The Thailand-based SVD confreres had a surprise recently when the Governor of the Nong Bua Lamphu Province and staff from the Social Welfare Department paid a visit to the Mother of Perpetual Help AIDS Centre.

The Centre, located in Nong Bua Lamphu, in the North-East of Thailand, about 100km from the Mekong River on the Thai-Laos border, is an SVD ministry which works to make a difference in the life of people suffering from HIV/AIDS in the Northeast of Thailand.

Brother Damien Lunders SVD says the Governor’s visit was somewhat unexpected, but very welcome.

“Staff from Social Welfare made contact with the Centre to let us know that the Governor would be coming and that a large group of people with disability from the local Province would be coming as well,” Br Damien says.

The Governor, Tathnagon Anjitphaisan,and the Social Welfare officials were keen to see the operations of the Centre, which is the only one of its kind in that Province, although a similar operation exists elsewhere in the Diocese, which is run by the Good Shepherd Sisters.

Extreme poverty, isolation and stigma all collude to make the situation very difficult for people in the north-east of Thailand with AIDS. Young parents die leaving orphaned children who are often also HIV infected.

Since 1997 Mother of Perpetual Help Centre has been assisting babies and young children of HIV and poor families in Nong Bua Lamphu. The program started with assisting about 40 children and has grown into helping almost 400 people each year.

One of the priorities of the Mother of Perpetual Help Centre over the years has been the AIDS Education and Awareness Program with school students, which we take to up to 20 schools each year.

A highlight of the Governor’s visit to the Centre was a lunch prepared for both the disabled people who accompanied him, as well as the patients from the hospice and teenagers and adults living at the Ban Mae Marie.

The Ban Mae Marie Home for Teenagers began as a home to care for orphans of AIDs, but has now been opened up for care of non-HIV-related teenagers and the elderly.

“All were presented with a gift bag of assorted foods which was handed out personally by the Governor with the help of the SVD confreres,” Br Damien says.

“After the meal, the Governor visited the Centre and Hospice and was impressed to see the care being given to the sick.

“At the time, several patients were bed-ridden, but during his visit, the Governor spoke with the patients, asking questions and they were delighted with his visit.”

Br Damien says the SVD confreres working at the Centre were also pleased by the visit.

“We were excited and happy for his visit and we did feel a good affirmation from the Government for our services – though, over the years, we have been well aware that our services are greatly appreciated by the Government here in the Province,” he says.

“This Governor is fairly new to the Province, and no doubt, hearing of the Centre, he wanted to see for himself what’s happening here.”