Aids Tent

A couple weeks ago a Christian organization at our school held an event regarding the Aids Crisis in Africa. I thought this experience was incredibly powerful in terms of being able to step into the lives of those who have been affected by Aids. Meaning, there were three different stories of three children on a listening tape and pictures set up for the listeners to experience a journey through their experiences of personal hardship. As you go into the tent, a person from the organization briefly summarizes what you are about to go through. Once you step in and turn on the tape recorder, you are assigned to one child who has been affected by the subject of Aids. The first person I was assigned was Steven. He was like any normal kid, who loved to play with other children and lived with his family, until the rebels captured him and forced him to train to kill others. However, once he was found, about a year later, by officers, he was put into a camp with other kids who also had experienced what he had. Yet, as he realized that many kids his age had contracted Aids, he too, helplessly wondered if he had as well. He knew that many others who had Aids were treated unkindly. After receiving his tests, he learned that he was tested negative. It was a miracle to him, because after about of year of facing situtations where there had been many cases when he could've contracted the disease, he was fortunate that he hadn't.
It was a powerful experience to briefly enter the life of Steven. I got to see an example of what his room would've looked like, and the clothes that he wore. However, the pictures were captivating. I saw a life of a child, and felt angry and helpless for him all at once during the the events of his capture into the rebel groups. Just hearing the cry of him made me wish I could've done something about it. It makes you realize that things like this continue on in Africa, and many of us today aren't aware of such events. After the tour, however, the Christian group waited at the exit and asked for your input, namely how you see the relation between Christianity and Aids. Since I am not religious, I really didn't have to say anything about religion pertaining to Aids, because I thought I was besides the point as to the actual Crisis situation.

"Aids Crisis Tent." Christian Organization. 5 November 2007. University of Redlands, California.