Belated Aids day

I know I am a whole day late, but no better time than now.

People talk so much about the virus here in South Africa that I think most of us have gotten deaf to what it is all about. Even my 4 year old can describe what Aids is to me without really having to understand the disease.

I don't even really know anybody who has the disease and our country has 2.8 million infected people out of a population of over 49 million. Who knows, I probably encounter an infected person every single day and will never know.

The thing that gets me is that we hear so much about how people are suffering from the disease and then we have rich ( gold digging ) celebrities who boast about how nice it is to be wealthy and that they will not feel guilty for having all of this money flying around. And here I sit, with a meager job and an even more meager salary, but I feel guilty for not having enough to share with those who need it for food and medication that could save their lives. Call this a vent if you like, but I am not a fan of people who sit up in the high rise mansions who only give a R5 to the person on the street when asked. Where is our humanity?

Have these people not heard the saying "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility"
Is it not their responsibility to be seen in areas like Limpopo where Half of women on the farms there are HIV positive. If I had the money and means, I would certainly be out there doing what I need to to help those. An HIV+ women is devastating to a household as in most of our rural areas, they are the ones providing and caring for their families as the men are absent from their lives.

So instead of ranting about what those who are privileged enough but don't do anything, it just makes sense that someone as small and insignificant as I, try to make some effort in helping, even if my contribution is small.

There are many HIV+ Children who are orphaned everyday, and get dropped and left in homes and orphanages. I have made the promise to myself to start visiting at least one as much as I can. I want my kids to learn the value of helping people in need and how much value it adds to their own lives.
My heart simply breaks to see so many children having to suffer because of their parents mistakes.

So what have you done for those in need to day?

And more importantly DO YOU KNOW YOUR STATUS?!