the 12-year-old boy and went straight to the team’s pediatrician for advice. As they stabilized Edison, they discovered that he had AIDS and needed better living conditions. The same pastor who found a place for Kervens to live connected a trusted friend of the American woman who rescued Edison to CHOAIDS.

Edison is now estimated to be eight years old. Although he is non-verbal and possibly autistic, the team has found ways to communicate with him. Due to his special needs, the school system has not been able to help him, so we work with a tutor to educate him at home. Despite the challenges he faces, the nurturing environment we provide will help him continue to thrive. Though we suspect he may be one of the few children who will remain in our care for the long term, we hope that Edison will become a productive member of society as he grows up.