Tree of Faith

Tree of Faith is a new organization in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. They are building a children's hospice for HIV+ children and a safe house for rape survivors. The home will be serving many of the needy children in the Valley of 1000 Hills, a beautiful but severely impoverished area in Kwa-Zulu Natal.

When we visited Margaret, the founder, she took us to the local adult hospice, which is the hospice available in the area. We met 2 young children who were living at this adult hospice. It was devastating to see these sick children laying next to women and men also dying of AIDS. They deserve a home of their own where they can get the love and care they need.

We met the first set of house parents who are in charge of the first cottage being built. Each cottage will have house parents and a handful of orphans or children in need of safety. We met a beautiful 5 yr old girl while at Tree of Faith. She was placed there by her mother the week before after being raped. Throughout South Africa there is a belief among the Zulu's that if you have sex with a virgin it will cure HIV, the younger the virgin the better. As a result there has been a growing number of young girls, toddler and babies being raped. Once a child has been raped once keeping them safe from other men in the community becomes extremely difficult. This is where Tree of Faith is stepping in. They are working with the police and serving as advocates to help see some of these men face the criminal charges they deserve and that the children receive the care they need and deserve.

The home is in need of assistance by mental health providers who can provide assistance to the children surviving rape. Unfortunately, in addition to working through the trauma of a rape many of these girls also are infected by HIV and face a battle with this disease.

Tree of Faith was named after a baby girl who was born with the cards stacked against her. Faith was born premature, with hydrocephalus in addition to being HIV+. She had only a short life, but she was loved and cared for by the Stones during her short life. Although her life was short it had great meaning, her life united multiple individuals and gave them the same passion and goal, to provide a loving home for the most needy of all, AIDS orphans. After her passing her Ashes were sprinkled under the tree in the front of their house...thus Tree of Faith was born.