World AIDS Day 2011

I’ll never forget the first time that the statistics on HIV and AIDS became real to me.  I was in Lesotho in 2009 with Wittenberg University during an intensive month-long service project.  We had spent time with children, orphans and other people affected or infected with HIV/AIDS during my time there.  But it wasn’t until a day at the Baylor AIDS Clinic that I was forever changed.

Baylor AIDS Clinic offers free HIV/AIDS medication, check-ups and testing for children infected by HIV/AIDS.  We went to Baylor one day to put on a carnival for the children at the clinic that day.  As you can imagine, being a child and having to go to the doctor’s is never fun.  But these children either had to go to the doctor’s their whole lives, or were there for their first time.  So we wanted to provide a day of distraction and fun for the children to get their minds off of the clinic.

My job on this day was to man the Bubble Station.  We had a bunch of different activities going on, from a bean bag toss, soccer game, face paint, arts and crafts, and much more.  Somehow I became Bubble Boy and was given the task to blow bubbles with the children.  I never knew such a simple thing could bring so much joy.  The kids liked blowing the bubbles, but really loved chasing them down and trying to pop them.  You should have seen the smiles and heard the laughter each time they were able to catch up to one of the bubbles!

During the day, there was one boy who was particularly intrigued by the bubbles.  He was probably about 3 years old, and had one of the greatest smiles on earth.  He spent most of his time with the bubbles, chasing them down and having the time of his life.  But after awhile, he became extremely exhausted because of his poor immune system and lack of energy from being HIV positive.  He climbed into my arms and lay there, with all of that energy and laughter gone. 

This was when it hit me.  This was when HIV/AIDS became a reality in my life.  No longer were they just numbers, statistics and ribbons.  The HIV/AIDS statistics now had a face, a smile, a laugh, a life.  And to come to the realization that this boy was born HIV positive, along with all the other young children there that day, was devastating.  I couldn’t hold it together, and the realization caused me great pain.  This was when my life changed, and I committed to keeping the promise and fight for an AIDS-free world.

It saddens me that the one day Lesotho is recognized and talked about is on World AIDS Day.  It is a country of such rich history, culture and beauty.  But my hope is that after people hear about the AIDS epidemic in Lesotho, they are moved to take action.  The possibility of hope, as daunting as it may seem, is possible in Lesotho.  For us, every day should be World AIDS Day until this deadly disease is wiped off our planet. 

Won’t you join us in our cause for an AIDS-free Lesotho?