WAD.

As you know (I’m sure all of you know?), World AIDS Day (WAD) is on Wednesday, December 1. I participated in an art exchange program with my fellow Peace Corps volunteers here in South Africa. For the art exchange, children in all of our various projects created art and then we mailed the art from our project to another volunteer. So then everyone gets art from another project to share in their community – all in attempt to teach/share information about HIV/AIDS. Well, I have been pushing to have an “event” in my little area for the community on World AIDS Day so that I can display the art but also so that we can create our own little awareness/education campaign.
So, I couldn't get anyone to plan anything despite my efforts. But, last week, I ran into one of the nurses at the clinic who I have a good relationship with and she was all over helping me. We met at the clinic the next day and created a program (everything has a program here – complete with who is going to do the opening prayer and closing remarks), made posters, wrote letters…it was great. But, too bad the day is less than a week away. I shouldn’t be surprised though as this is pretty normal.  Which is probably why no one wanted to plan anything "so far ahead" in the first place. 

But you must know that in order to have a successful event, food is imperative. I just can’t get over this expectation at events here. It’s the first thing anyone asks. “Will there be food?” Eish. Anyway, because we were planning this very last minute, we didn’t have any food. Or money for food. So we decided to ask for donations. We have been somewhat successful in getting a few supplies which means that tomorrow I will be spending the afternoon baking with the nurse and praying that we can find cups for the juice that was donated.

I will be sure to take pictures to post of the event. And I’ve already said that next year, we plan ahead.