As my eyes darted from face to face, trying to capture every detail, every scar, the heaviness of their reality was more than evident. The group is refferred to as people living positively, as in HIV positively. I am fairly certain their intent was a play on the word 'positive' which would be uplifting and somewhat beliavable until you hear their stories. Stories of men taking their wives medications, stories of people dying because they didn't want to wait at the hospital three days to recieve their medicines, stories of men reinfecting their wives over and over again, stories of countless children being born into a world disadvantaged from the start. As I listened to what they had to say I became furious. Why don't they understand how serious this is? Why don't they care more? How can they possibly be selfish enough to continue to produce children that will be infected from day one? The lack of value for life here is astonishing. Something needs to be done but I have no idea what. How do you change a culture? How do you educate a nation? How do you save a generation?
I'm praying that these people will have knowledge, and compassion, and wisdom. That they will understand the severity of this disease and the ramifications of their actions. That they will begin to see that an end to this dissease is in the palm of their hands.
