world AIDS day

Today, December 1, is World AIDS Day. It is a day of remembering, fighting, and dreaming.

A day when we reflect on the history and influence of AIDS. A day when I remember my friends in Uganda who died because of AIDS or who became an orphan because of AIDS. A day when I remember my friends in Uganda who looked at me and wondered how a 23 year old woman could never have lost a relative to AIDS.

A day when we fight to educate the world about AIDS: it's causes, consequences, influences, atrocities. A day when we fight to find a cure for millions of people. A day when we fight to reduce the cost of treatment so the most vulnerable and poor and desolate have a chance at dignity and comfort.

A day when we dream of eradicating AIDS forever. A day when we pray for healing, forgiveness, and grace. A day when we dream of hearing laughter instead of tears, seeing dances instead of stumbles, smelling health instead of rotting flesh, tasting clean water instead of infected foods, and touching smooth skin instead of bones.

I won't appeal to your emotions by writing painful statistics, nor will I google stories of famous survivors. But I do know that AIDS is real and scary and big. And I will tell you a story about that: one young girl who I taught was born with AIDS. Her father had multiple wives, one of whom was HIV positive. Her father contracted AIDS, later giving it to all his wives. This student never chose to have AIDS nor the consequences of it. Because of her anger towards her dead parents, her physically abusive guardians, and her emotionally abusive peers, she channeled her anger towards society. Instead of accepting help from AIDS support groups, she sought young men so she could infect them. She desired pregnancy so she could spread AIDS to her children. And so, her life goal became to share her pain and burden and hurt with the world by making the world feel and experience the same. I wish I could write that this is not true or that this young girl has since appealed for help. I do not know what this young girl is doing. The world probably doesn't know either. Her own family has abandoned her, just like her peers and community have done the same. Only one thing can save her now: God.

World AIDS Day: we remember, fight, and dream.