Names have been changed for protection of individuals.
Most of my life I’ve heard about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa. I’ve heard a lot of crazy statistics. Movies depict the life of orphans living on the street after their parents died with AIDS. I’ve read about witch doctors misinforming infected men that they can be cured by sleeping with a virgin. Horror stories of young women and girls becoming victims of rape due to this lie leave me furious and shocked. But they are still just stories. They aren’t personal… until we met Samuel.
We met Samuel soon after arriving in South Africa. He is in his mid-late 20’s with the richest brown eyes you will ever see. His bubbly personality and contagious laugh make him a joy to be around.
Cody and I had the privilege of sitting down and talking to Samuel. During the course of the conversation, I asked if he thought marriage was in his future or if there was a special woman in his life. Samuel’s face lit up! He exclaimed “Yes, and she was so beautiful… just so cute.” He went on to explain that he loved a woman named Angelique. We found out her story was similar to those of many African women. Angelique was raped by a sangoma, or witch doctor. The sangoma not only infected the young woman with HIV, but left her pregnant as well.
Angelique’s health stayed relatively fine until the baby was born. Shortly after the baby girl was delivered, Angelique’s health spiraled as the HIV progressed to AIDS. Her friend and caretaker described her condition as bizarre. Where most AIDS patients slowly deteriorate as organs shut down, Angelique lost her ability to walk and was confined to a wheelchair. The friend is convinced that the sangoma put a curse on the woman who was pregnant with his child and refused to stay with him. After 2 short years, Angelique went home to be with Jesus, leaving her child an orphan. The little girl is now being raised by her grandmother.
We had the opportunity to meet this little lady. She is now a beautiful 6 year old who is happy and healthy… HIV negative. Samuel views her as his “spiritual daughter” and does what he can to help care for her.
Staying in an area with an AIDS rate as high as 80%, it shouldn’t surprise me to visit with someone directly affected by it. I’m sure we have unknowingly visited individuals either with, or affected by the disease. Samuel just happened to be open enough to discuss it with us.
Samuel is a man of God that Cody and I love and admire. His willingness to serve the Lord whole-heartedly leaves us in awe. Hearing the tragic story of how he lost the woman he loved to an act of violence and ruthless disease breaks my heart. It pains me to know what he has gone through. Samuel’s story has shifted my perspective… AIDS is no longer just a statistic. It has a face.
Please pray for the men, women, and children of Africa who are victims of AIDS. Pray that God will break the chains of bondage with which this horrible disease has this continent entangled. Ask Him to reveal light of His Son, Jesus Christ to their hearts so that they may be healed in a more powerful way than just physical. Let us pray that the hope of the one and only Savior would spread like wildfire across these nations and that in Jesus’ name chains would be broken.
