While I Was Sleeping

For the tenacious readers who followed A Song Of Africa over the last few years it might seem like I’ve dropped off the face of the earth. My apologies. The day I wrote the last post on this blog – October 31, 2008 – I learned that I was being laid off from Inspiration Software.

This news threw me into a bit of a tailspin, coming as unexpectedly and as suddenly as it did.

I've since taken a role at Tripwire, one of the industry leaders in network security, file integrity monitoring, and configuration management. (Say that 10 times fast!) It’s a great position with a great company. I’ve been busy learning the ins and out s of the business over the last 60 days. But I realize I’ve taken my eye off the ball.

I found a news story today who’s title says it all: SWAZILAND: AIDs Epidemic Shows no Signs of Stopping. You can read the story through the link, but here are the highlights (or the lowlights if you will):

· In 1992 the HIV infection rate among pregnant women was 3.9%

· By 2002 the HIV infection rate among the same group had climbed to 38.4%


· The rate stabilized peaked in the 2004 study but declined slightly in 2006.


. The most recent study, for 2008, shows HIVW infection rates among pregnant women as climbed back to 42% -- an increase of 3% in just one year

I encourage you to read the linked stories. Take them in and make them a part of your day-to-day existence. Think about them on your way to work or school.

If you can, personalize these stories and make them real by adding faces and names to them. When I read them I think if the wasting Nokuphila, who a little over a year ago thanked me for my concern over the son she’d lost to AIDs. I remember how she was struggling with HIV herself, and how tragic it seemed to me.

It's not about feeling bad, or even about sending more money to our World Vision partners... though that always helps. It's about caring enough to tell everyone you know that your family in Mhlosheni is in trouble and needs your help.

For my part, now that I've woken from my long slumber I'll try to pay more attention.