There is a lot of bad stigma associated with HIV in Uganda, Africa, and around the world. Some believe people contract the disease through witchcraft, some believe only prostitutes can contract it, and some believe HIV is a death sentence. Though these assumptions aren’t true, they are still widely accepted throughout Africa. Because of that, many people who are HIV positive live in shame.
We would like to tell you about Anna, recently employed by Amazima Ministries. She is HIV positive and full of life.
At one point in her life, Anna was terminally ill and bedridden for two years. Even after surviving that, she would travel up to 5 hours away to pick up her meds because she didn’t want anyone to recognize her at the ARV distribution clinic in her village. Through counseling and God’s grace, Anna decided to stop living in shame. “Having HIV is not a death sentence, people are going to die with HIV, and others will die without HIV,” Anna explained to us.
Today, Anna makes home visits to different community members and counsels them on how to best live with HIV. She has been able to get several clients to open up and share with others about their sickness, which ultimately allows these individuals to receive better care. Because Anna understands where her clients are coming from, she is able to bring great comfort, encouragement, and wisdom to them. Through Anna’s struggles, including watching her own 10-year-old son live HIV positive, she has grown closer to God. She has great strength works everyday so that she can bring hope to others and provide for her family. “I am working for their (her children’s) future, so they have something to lean back on when it is my time to go see our Father in Heaven,” Anna explained to us.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…” Hebrews 12:1
How we love watching you run this race, Anna.
This comment is a bit late, as this post was from Dec. '14, but I just wanted to commend Anna! She is a brave, strong voice amid fear and misinformation, and for that she is a blessing not just to her community and country, but via the blog, to the world. How sweet it is to see her smiling face among the children! Thank you Anna:)
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