It's Reality

I work in a nation ravaged by Aids, TB and poverty. Sounds tragic but so often it's just statistics. "Swaziland, a small country in Southern Africa, has the world’s highest adult HIV prevalence rate of 26.1%. AIDS has devastated the ‘tiny Kingdom’. Average life expectancy has dropped from 57 to just 31 years of age, there are 56,000 orphaned children and 10,000 adults and children died from AIDS in 2007 alone." I'm told that currently, one out of every two people I meet are HIV positive (whether they know it or not).

Now, I've been here 9 months, I'm getting to personally know people and I'm seeing the impact more and more. One of the teachers, who I had met at a CarePoint in Manzini died a week ago, I see the impact on the other teachers and staff that knew her well. I got a call Sat. that one of my favorite cooks, Make Motza, her daughter had passed away. It's starting to become more real to me. As I prayed for those with HIV during the first day of 40 Days of Prayer at Children's Cup, I realized how many people I now know personally who are "positive". I'm sure there are many, many more that I don't know their status. What if one of these become part of the statistics? What happens when it starts become that real to me. Don't let me delay in praying, in loving and in teaching others how to live with this disease. Don't let me delay in sharing God's love and that death isn't the end! Eternity matters.

Lord, only you can heal this nation! May I be a light for each of these I know and hold dear. May their eternity be secure in you. Each of their lives are precious! Each of them are your child! May they know you, your love and your comfort!!