A
second chance TO SHINEHello everybody, I hope you had a lovely Christmas and enjoyed yourselves to the brim! Mine was full of misfortunes - I won't talk about them now but if you want to hear just email me on my usual address (simwenda@aol.com)
In this issue, I am going to talk about inspiration. Inspiration for us people who are 'born again'. I will explain later what I mean by born again.
But first I would like to offer my condolences to the families of those that passed away or couldn't make it through 2002. I am indeed with them spiritually and will carry on the work that they left behind.
Over the past few years, a lot of work has been done in the African HIV sector enabling us to be where we are today. But the people that actually put in most are either deceased or have decided to break away from the sector. In the days that they were working it was really difficult to go about accessing services or just to be recognised as somebody living with HIV/Aids. However, they never gave up the fight for better services and recognition.
So I would like to encourage the people who are out there now not to give up either. We are now better placed to make a change and build a stronger foundation for the many others that might be affected in the near future.
I know it's not easy adjusting your way of life, but you have to be determined and strong to succeed in all you do. I know many of you live with hardship, uncertainty, lack of support and loneliness. This should not deter you from living positively. It should indeed give you more resolve to succeed in life.
This year, resolve to make a difference in your life. There is a lot out there in terms of education, volunteering, jobs and friends.
I
will give the example of myself. I recently had a review appointment with my consultant,
who I will now proudly name Shing'anga Waluse - Doctor with Compassion. After
going through my file and latest bloods results and checking my physical condition,
I was told that my 'shelf life' was good. This really inspired me and made me
to start thinking big. I am now just waiting for HRH Prince Charles to phone me
inviting me to join his polo team so that we can mix and enjoy.
It's the same with you: nothing is impossible. You just have to be focused to achieve the things you want in life. Value yourself and never feel self-pity. To echo President John F Kennedy, ask yourself: "What can I do for the HIV sector?" Rather than: "What can the HIV sector do for me?"
As I said above, we HIV survivors are 'born again' people. We need to do something this second time around. To a lot of people a diagnosis of HIV/Aids means a death sentence, and as such people live by the day. Now, with these wonder drugs, it's the coming back of somebody who should have been dead and buried but for them. It's a second birth in life.
All we try to do should be for the benefit of mankind at large. We should also learn to appreciate each other and have respect for each other.
Lastly, in this issue I really wanted to avoid talking about marriage yet again, but it's hard because it's part of our daily life. For those men out there, please respect your wives and for the women out there, respect your husbands because even the Bible clearly says so. In this situation we find ourselves in, we don't need any stress due to exploitation and abuse. Since I am an African man, I have heard of such things happening even to my fellow men, and I am now wondering whether it's the right time to form a helpline for abused African men. This might help by providing emotional support to the affected men. (How about that, Balthazar?)
I now have to leave you here as I have to walk my dog Crussy...
