Monday 19th November
We did two visits today. The first was to a clinic which serves a community of 84,000 people. Out of that community 9,000 people are being supplied with the Anti Retro Viral drugs which delay their HIV becoming full blown AIDS. They reckon there are far more people in the community with HIV who refuse to be tested. The church has a large part to play here because much of the stigma attached to being HIV positive is the message churches have preached that having HIV means you have sinned. So many people here are HIV positive through no fault of their own, but don't want to be tested for fear of being rejected. It's the same message of acceptance we need for everybody we encounter, regardless of their past history.
In the afternoon we went to a village that was so remote the people here couldn't find it! We met an elderly widowed lady there who lost all 14 of her children to AIDS. She had 5 grandchildren living with her when her mud house fell down and they were left homeless. The local community and churches in Lusaka got together and built her a very solid 3 room house where all 6 of them now live. She was so proud showing us round. I cried!
That's it for now. Have a great day and technology permitting I'll try and get you another update tomorrow. Simon
In the afternoon we went to a village that was so remote the people here couldn't find it! We met an elderly widowed lady there who lost all 14 of her children to AIDS. She had 5 grandchildren living with her when her mud house fell down and they were left homeless. The local community and churches in Lusaka got together and built her a very solid 3 room house where all 6 of them now live. She was so proud showing us round. I cried!
That's it for now. Have a great day and technology permitting I'll try and get you another update tomorrow. Simon