There was lots of dancing and happy celebration at the 9th Anniversary of HFC. But the program that touched my heart most was when people gave witness to the difficult parts of their past and what their lives are like now. They compared the past to the present. The victims of HIV/AIDS were in so many challenging situations. Before, they were very thin, and they had no food. They suffered with great stigma. No one would see them. HFC does house-to-house visits. If they hear that someone has these conditions, they go to the house to check. When the case is not critical, they offer the person help like massages, food preparation, help cleaning the house, etc. When the case is critical, HFC admits the person to the hospice. In the hospice, the workers manage the patients. The patients get good care with housing and entertainment, as well as help contacting the hospital or health center to get medical care.
After being admitted to the hospice, the people are healthy and they feel better about themselves psychologically. They know how to care for themselves and how to take care of others, too.
I volunteered there a little there and saw how much people changed thanks to the care they received. The people didn't know how to use condoms. Now they do. They have awareness now. They even love each other. They talk about their past and what their lives are like now.
One girl I knew, she had problems with her husband. They both got HIV/AIDS. One of her children was concerned about her life status. The bottom half of her body was paralyzed. She went to get blessed with holy water in the church to help her health. She didn't want to tell anyone what was happening. At the church, they realized she needed help. Through HFC, she got better. Her son came to visit her in the hospice. Now she is a beautiful woman. She is even getting help to make things better with her husband. I'm really excited about the change in her life. She makes peace with her family and with herself.
The witnesses at the HFC Anniversary, when they told their story, even the staff of HFC cried as well as the invited guests. There is a lot of suffering. The experiences of the people suffering with HIV/AIDS helps everyone to know about the virus and about the stigma. We can make our lives better by listening to them.
