Youth

Sheba has been talking to a young HIV positive widow.

The emphasis is on young.

'Reena' has been a widow for 6 years now.

She is 23 years old.

Her marriage at the age of 16 (well below the 18 year statutory age limit) brought her a husband who died a year later. He had HIV. She has HIV now.

So many lives almost seem over before they have even really begun.

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Today is the Youth Against AIDS day of service.

As I type this note a good 30 odd young people (and 1 or 2 young at heart) have fanned out with our JSK staff to meet families affected and at risk of HIV in their homes. These volunteer visitors are members of youth groups from different churches. What a joy to see young-blood come forward to help. Its a small step for many - and a big step for some - but we know that lives lived and shared together can make a difference.

We will be meeting this evening to share experiences - and pray about the next steps forward.

Reena will not be visited today by our volunteers - her confidentiality is too fragile at this point. But we hope that we will soon be able to build up enough rapport with her to be able to have a person of her own age come along side her.