HIV/AIDS

If you know me well, you might know that I used to not want to go to Africa partly because of my paranoia about getting AIDS. I was very scared that I would get AIDS that I didn't want to be anywhere close to anyone who had it. There's a certain lady in the town that I'm from who has AIDS (of no fault of her own). God has miraculously kept her alive for years now. One thing she does is make scarfs and give them away. We received one of these once but I was fearful to use it. I didn't know if I could get AIDS since she touched it.

Since this time, the God has been working in my life and heart to make me more open and willing to be around people who have this disease. I think that He has been working on me so that if the occasion arises I will be willing to reach out with His love without hesitation. When there is fear then satan has a foothold. AIDS is horrible yet not hopeless. I think that this disease has been made worse than most just by the shame, seclusion, hopelessness, and loneliness that comes with it. Sometimes we fear just because we don't know; we fear what we don't understand.

I find it interesting that for one of the topics we are suppose to research for homework here is HIV/AIDS since I have seen God freeing me in this area and this has just helped continued the process in my heart.

Here are some lies that people believe surrounding the HIV/AIDS virus:

~ “The HIV virus is found within saliva. Therefore, it is possible to get HIV from
kissing.”

~ “Having sex with a virgin can cure HIV/AIDS in a person.”(Common in parts of
Africa and has resulted in the rapes of many young girls.) (satan uses this lie to infect and ruin more people's lives.)

~ “HIV/AIDS only occurs in gay men”

~ “HIV/AIDS only occurs in sex workers”

~ “HIV/AIDS only occurs in injection-drug users”

~ “The CIA created HIV to kill the African population”

~ “HIV can be transmitted through day-to-day contact with an infected person” (such as sharing a glass or food, hugging, coughing, etc) (This is a important one I think. This lie keeps us from reaching out.)

~ “It is possible to contract HIV from giving blood”

~ “Mosquitoes can spread HIV”

~ “Women with HIV can't have children”

~ “Women can't pass HIV to men”

~ “A person can not get HIV from having sex just one time”

~ “HIV and AIDS is the same thing”

~ “There is a cure for HIV/AIDS”

~ “A person can get AIDS from a toilet seat”

~ “All people who get HIV will get AIDS”

I know that God is going to keep helping me work through this issue in my own life. I hope that this was beneficial in yours if you struggle with this like I do. When the time comes I hope that I reach out to whoever it might be with arms filled with Christ's love.