World AIDS Day

Thinking about today's post has taken me back to a time when fear ran rampant.  I remember hearing HIV and AIDS for the first time.  It was scary.  It was absolutely terrifying.  The fear of just touching someone and you would get it.  The fear of sitting on a public toilet and contracting it that way (gross in soooo many ways I know).   How about "the only" people who could contract the virus?  Then, shocking news, a 13 year old boy, Ryan White, would be diagnosed with AIDS.  The world was mortified and stunned because he wasn't the atypical person to be diagnosed.

Fast forward a few years.  I was hired on at a national chain restaurant to help open a store in Texas.  Of course, we became family because we were the original hires.  One of my co-workers took myself and another dear friend out to dinner.  He had something to tell us.  It was important and he wanted us to be the first to know.  He wanted to share with us that he was HIV+.  At that time, AZT was just coming onto the scene as the miracle drug.  HIV cocktails were making it's way as well.  The problem, they were extremely expensive.  There was no way, T could pay for them.  All I wanted to do was cry but didn't dare though the fear of his death sentence was immanent.  Shortly after that, T would leave the restaurant.  Though I tried to keep in contact, I have no idea what happened to him.  Life? Death?  I just don't know.  What I do know, is that I never treated him differently.  Not even when the fear of "catching" it through touching, hugging, sharing a drink, etc... was still out there.  .

Now, almost 20 years later, we are still struggling with the same concepts, myths, stigmas.  Why?  We are a country so full of information.  It's literally at our fingertips and yet, we are stuck with information that is outdated?  We would rather live with outdated health information but not an outdated computer that was just bought 2 months ago?  We look for the best stuff electronically but not health wise?  We would rather show prejudice towards someone who is sick, but oh don't you dare!!!  show it towards me if I am the one who is sick?  C'mon now?  It's time to learn the facts.  It's time to act and stop blaming an 8 year old girl for having HIV because she was born in a third world country to a mom who had no chance of receiving ARV at the onset of labor and giving a dose to the child within the first 72 hours of the child's birth. 

I remember seeing pictures of Princess Diana and Mother Theresa touching, feeding, hugging people who were HIV+ and had AIDS. They were the faces of yesterday, who weren't afraid. The faces of today are making their way onto the scene. Like Bono, places like our fav coffee shop *bucks donating money for buying a certain type of drink today, and many others. I have to say my heroes of today are the ones who have brought children into their homes because of the loss of one or both parents. The ones who are living it out day by day and choosing to give life and love to these darlings. Folks like the Twietmeyers and their organization Project Hopeful and The Slonigers and so many others who are fighting for these children.


There are countless kids out there who need our help.  Who need our compassion.  There are mama's who are struggling to keep their children but because of the stigma that is in their own country, they can't find jobs, don't have access to the meds that would save their lives. WE need to change this.  WE need to partner with programs like Project Hopeful and their Hope+Sisterhood program.  My question to you today is this: What are you willing to do to change it?  Learn the truth?  Spread the word?  Support a program?  Adopt a child who is HIV+?  or has AIDS?  You can do something.  Please do. 

At the end of the day, I want to have poured out all of myself for the LORD.  I want to stand before Jesus and say I have nothing else.  I want to hear from MY LORD, "Well done MY good and faithful servant."  But I can't hear that unless I get out of my comfort zone and do what looks impossible for me but is so possible for my GOD!!!

Seeing The World Through His Eyes.
Laurie

It's time to get EDUCATED

It's not about me. It's not about you. It's about the lost, the broken, the ones that the world says are worthless. The fatherless, the orphan.  The heartbeat of THE FATHER.

World Aids Day is tomorrow. Watch and listen to the heart of this Mama - Carolyn Twietmeyer.






 Adopting HIV+ children is possible. It's not a death sentence. It's a life sentence that gives hope and love that would not normally be there to a child (or 3) if you will take the time to get educated.  To learn the truth about HIV and AIDS.  What you do with that edcuation is up to you but my hope is for you to ACT on it.  Whether through adoption.  Whether just sharing TRUTH with those around us.  Whether it's supporting a program like Project Hopeful by donating.  Through advocating for children with HIV.  By supporting, enocuraging and standing with a family who has adopted an HIV + child. 

