You can tell a lot about a person by what they throw away. Danny is an AIDS orphan that was thrown in the garbage the day he was born. This short video is a strong and emotional call to each of us to examine what we're throwing away ... and why.

Subscribe to receive the Cauzal Connections blog by Email

Cauzal Coffee partners with Compassion International in our HIV/AIDS Cauze. Since 1952, Compassion has focused on meeting the needs of children in poverty -- all the needs of the "whole" child -- emotional, physical, social, and spiritual. Compassion works in prevention of the HIV infection, treatment for those living with HIV/AIDS, and rehabilitative care for children who have been orphaned and indirectly affected by AIDS. Prevention is the only long-term effective strategy for mitigating the spread of the pandemic itself; therefore, prevention is of first importance. Treatment refers to the medical and psychosocial care given to those who are already infected by HIV. Many children in Compassion's care are not themselves infected, yet their lives and well-being are jeopardized by HIV infection within their families and communities. Therefore, Compassion's response to HIV/AIDS extends beyond prevention of new infection and treatment of the infected, to include care for those whose lives are indirectly affected by the pandemic.  

Subscribe to receive the Cauzal Connections blog by Email

What does it mean to be "working in the trenches to bring assistance to those living with HIV and AIDS?" In my last blog I referred to my experience in Rwanda working to fight HIV/AIDS. Most of our work with World Relief was conducted through churches, with counselors and caregivers mobilized by their churches across the country of Rwanda. It doesn't mean that I (a white foreigner) was out walking the hills to bring this care and encouragement, but that Rwandan volunteers (the true heroes) were bringing this care. Isn't this the only truly sustainable way to deal with a problem as big as AIDS?  

I encourage you to watch the following video that tells the story of Francoise, a volunteer mobilized by her local church to care for families living with AIDS in Rwanda.  (Click here to watch the video.)

  

Subscribe to receive the Cauzal Connections blog by Email

On this last day of President Bush's eight years in office, I have been reflecting on how his presidency impacted me and my work. For most of those years I was based in central Africa (Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo) and was pretty distant from American politics. Even the 9/11 terrorism and subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq didn't affect me nearly as much as they did my friends in the US. But I was deeply impacted by President Bush's fight against HIV/AIDS. The leadership and support that the U.S. government put into this fight was evident and much appreciated as we worked in the trenches to reduce the number of infections and bring assistance to those living with HIV and AIDS. President and Mrs. Bush made several trips to Africa to support this and other initiatives, and we were honored on one of those trips to host Mrs. Bush for a few hours in Rwanda -- showing her the work that we were doing through a local church. We presented her with the gift of a wood carving in the shape of the country of Rwanda, depicting scenes of caregivers mobilized throughout the country and working through their churches to help alleviate the suffering of those with this terrible infection.

Here are some samplings of what is being reported about this legacy that President Bush is leaving in Africa.

"... when a verdict is rendered on the Bush presidency, I hope that it will somehow incorporate the voices of millions of Africans who have had their hopes and lives restored by this President’s groundbreaking commitment to some of the world’s least fortunate men, women and children. There is no better example today of America’s compassion, commitment and can-do spirit than in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa. I believe that every American and the whole world owes President Bush heartfelt thanks for refusing to write off a generation of Africans, not because it was politically expedient, but because it was the only moral thing to do."  Bush did the Moral Thing for Africa (Houston Chronicle) 

"President George W. Bush’s AIDS relief program aimed at Africa has exceeded its goal for the number of patients reached in its first five years, with more than 2.1 million men, women and children getting treatment." ... "A disease that was once thought to be a death sentence, a disease that was once thought sure to separate parents from their children, is now a disease that America is helping people to live with and to manage," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters in Washington.  U.S. AIDS Relief Program Exceeds Goal in Africa (Bloomberg News)

Bush's Plan for AIDS Relief Saved Lives (The Reporter)

The African People May be Alone: They'll Miss Mr. Bush (The National) 

Bush's Eight Years in the White House: The Verdict (The Scotsman) 

Nations that Love Bush (Newsweek)  

Subscribe to receive the Cauzal Connections blog by Email

Today is the 20th annual World AIDS Day – a day that the world comes together to commemorate those who have died from AIDS and to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic. This year's theme is "Leadership."

Compassion International is the nonprofit organization that Cauzal Coffee partners with in the fight against HIV/AIDS. One recipient of help from Compassion is eight-year-old "Iradukunda" in Rwanda. Before receiving assistance from Compassion, Iradukunda ate just one meal a day and was so sick he could not attend school. Now he gets regular meals, along with antiretroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS, which are provided by Compassion staff. "Compassion found me in the midst of frustrations of poverty and death," says Iradukunda's mother, Judith, who is also HIV-positive and whose husband died from AIDS two years ago. "I was poor and I had no hope for tomorrow. Compassion enhanced my life and [the lives] of my children."

Having grown up in Rwanda and Burundi, and I know that "Iradukunda" means "God loves us." I think that it is fitting that as we think of leadership in the AIDS crisis around the world, we remember God's love and care for all who are suffering from HIV and AIDS.  

Subscribe to receive the Cauzal Connections blog by Email

Share this Blog on facebook