First home, we visit a widow that is HIV positive. We meet her four beautiful children - all of them are also HIV positive. We hear her story, and try to encourage her. We pray for her, but the whole time each of us were trying not to cry (at least it seemed that way to me). Her caregiver helps her a lot. And all five are on medication.
Second home, a child-headed household situation. The older sister is 22 and has AIDS. She cares for four younger siblings, and three cousins. All the parents are dead. She was so down emotionally, but we spent a lot of time there, helped stack up her firewood, and plant cabbage seedlings in her garden. She was really grateful. She said she has wanted to plant something in her garden for a long time but has been too weak. When we left she told us she loved us. That broke my heart. The caregiver, in this case, lives right next door, and checks on them every day. But is that adequate?? I guess it has to be.
Third home, a young man 26, full blown AIDS. We walked up carrying a blanket as a gift and the Caregiver smiled and said, "he was just saying how cold he was this morning". We had also brought an umbrella for the caregiver, then it started raining pretty much as we handed it to her. Amazing.
Fourth home, a 28 year old lady. Dying. She had been released from the local adventist hospital for home based care. The caregiver was in charge of that. She had 2 children that were not with her. Her story was sad. Her husband had died, and when her in-laws found out she was sick too then pretty much stopped helping her in any way. So she returned to her home village to receive care from her own people - her mom and the caregiver were doing everything they could.
Basically, for several weeks I've been deeply troubled emotionally. I think a couple afternoons of walking in the shoes of a caregiver was too much for me to handle. I pray for them more now. Realizing that God has gifted them for what they are doing. I pray that God will do miracles and keep them encouraged. It's amazing to think that there are 59,000 Caregivers doing this right now, just through World Vision's ministry. I pray that I'll be able to share these stories so that people care...
Care that in just 3 'wards' of the Umzimvubu area there are 800 full (meaning both parents are lost) orphans that World Vision works with. And there are 17 wards in Umzimvubu in total. No one is working in the other 14 wards. No charities, no missionaries, nothing (that we are aware of anyway).
Care that by 2010 there will be 53 million orphans in Africa from all causes including AIDS.
Care that the life expectancy in South Africa is 46
Care that the life expectancy in Lesotho is 36
Care that the average income in Lesotho is $700 per year.
