Date: Thur, Aug 28, 2003
Subject: I’m home, but still more to share!
Molo (Hello) everyone! I’ve been home for a while now but of course the business of life didn’t give me much of a breather. I still want to finish the email I started in S. Africa about the people I met; I was interrupted when my ride came. I will also include an article I wrote for a South African newspaper about the Purely Committed conference, which was a success. The issue of abstinence was introduced for the first time for many, great discussion took place, and hearts were touched. Sixteen youth actually committed that day to save sex for marriage, this reduces the chance of them getting AIDS to almost zero percent and others their age, that are sexually engaged, have about a fifty percent chance dying from AIDS. I will try to send you some pictures of the banquet following this email and others as I find the time. But, I was telling you about Patricia, let me continue (stay tuned, it is a great story)…
I mentioned earlier that Patricia is dying of AIDS and has three sons. I told you about the horrible state that we met her in. We visited her about 5 times, bringing her a Bible, food, and praying for her. The last visit we made right before we left Philippi will always be remembered. I was bringing her a gift to say goodbye and I was prepared for the worst. I walked in shocked and frightened to not see her sitting on the couch bundled up, head hanging down, on the couch like I normally saw her. I automatically thought the worst had happened. You can imagine the joy that filled me when I saw her come round the corner! Walking! In short sleeves! With a smile on her face! She saw our jaws drop and said, “I feel much better,” and nodded her head up and down as if to reassure us that we could believe what we were seeing. She had always reassured us that our prayers were helping her and this moment made her claim a reality. Isn’t it amazing how God can knock our socks off, well, in Patricia’s case, her sandals? I am so grateful that though Patricia’s sickness will remain she is able to experience some relief and comfort in her time of pain.I hesitate to tell you the next story after such a reassuring one in Patricia’s case, but it will bring reality to the situation. Let me start off by reminding you that 50 percent of the children under the age of 15 will never make it to the age of 25 because of AIDS.
I spent much of my time over the three week period with two sisters, 11 and 13, who were adopted by Agnes, an elderly lady that took them in after she found out their father was sexually molesting them. The girls are very beautiful and so bright; their English is amazing so we held some great conversations. I just adore them, they were so hard to say goodbye to and one would not let go of me and started to cry. On our way home from our last day in Philippi I overheard someone say that the sisters both had AIDS. I could hardly believe what I heard. My heart has never felt such pain and my response was automatic tears, short breath, and to tell you the truth, anger. It turns out they got it from their father and their mother has already died of it. These girls, and the “brother” (they found him in a garbage can as a baby, with sores all over his body and infected with AIDS), add to my motivation in promoting the abstinence message in South Africa. We need to reduce the spread of this deadly disease that is claiming the lives of the innocent. The burden is deep, the need so enormous, and what to do next is an overwhelming question. I am searching and waiting for an answer. What I do know now is that I want to be in God’s will and be a part of the solution if that is where he desires for me to be. I want to be where my life and faith will be most effective.
