World AIDS Day 2009

Words cannot describe the joy I feel as i commemorate this day...Is it a holiday? No! A birthday? No. It’s the day I get to think of all the loved ones I have lost to this disease. Today is the day where I get to fight it through spoken word, through actions and advice.

I can tell the people I care about to be wary of their actions, I can say CONDOMISE, without feeling embarrassed. I can say husbands- love only your wives and have sex only with your wives. I can say women submit only to your husbands sexually. Of course, there are other matters to be discussed about faithfulness and loyalty but not today....these things are not up for discussion, they are only UP FOR ACTION.

I know of men and women who may have begun having sex in their early teens/whenever...today is not the day for judging anyone, it’s the day for saying- Be wise, protect yourself and protect your lover. I know people who have one night stands- today is for saying, if you are not sure what they are carrying in their pockets, you can’t know what they have in their bodies- PROTECT YOURSELF.

I know of pregnant women who are HIV positive- this is not the day to be afraid but to receive information on drugs like Nevirapine, information about prevention from Mother- to-Child. This is a day to see that there are many children who have been born Virus free because of these drugs and are living long healthy lives.

I know of people who have cheated in their marriages/relationships and contracted the disease. This is a day to tell you that hospitals, clinics have information on ARVs and proper diet plans to help you live a happy healthy life.

I know of people who think WHY BOTHER if they are going to die anyway- this is a most beautiful day to tell you, you can talk to someone: a doctor, a friend, a therapist, the Lord, a priest- because HIV/AIDS is not frowned upon anymore. People have loads of information so they will not discriminate against you. There are ways to break habits without breaking your spirit so LISTEN today.

I know of young teens who are thinking- to have SEX or NOT to have sex- try to abstain. Draw from resources of how others have managed to stay celibate even when they have boyfriends or girlfriends...today is the day to ASK and SPEAK about it.

I know of people who contracted the virus through drug use...this is the day to find out where to get new unused syringes. Those who prostitute, find out how to be more careful when turning tricks or even how to get an income without turning tricks. This is the day.

To a child playing amongst his/her friends knowing he is different from others because he is carrying HIV. There is hope and there are treatments so you can have a wonderful healthy full life.

To the child who thinks they can only watch their parents die because they are infected, today is the day when people are shoving information about forgiveness, hope, love and treatments for your family. You only need to get one pamphlet, in fact grab them all. There's no shame in knowing too much.

For each person-today is a day to celebrate awareness, life and refreshed hope.

God Bless you all Ordinaros

love

T