“Tok Lin would die if…”

Tok Lin is 47 years old; she has two children, a daughter and a son. Tok Lin is a widow; she lives with her old mother-in-law, brother-in-law who has a mental problem since Pol Pot regine and her 10 year old son. None of them can work except her daughter, so they are dependent on Tok Lin.  Tok Lin’s daughter who is 18 years old, left school early to work in a garment factory in Phnom Penh in order to help support her family.

Tok Lin was very sick and she spent a lot of money on her health but never got better so her aunt who is a member of one of the widow’s group that AOC runs, asked a private nurse to do the HIV blood test for Tok Lin but she didn’t let Tok Lin know. A few days later they got the result and it was HIV positive. The nurse and Tok Lin’s aunt didn’t know how to tell Tok Lin because they were afraid she would be frightened and couldn’t handle the bad news. They decided to tell Tok Lin that she had typhoid, a lung problem and chronic diarrhea.

Tok Lin’s aunt asked Veasna (Homecare nurse) to help explain to Tok Lin about her HIV+ status. On Veasna’s first visit to Tok Lin, she was already very sick and lying in bed. Tok Lin had a very bad cough which had lasted more than a month (a strong indicator that she could have IT), chronic diarrhea and a fever. She couldn’t eat or sleep and she couldn’t get up because her legs were too weak.

Due to her serious health problems, we referred Tok Lin to AOC’s Medical Support Services (MSS) Marie and her team brought Tok Lin to the Russian Hospital. The doctor said Tok Lin had TB and chronic diarrhea so she needed to stay in hospital for three months. MSS provided hospital visitation every week and Homecare supported her and her aunt with money for food and travel.

Today, Tok Lin is still on TB treatment as well as ARVs (Anti Retro Virals to fight HIV) but she was well enough to go home and is getting better everyday. Her health is still not good enough to work, causing her to carry a big burden for her family. Homecare regulary supports Tok Lin with money for food.

Through our love, care, support and the witness of her aunt, Tok Lin has come to know Jesus. She is very passionate for Christ. Tok Lin often shares about her relationship with God to Veasna and they pray together on every visit he makes.

Tok Lin and her aunt thank Homecare and Veasna a lot for helping their family. Her aunt said to us “Tok Lin would die without your program and Marie (MSS)”.

Told by Veasna- Homecare nurse