Friday, November 30, 2007
A Surprising Turn of Events for World AIDS Day...
On Wednesday morning I had my day planned out. I was going to visit my aunt and start some web design work. Just as I was getting my day going after a leisurely breakfast at the City Cafe I received a call from the Associated Press wanting to interview me about my work in Namibia. I thought this was rather odd considering I have been back home for a while but then it became more clear why there was a sudden interest in my travels this past summer.
Apparently, President Bush has decided to visit Calvary United Methodist Church to commemorate World AIDS Day. Calvary UMC has helped support Children of Zion Village both financially and by sending volunteers like myself. Apparently, reporters started calling the church but those that work at the church were under directions from the White House to say little about the event. I, however, was not invited to the event and thus not being under any restrictions soon found myself being interviewed by the AP and some other papers.
Today, I found my face on many websites around the world and in print. I even found my face next to articles that had nothing to do with me! A few photos I had taken in Namibia were also posted on the AP wire. (So far I found them on several websites including Yahoo and some site that I think is in Portuguese.)
World AIDS Day brings a lot of attention to the Global AIDS crisis every year. There are ceremonies, speeches, and a media blitz that I have been quite involved with this time around. While I am very excited that the media spotlight will focus on the orphanage, the important work they are doing, and the AIDS epidemic in general I hope it is not a one-day event, soon lost in the 24-hour news cycle. The children that I worked with who were HIV positive and anyone who has the disease doesn't live with it for one news cycle but lives with it everyday.
This brings me to an important point I would like to make. I would like to emphasis that the kids I worked with who happened to be infected with the disease were living vibrant lives like any healthy child. We are often left with an impression that children living in impoverished countries and infected with HIV are totally consumed with the disease and have little to offer. This could not be farther from the truth.
I have managed to work with literally thousands of kids in my relatively short teaching career. Of all the groups of kids I have worked with I have been most inspired by the kids at Children of Zion Village. I can attest from my own personal experience that supporting the fight against HIV/AIDS is not simply about saving lives for the sake of saving lives but is an important fight to save the lives of valuable and important individuals.
Click here to read the AP article.
Click here to read the Baltimore Sun article.
Click here to read the Frederick News-Post article.
Apparently, President Bush has decided to visit Calvary United Methodist Church to commemorate World AIDS Day. Calvary UMC has helped support Children of Zion Village both financially and by sending volunteers like myself. Apparently, reporters started calling the church but those that work at the church were under directions from the White House to say little about the event. I, however, was not invited to the event and thus not being under any restrictions soon found myself being interviewed by the AP and some other papers.
Today, I found my face on many websites around the world and in print. I even found my face next to articles that had nothing to do with me! A few photos I had taken in Namibia were also posted on the AP wire. (So far I found them on several websites including Yahoo and some site that I think is in Portuguese.)
World AIDS Day brings a lot of attention to the Global AIDS crisis every year. There are ceremonies, speeches, and a media blitz that I have been quite involved with this time around. While I am very excited that the media spotlight will focus on the orphanage, the important work they are doing, and the AIDS epidemic in general I hope it is not a one-day event, soon lost in the 24-hour news cycle. The children that I worked with who were HIV positive and anyone who has the disease doesn't live with it for one news cycle but lives with it everyday.
This brings me to an important point I would like to make. I would like to emphasis that the kids I worked with who happened to be infected with the disease were living vibrant lives like any healthy child. We are often left with an impression that children living in impoverished countries and infected with HIV are totally consumed with the disease and have little to offer. This could not be farther from the truth.
I have managed to work with literally thousands of kids in my relatively short teaching career. Of all the groups of kids I have worked with I have been most inspired by the kids at Children of Zion Village. I can attest from my own personal experience that supporting the fight against HIV/AIDS is not simply about saving lives for the sake of saving lives but is an important fight to save the lives of valuable and important individuals.
Click here to read the AP article.
Click here to read the Baltimore Sun article.
Click here to read the Frederick News-Post article.
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