Tonight our small group attended the World Vision Experience Aids. The program is an interactive walk-through experience about the lives of four children from Africa living with the Aids crisis in Africa. http://www.wvexperience.org
More than 11 million children have been orphaned by Aids. Larry and I walked through the life of Emmanuel. Emmanuel is a six year old boy who is cared for by his nine year old brother Fred. Both their parents are dead from Aids and now they must survive on their own.
I can’t even imagine how my own children could have survived on their own if something had happened to me when they were this young. I can’t imagine how terrified a child must feel to see both parents die from a disease that is slow and painful and then have to bury them.
Children tug at my heart when I see them hurting or in need. When we reached the prayer room it was lit with candles and you were asked to take a card with the picture of a child and their personal information and then carry it around as you looked at the pictures of mothers and children, some of whom have already died. When we progressed to the next room we were able to write a prayer for the child. The wall was filled notes from people who have been walking through the exhibit for several days.
Sadly it will take more than prayers to help the children of Africa who are facing a monumental crisis unlike any we may have ever seen. World leaders, health care providers, pharmacy companies, and ordinary people will need to change their views about talking about HIV/AIDS and come together to find ways to educate and inform themselves and others, if we are to stop the epidemic and find a cure.
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