HIV Tests & AIDS in Africa
The 15-year-old girl stood outside the clinic with me today. She had gone in for her HIV test. Like many youth, she is sexually active . . .although a Christian and also although living in a country where HIV claims more lives than one can even imagine.
I pray for her. And talk to her. And challenge her to make smart choices for her life. I hope one day she might.
“Negative,” she read to me and the others who had gone with her. Her face grew pale -
as much as any Kenyan’s face could do so.
“Does this mean . . .” she stammered. “Is negative . . . bad?” she finally managed to get out - thinking all the while that “negative” meant she had HIV.
We all quickly consoled her.
“This is good,” I told her, hoping that somehow she will begin to make choices to keep it that way.
Tuesday, January 2 ‘07
Relief. That’s what I felt when I heard she was negative. Just like the others have felt when they learn this about themselves. Everyone in the AAL program is encouraged to get tested. Since many are orphans of parents who died from HIV-complications, it is an emotional event. Most here do not yet get tested. Although education is helping people to become more aware of the need to know their status.
One friend of mine was so excited today that he sent me an sms telling me he had gotten the results for him & his three younger siblings. They had lost their parents about 7 years ago to HIV and this friend of mine has been raising the family since he was 15. I told him that he could wait and bring the results tomorrow. I knew what they were. I assumed he wouldn’t be writing me a txt message and asking if he could bring them RIGHT NOW unless they were all negative.
So I told him to wait.
He did.
About 3 hours. And then, in the darkness of the night - I got another SMS. It read:
I can’t blame him for his enthusiasm in wanting to let me know. Having lost both parents to HIV. Having been with them - even as small children - while they were sick. It broke my heart just to encourage everyone to go get tested - and to offer to pay for it. I knew the fear that was aroused when I asked. But I also knew that they could be relieved to hear they are negative. And when you know you have something to guard - you will guard it. When you don’t know - and you think you might be HIV positive, you might make choices that are more self-destructive because you don’t feel like or believe that you have a future to protect.
The same is true for all issues in life. For girls who have been abused or misused - they end up throwing themselves away with behavior that is destructive. Because they have lost their dignity and they feel like there is nothing left to guard. This is so true in Kenya. And I know it’s true around the world.
But I wanted everyone in the AAL program to get that hope back. A hope that they have a future worth looking toward. And working toward. So far only one person has tested HIV-positive. And this is one of the mothers. She is a widow. She knew her status even before I recommended that everyone in the program get tested. But she wasn’t at the point of taking any action about her situation. And now we will be providing medical counseling for her, the finances to have the other testing done which will determine when she begins treatment. She’s younger than me. With the most adorable small child you have ever seen.
HIV & AIDS is still a leprosy here so I have encouraged her not to tell anyone her status. Which she probably wouldn’t anyhow. But with her knowledge - and with treatment, she may have the chance to live long enough to see her daughter raised. That is our goal. That is my goal. The world has enough orphans. If it is possible to prevent some from becoming so . . . I can only pray that God strengthens and enables each of us to work toward this. On behalf of children . . . who are precious.
In my eyes. And in His.
