A force more powerful

Bangkok Post – Thailand; Jun 17, 2005
Mimi Grachangnetara

She comes from a land where the air is clean and the puddings are to
die for. Yet years ago, an inscrutable force drew Linda and her late
husband to Asia, and eventually to Thailand, where they founded Baan
Nor Giank, a home for abandoned children from HIV infected parents,
right in the heart of Bangkok. What was the driving force behind this
decision and in which direction will life lead her next? Linda
Kevorkian tells real.time that God alone has the answers to all of
her questions.

Coming from as far as Yorkshire in England, tell us about how you
ended up in the Far East? You’ve been in Thailand since 1992?

Before living in Thailand I lived between the UK and Singapore where
my husband Bob ran a construction company. I came to Thailand when
Bob moved his business interests here.

Baan Nor Giank Home was set up 6 years after you came to Thailand.
Tell us about its history, and what motivated you to establish such a
home?

As a Christian, I am a firm believer that God can _ and does _ talk
to us if we are willing to listen. Although some people may find that
odd, I know that’s what happened to me. There was obviously a need
for the home _ I had seen that already _ but had no thoughts about
setting out on the road I did until the idea just seemed to “drop”
into my mind during my morning prayers.

To me it was the clearest message of God’s will, and how could I
possibly ignore that. My husband Bob was very supportive, especially
when he saw how determined I was. He was Armenian and so we chose the
name Nor Giank, which is Armenian for new life _ for that is what we
are giving these children who without the home would face enormous
obstacles in life.

How well-informed do you think Thais are in general about the Aids
problem?

Something that has really surprised me since taking up this work is
the reactions of different people, which are often different from
what you would expect. In particular I have found that it is often
the working people, those with less education, who are more willing
to embrace HIV positive kids and happy to have contact with them day
by day.

By contrast, it is distressing to find that some better-educated
people, who should know better, still maintain prejudices. But in
general, I think Thailand has done a good job of education on the
subject _ certainly better than some other countries.

The general misunderstanding is that someone who is HIV positive has
got Aids. What’s the difference between the two?

People don’t actually die of Aids, but from any of the hundreds of
opportunistic infections and cancers that can attack the body because
of the damage the HIV virus can do to the immune system. But when
someone is HIV positive, they have been infected with the HIV virus
but do not show any symptoms. In the 1980s, when this virus first
showed up, the progression from being positive to what we call
“full-blown Aids” was common and often quite rapid.

But these days, so great have been the advances in therapy that the
virus, while still a threat to the carrier’s immune system, can be
easily kept in check. All this takes is money to pay for the drugs
and sensible choices about a healthy lifestyle. The point is that no
one can tell just by looking at someone whether they are positive or
not. The other point is that the disease is very difficult to catch _
it’s important to remember that because there is still needless fear
among many people out there.

How would you rate Thailand in terms of fighting this disease
compared to other developing countries?

I am very impressed by the way the government has been so willing to
be involved, making sure that the country is at the forefront of
benefiting from worldwide research. They have worked well with NGOs _
and I must single out Medecins Sans Frontieres here _ to fight the
large pharmaceutical monopolies in Aids drugs and make the cheap
generic drugs available to keep positive people healthy.

The Kevorkian Foundation, which fully supports Baan Nor Giank, relies
solely on donations from companies, individuals and friends. Do you
sometimes go to sleep worrying about not having enough money to
operate the foundation one day?

To be honest I don’t. Partly that’s my faith and belief that this is
the work God wants me to do. But it’s also due to the great
generosity I’ve seen from all sorts of people around the world when
they hear of the home. That has been really overwhelming. People have
opened their hearts _ and their wallets _ and have been offering
their time to make the home possible.

What puts a smile on your face?

I love to smile and laugh, but I think the thing that gives me the
most pleasure is to see my little ones coming home from school _
having the brood all back again. We send them off looking spick and
span and they come back tired out and a lot messier _ tired but
happy, with a real sense of something achieved after a busy school
day.

Some people don’t believe in adoption _ how can you change their
minds?

I wouldn’t try. Adoption can provide as safe and loving an
environment as biological children receive, but I recognise that it
isn’t for everyone. And for the children’s sake, the commitment must
be there.

Is Thailand your home? Do you plan to go elsewhere to set up a
Kevorkian Foundation?

Thailand is my home. Bob and I made a good life here and despite the
tragic loss of my husband earlier this year, I have no plans to move.
I have quite enough on my plate at present. But I will follow God’s
will, should He wish me to do this work elsewhere. I would ask Him,
though, that He not do that too soon, as there are plenty of
challenges here and now!

Yorkshire or Bangkok _ which do you prefer and why?

I love both places in different ways. I miss the seasons in Yorkshire
_ well not winter so much _ but spring and autumn. But Bangkok is my
home and where most of my family live. The lifestyle here is very
good and I have many good friends in town. Home is, after all, where
the heart is. My husband Bob said he found Thailand welcoming from
the very start and we have been happy here.

Being the mother of five children, how do you find the time and
energy to run the foundation and provide for your brood?

While I think that your children always need you, most of my family
are now grown up, although as a lively seven-year-old, Sam takes
time. But I have a lot of helpers, from staff at home to those who
work tirelessly at Nor Giank. You just get on with it really.

How do you turn away an aspiring foster parent whom you think is not
ready to adopt?

The children’s welfare is the most important thing. But in Thailand
there are very strict criteria for adoption and the Department of
Public Welfare does the sifting.

Where do you see yourself going from here?

Our most difficult challenge now is to find land to build our own
permanent home. There have been a few possibilities, but none have so
far worked out. Ideally, we want something not too far from Bangkok,
but with clean air and good communications.

What’s been the most difficult part of establishing this foundation?

The hardest part was, in the beginning, finding a landlord who was
willing to accept HIV positive people living there, but we got over
that with God’s help the same way that we will deal with all of our
future challenges.

For more information about the Kevorkian Foundation, which runs Baan
Nor Giank, kindly contact 02-258-5252, email
norgiank@mozart.inet.co.th or visit