It is Christmas time in Africa… sorta. We have been doing Christmas stuff with my kids. They told me that they know who Santa Claus is but that he has never visited them before. This hasn’t stopped me from trying to be in the Christmas mood as for those of you who don’t know Christmas time is my favorite time of the year. I read “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” but I don’t think Dr. Seuss works as well when it needs to be translated. We also acted out a very simple Nativity play and read different nativity stories almost every day last week. I went to a Christmas service at the Cathedral in town last night and it was a lot of fun to get out and sing Christmas Carols. The monks are very particular about separating Advent music and Christmas music which irritates me but I understand the importance of maintaining the Advent season in your heart. They had a Christmas tree lighting after the service after the Carols but the electricity to light the tree didn’t work… TIA.

When dealing with HIV we don’t ask which children are positive and which are negative. We don’t want to give unfair treatment but one of the parents told us specifically that he is HIV+. We know that others are probably infected as well but I liked not knowing at all. It is hard not to feel differently about it and I need to do my best not to treat him differently. First step back from the US viewpoint of AIDS. HIV is for prostitutes and people that have sex with prostitutes and do drugs. People that are getting what they deserve. Of course there are a few exceptions and they are very tragic but very rare. I hate the voice in my head that says these things but I still hear it sometimes and many Americans feel this way even if they don’t say it out loud. Here 1/5th of the population is HIV positive. Women have very little say in their sexual activity. Monogamy isn’t very popular amongst males. It permeates every level of culture. When I found out one of my kids was HIV+ I immediately thought that we should invest an education into someone who will live long enough to use it. By accepting this child we are in a way turning away another child. You have to be wise with such limited resources. We should test all of our kids to make sure… but even though this is logically the best viewpoint, I feel my soul withering when I have these thoughts. I do not see the world with the eyes of God. I do not always see the benefits of my choices. I just have something that tells me I have to give them the same chance even if there is no hope. I will continue to love them and pour myself into them regardless of their health. I pray that God views my foolishness as righteousness.