God has had me in Jeremiah the last few nights.  This verse: Jeremiah 22:3 ‘Thus says the LORD, “Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place" has had me thinking the last several days.  I can't seem to get it out of my mind.  It doesn't seem to be a passing thought.  It's got me thinking.  One word stands out to me OPRESSOR.  Merriam-Webster defines oppressor this way: archaic : suppress: to crush or burden by abuse of power or authority: to burden spiritually or mentally : weigh heavily upon.

The Hebrew word for oppressor used in Jeremiah 22:3  is Yanah and it means to oppress, suppress, treat violently, maltreat, vex, do wrong; (Qal) to oppress, suppress; (Hiphil) to treat violently, maltreat.

Do I think I am an opressor?  I'm not sure.  Not in the sense that I abuse power or authority.  This does weigh heavily upon me.  But do I suppress by  not speaking out about what I know is truth?   Absolutely!! We are the voice.  We are the people, God's people, that have been chosen for this time to step up and out of our comfort zones and speak for those who have no voice.  This has been the cry of my heart for years now.  To be a voice.  A voice that can be used for the glory of GOD!  and yet, I have sat quietly by, not using my voice to share the truth about HIV. 
 
Many of you are probably wondering, does she have it?  No.  Does my husband?  No.  Do any of her kids?  NO.  Then why do I feel the need to share it?  Because when I look at the eyes of these kids who do.  When I hear the stories of families who have been kicked out of churches, lost friends, the multitude of invalid reasons go on and on and they all make me sick!  To think of the millions of kids who need homes because they DO have it and no one wants them because of three little letters - it breaks my heart.  To know that chlildren will not have forever families because of a virus.  Because of FEAR.  Because of the STIGMA associated with it.  Because we are afraid to bring them into our homes or to have a voice for these little beings that God has called HIS children.  The ones created in HIS image just as you and I are created in it.

It's time for the TRUTH PANDEMIC to take hold.  For us to stop hiding our heads in the sand.  It's time for us to get in the trenches with other families and stop the stigma that families who adopt HIV + children face on a day to day basis.  It's time for us to lock arms with these kids, with these families, with like minded people and fight for their right to live.  It's time for us to live a life according to the purpose God has called us.
 
 
Here's one more video I want to share from Carolynn Twietmeyer and Project Hopeful
 

 
So, could you pick out the children who had HIV?  or the two with AIDS?  Prayerfully consider partnering with Project Hopeful with a $25 or more donation a month and their TRUTH PANDEMIC Campaign.  Help be a postive voice for these kids. 

By the way, Does your heart beat with the FATHER's?

STHWTHE,
Laurie

As Steffany said:

GO!!!

Today is the first day of the Redically Tacky for World Aids Day!!!  If you didn't check out her post yesterday, then check out this one today!!! 

Why do this?  Why not?  Is there something in it for you?  Sure if you want to enter to win an awesome one of a kind painting, or a beautiful one of a kind bracelet (made by designer Dawn Patterson of Funky Fish Designs), buy some awesome Tacky headbands (I own at least three and wanting to purchase many more!).  How 'bout just helping out some precious ladies who want to make a difference in the lives of woman just like them.  They look nothing alike.  Some are very pale skinned with light eyes.  Some are very dark skinned with dark eyes.  And every combination in between.  What do we have in common?   We are human.  We are mothers.  We love our children with all of our being.  Help these woman be a blessing to the ones they are trying to help. 

TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS is needed to build a building and start a program.  Steffany is trying to raise $5,000 of that in TWO WEEKS!!!!  It can be done.  I've witnessed a miracle of $20,000 in FIVE days.  Yes, it's true!!!  So, will you please help?  Will you store up your treasures in heaven by choosing to give life to a woman, a mother?  Will you make it possible for there to be less opportunities for there to be one more orphan in the world?  What do you say?  Go here to buy a tacky headband or donate to Project Hopeful. 

I love to see the world these days because God has given me the opportunity to
See The World Through HIS Eyes,
Laurie