Can you handle it?

This is a picture of Jim's hand. If you look closely you can see a red positive sign on it.  The mark stands for a positive result to an HIV test.  Well, not really his result but that of a 7-year old boy in Africa who Jim got to know this last weekend. 

We had the privilege of attending a World Vision exhibit called Step into Africa at our church and listen to the stories of real-life African children who have been affected by HIV.  The organizers call it an "experience" not an exhibit because you get to become a child for a few minutes and walk in his steps, into his room, his village, his church.  You are given headphones and you listen to the child's thoughts, his voice.  You hear him cry when he losses his parents, feel desperate when he gets kicked out of the little space where he lives since as an orphan he can longer pay rent, you hear about the months he lived in the streets, no food, no water, 7 YEARS OLD!

I can't speak for Jim but I know this was one of the most terrifying experiences I've had so far in my life.  So terrifying that it was hard to breath or speak towards the end.  I couldn't believe my eyes, the pictures, his voice. 

I can't even write much more about it without getting overly emotional so I'll just close by encouraging whoever reads my little blog to visit www.worldvision.com and find out when this exhibit will be near you and see if you can handle walking in the steps of a child in Africa.  I promise it will change your life.   The website also walks you through ways to help.  

Feel free to email me if you have questions about this. I don't know as much as I'd like to but I can find the information for you.   We learned that the first step to take towards helping solve this huge problem is to be talking about it so here I am telling you guys and hoping that what you see on the website will urge to tell someone else.