world aids day, seattle, 2006

so, what has broken my nearly 2 months of unintentional blog fasting? at this moment, i do not heart seattle. i am infact, based on a preliminary search for an AIDS day event to involve my church in, ashamed of her.

As far as I have been able to discover, there is nothing - no great out cry - no vigil - no demonstration - nothing!!! happening for World AIDS Day in Seattle. Two days later, there is a protest of Mars Hill Church, but nothing for AIDS Day.

I'm going to do something. Get a red candle - or two - and meet me at Golden Gardens at 7pm on Friday, December 1st. Invite friends, family, church member, ANYONE! EVERYONE!!! It won't be anything big, just a time for prayer, meditation, and hopefully sharing some information on what we, the people of my beloved city, can do.

This is not just some cause. It is the cause of our generation. If you think extreme poverty is the problem, you are wrong because you cannot treat extreme poverty without treating AIDS. Young farmers who could produce the food needed to feed their families are dying. Poverty cannot end amidst the AIDS pandemic.

In 2005, there were 2.8 million deaths resulting from AIDS. Of this 2.8 million, 2 million were in sub-saharan Africa. In sub-saharan Africa, 2.7 million children were newly affected with AIDS.

Every week, as many people die of AIDS as there were American casualties in the Vietnam War.

Women are in particular danger as they often do not have the right to decide whether or not to have sex and whom to have it with.

Stop for a minute, count: one-mississippi, two-mississippi, three-mississippi, four-mississippi, five-mississippi, six-mississippi, seven - stop. one person has been infected with AIDS.

6,000 children are orphaned by AIDS every day. 15.2 million children world wide have lost parents to AIDS and less than 10% are recieving aid from their governments.

Visit World Vision Austrailia's cite for some information on how AIDS affects sub-saharan Africa.
Take the World Vision AIDS test.
Contact the White House.
Become a World Vision AIDS prayer partner.
Take one minute and use your cell phone to sign a petition:
Just follow these simple text message instructions to "Make Your Mark for Children" affected by AIDS:

• Create a new text message with only the word “CHILD” in the message.
• Send that message to the number 77812.
• World Vision will confirm your petition signature and allow you to opt-in to periodic mobile alerts on World Vision HIV/AIDS relief efforts.
• If you are having trouble with the mobile petition, please add your signature to the online petition instead.

We cannot stand by.