Some news to start, Anna and I will be travelling to South Africa next week. Anna has been three times in the past year but it's an entirely new experience for me. It's hard to say until we get there what we will be able to achieve but there are some potentially very exciting things in the works.
The last time I spoke to Leaflet I was unable to reach her phone right away. When she called me back she told me she had been with a patient and they had been praying together. A few weeks ago those involved decided to have a joint prayer, this began happening every Friday and now happens every day at one o'clock. And sometimes more than once a day if they feel they don't want to wait until then! She said lots of people are reluctant to enter the actual treatment room at first, so she will sit and pray with them. She will encourage them to tell their families if they haven't, and let them cry until they feel ready. Often when people first come for treatment they are embarrassed and scared of admitting their status. Leaflet told me it's amazing to see people realise that it's a safe, healing place, that they can talk about the virus without being scared. She said people feel they have nothing to hide, they are amongst family and they are free. For some people it may be the first time they've ever told anyone. I've always known there's stigma surrounding HIV in South Africa, but it wasn't until researching my last blog that I realised the scale of the problem. It's humbling to think how much of a difference it must make, just being able to talk about your status with people in the same position. Clive, Leaflet and all the other volunteers are creating something extraordinary.
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