To My Beloved Africa, With Love

Stephen Lewis’ piece “Pandemic: My Country Is On Its Knees” is an amazing story of one man’s journey though the many countries of Africa.  It starts in the early 60’s when Africa was “a continent of vitality, growth and boundless expectation.”  There was still poverty, but hunger was never an issue.  When the HIV/AIDS virus spread through Africa, his beloved country was reduced to desperation and was literally dying right in front of him.

I think Lewis could not have made his point more clear.  This is a serious situation.  It’s reality and it’s still ongoing.  “In Swaziland, it’s expected that up to 15% of the entire population will be orphans by 2010” Lewis stated.  He continues by telling heart-wrenching stories about grandmothers he has met, who had to bury all 5 of her children and a 14-year-old girl having to be the mother of the house and all her younger siblings.  I know that it is a common known fact that Africa is greatly suffering from the AIDS pandemic, and Stephen Lewis knows that too.  But what he is trying to achieve is to give a closer, more personal look.  It is proven that we are more likely to care about something, if we can relate to it on a more personal level.  That is exactly what Lewis did.  He was building empathy within his readers by describing to us, in great detail, some of the tragic sights and situations he came across on his many journeys. 

One of the examples that stood out in my mind was, “To the right of the door stood his two wives, one seventy-six, the other seventy-eight.  Between them they had given birth to nine children, eight of whom were dead.  The ninth was visibly dying in our presence.  In the interior of the hut, the orphans had gathered, and sitting on the floor, looking up at us expectantly, were thirty-six orphan children between the ages of two and sixteen.”  Another example that really made my heart break was, “There, kneeling by the side of a bed, embodying anguish and despair, rocking violently back and forth, was a young mother crazed by loss, watching a nurse firmly place a sheet over the body of an infant and take the child away.”  There were many examples similar to these, and I found all of them very effective.  There was nothing in his writing I found not effective.  It was brilliant.

This is a topic that is very close to my heart, as I was born in South Africa and therefore have citizenship.  I have been back twice since then, and have seen with my very own eyes, the poverty and suffering that resides there.  It was easy for me to fall in love with Africa all over again, the way Stephen Lewis did every time was there.  “Pandemic: My Country Is On Its Knees” is a beautifully written piece that re-opened up my eyes to the desperation of Africa, but also shows the readers that there are treatments and organizations out there, and that we CAN make a difference in the lives of people living with AIDS.  Lewis’ personal stories will remain with me forever, and I hope they had the same effect on you.

If given the chance to work along side with Stephen Lewis, on a project in Africa, which country would you visit, and what would be the focus? (Education, medication/AIDS treatments, nutrition, recreation, housing or clothing… anything.) J

I’ve attached a picture of myself (at age 11) in a town called Sowetho, just outside of Johannesburg, South Africa.  It’s a very rural area with much poverty.  Homes are made from scraps of tin and metal, about the size of a small dining room and usually sleep about eight people.