World AIDS Day

Hi - I wasn't sure if I'd get to post this blog today as the power was off again this morning. However, once it came on again this afternoon, I felt it was really important to create a post today due to the fact of it being.....

World AIDS Day.

HIV and AIDS is a huge issue as we all know, especially in Africa. Elizabeth told me last night, that in this area of Tanzania, it affects 1 in 12 people, and so with that statistic it is clear to see that there is desparate need for prevention education and support for people who are living with HIV and AIDS. In fact I am currently sitting in the internet cafe which belongs to the ACT (Anglican Church of Tanzania) and this centre has also been set up as a resource centre for HIV/AIDS. The Anglican church has several projects on the go, involving work around HIV and AIDS, and they have a vehicle which they can use to take out to places and visit people.

I was invited to see a nursery which a lady who works for ACT has set up in her back yard. This means that space that would have been her garden now has classrooms and a school during the day. She is passionate about serving the Lord and for supporting AIDS orphans, so much that she set up "Rhema Education Centre". At the centre, the standard of education is very high and so healthy children are able to attend as fee payers. Children who are HIV/AIDS orphans or who are infected, are given free places.

The important thing is that all the children are treated equally, so although some of the children may be ill more often than others, or not look as healthy, they are all given equal amounts of attention and the fact that some of them are affected by AIDS is not dwelt upon, meaning that the children can lead happy and confident lives at the school. The head teacher pointed out that some of them don't yet know that they are infected, and for 3-7 year olds it is really important to give them a chance to have as much of a happy childhood as possible under the circumstances.

It was obvious to see how happy the children were as we went round a couple of the classes and one of the older classes sang "What a friend we have in Jesus", and a younger class sang "Heads, shoulders, knees and toes" for us!! The children learn English as it is thought of as helping to get further on in life, if they can speak English. A hugely important aspect of this work is the Christian emphasis, and so they are taught about God from an early age.

Please remember these children in your prayers today and remember that these are the unwitting victims of HIV/AIDS. Please pray especially for the new premises being built for the school. There is so much need for this school, that they have got more and more children wanting to come, so they are busy building a new school down the road, to be able to expand and offer more children this opportunity. They hope to have the new school opened early next year. Please pray that this will happen to the Lord's plan.

Thanks,

Emily