REALITY...

day09-01
Originally uploaded by yo_paully.

The sunsets in Malawi are absolutely beautiful. They only last for a few minutes, but they are stunning. This country offers some really beautiful landscapes.

Today was a different day. It was a bit of a quiet day, lots of time to reflect. We started out at the job-site and did some hard steel work. The sun was hot and draining.

It was also a learning day (as everyday has been, so far). We have been in contact with so many people since arriving in Malawi, whether it's the people that we interact with at the market, the kids we visit or the guys we work with on the job-site, it's hard to imagine that 1 in every 5 of those people has AIDS, but it is a reality. The AIDS issue is something that no one likes to talk about, it is considered taboo to talk about it among most Malawians. Many people here do not get tested for HIV/AIDS, they do not want to know if they have AIDS. Denial is a reality.

Tomorrow some of us will have an opportunity to visit a clinic that is run by a Doctor who used to practice in Calgary, but has relocated in Malawi. We will be exposed to some of the realities that that AIDS presents.

Despite the AIDS problem, there are many positive things happening in Malawi, there are beautiful sunsets, and there is hope. Hope that we in North America can learn through the reality in Malawi.