HIV/AIDS, widows, orphans and...............HOPE!

This visit was actually Tuesday, May 24, 2011. It has taken me a few days to actually finish this blog so I wanted to clarify when it actually happened.

After a remarkably good night's sleep in a new space we had the privilege of spending the day with MCC staffer , Maurice and 2 GAR workers, Francis and Rose. We visited the Mennonite Church in Obwolo where the GAR program finds its home. While we sat under the shade of a beautiful tree as we listened to our colleagues tell us of their work, the needs that there are in their communities, the lives that have been changed, and the hope that they carry within them. 

I think this day will continue to take me a while to process and blog about. There was so much that we witnessed.............

So instead of trying to give you a run down on the day let me tell you a story or two.

Maurice is the MCC National Staff person working with the Generations program (MCC's HIV/AIDS work) in the Kisumu region. He has worked for MCC for 10 years and his training is in theology and development. Maurice says that MCC has shaped his life.............and in my opinion Maurice is 'spending' his life (Isaiah 58:10) shaping the lives of others, his community and his country. He is an articulate and inspiring person. His passion for the work that he does is evident and you don't have to be with him long before you understand how complex the issues that he faces are. How does he remain hopeful when the problems appear so overwhelming......so complex.....so deep rooted.......so...............He has a deep faith and you see Jesus on his face and in his eyes. Maurice is committed to working with people, not for people. He believes that people need to take responsibility for their lives and determine what they can do to make their situations better......this is the basis from which he administers the HIV/AIDS work of MCC.

Rose - a beautiful woman 'living positively'

We were told by Rose, Generations program staffer, a counsellor, field worker, mother and a young woman living with HIV/AIDS that acceptance is the first step........the term for people living with HIV is "people living positively"........
Think about that a minute.........let it sink in........."people living positively". They mean all that the phrase implies.......being HIV positive, accepting the reality of the disease, and living with the disease in a positive manner-taking care of their bodies, minds and spirits! How do they do that when a positive HIV/AIDS test can literally be a 'death sentence'? They support each other, share with each other, learn from each other and walk with each other.............positively contributing to their own lives and health as well as the lives and health of their support group and communities. It seems so simple and yet it is sooooo profound. 'Living positively'...........

Tumaini Support Group - Tumaini means HOPE!!

We met with the Tumaini (means Hope) Support Group and they shared a little about what they do. They are a support group of people 'living positively' with HIV/AIDS. They began in 2004 with 2 members - Rose and Emily and have grown to 50 members. This group has started 10 other support groups and they have developed extensive services that they offer their members. They meet 2 times a month and listen and learn from each other.  This is a self-determining group and they decide what the issues are and how to deal with them. They deal with issues around nutrition, stress relief, spiritual issues, family issues, drug endurance/ARV issues, financial issues and they take time to listen to each other and encourage each other. This is a group where each of them belong........
They are building capacity of their members and of the group as a whole.

Margaret, the chairperson of Tumaini told us that they are working hard to provide for themselves and their families and that as a group they are like 'brothers and sisters' for each other. She expressed concern for the next generation - the future of their children since they are all concerned about not living long - even with access to ARV's and all the 'living well' information they share. One of the main concerns for the next generation is availability of education since monetary resources in these homes are very limited. So as a group they are looking for partners to assist with the education of their children, grandchildren and the orphans that are living with other families. We were told most NGO's want to start orphanages, but these people don't want their children to go to orphanages, they want them raised in their communities by extended family and church members.

Patricia, one of the group members told us about her 13 year old grandson who has been HIV positive since birth. He has been on ARV's since 2004 and is aware that he is HIV positive. His mother has died and he is being raised by his grandmother, Patricia. His friends know he has HIV. Imagine...........

Lillian, another group member told us about her 20 year old daughter who is also HIV positive. She has been taking an immune booster for the last 2 years and has a 5 month old baby. The baby is healthy and even though the daughter gets sick often, because of the education they received from the group around mother/child transmission the baby was not positive. Lillian's daughter is still recovering from the birth of her child, but Lillian gives thanks that she is alive and able to care for the baby with some assistance.

They were very open to share with us their accomplishments (clean water pots and clean stoves for every member of the group) and their challenges.

They were also very gracious and shared lunch with us.........rice and a meat stew. Sitting under the shade of the trees we talked and ate together.......sharing our stories.........

Hope........I found it in the most unlikely place.......a remote area of Kenya surrounded by people who are living with one of the most dreaded diseases on earth............

There is more to say, and I will share it later. But I would encourage you to allow your heart to be open to what God speaks to you through the lives of these people of Kenya. This is only one area, of one country, of one continent where these issues exist. There is so much to learn from them, so much to understand and so much to challenge our own way of thinking and culture.

HOPE - for Kenya - sunset over Lake Victoria

Is there hope for people living with HIV/AIDS.........for Kenya........for Africa........for this world?

After what I have been witnessing my answer is an unequivocal YES!