she is poor beyond poor, uneducated, naive, she has children, she has had a blood transfusion, she has had an unfaithful mate… she has children… she is HIV AIDS positive. She did not realize her mate was HIV positive.
She has children, and she lives for them. She is a woman of many names. She lives in many villages. She has children. She takes her medicine to stay alive for her children. Her children are AIDs free only because of prenatal care that comes from government medical care and intervention before delivery of the child.
Still over 1000 children are born with HIV every day, for there s inadequate government outreach. AIDS does not discriminate between city dwellers and those who live in the rural areas, not between those who have college degrees and those who cannot read nor write. Catholic, Muslim, Dutch reform, Methodist, Tribal Religion hold no sway… Aids finds its way into all groups.
It is estimated that every 10 minutes, a HIV positive pregnant woman dies. often leaving orphan children. The fathers often do not see their care as his responsibility. The children go to the grandmother, IF she is alive, IF she is not HIV positive herself. And if not grandmother… then fate is utter daily dread of being used and abused, for the children have no protector.
I think of how hard it is to raise one child, let alone two, or three, or more. Then I think about how tired the mothers are from their health condition… and that when those mothers’ stories come to me, I think of how many nations have helped and continue to help South Africa and other parts of the world that is rife with AIDS.
But most of all, I think of the mother, the beautiful graceful mother who wants to live above all else to see her children grown, EDUCATED and able… and despite her own battles with health and medicines that weaken her in one way and yet make her body stronger in another…she goes on, she pushes onward with only shoes for feet, missionary rag bag clothes for the kids, and a determined soul.
Let us pray.