Lighting candles

Today we joined many others around the world in commemorating the 27th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial. The event was held at the Anglican Church in Mazabuka and was a mixture of emotional reflections, powerful speeches and sermons, drama and some beautiful singing by different church groups. The main aim was to remember and honour those family members, children, friends and neighbours who have lost their lives because of HIV and AIDS. And to also show our support to people, and their families, currently living with HIV and AIDS. The phrase that has been used a number of times since my arrival here is that you are “either infected with or affected by AIDS” and with a prevalence rate in Mazabuka of 19% (likely to be a sizeable underestimate) this saying applies to everyone.

The theme for this year’s candlelight memorial was “Many Lights for Human Rights”. The testimony given by one woman who found out that she was HIV+ in 1992 was moving and impressive. In her speech she chose to emphasise that the virus is not a death sentence given the current treatment available but also she strongly advocated people to disclose their status as a warning of the dangers of HIV and AIDS to others. One of the local drama groups acted out a short play on the mis-treatment of orphans and vulnerable children who having lost parents to HIV and AIDS and then suffer again through poverty, abuse and neglect. The national electricity company (kindly!) turned the service into a truly candlelight occasion with the power going off twice. There was the obligatory march around town but in the dark, by candlelight and with music and singing this seemed different to the usual marches. All very sobering.